THE STANFORD THEATRE
It's a Wonderful Life poster

It's a Wonderful Life

1946 ★ 125 min
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore
Director: Frank Capra
Writer: Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Jo Swerling
Producer: Frank Capra

It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film directed and produced by Frank Capra. It is based on the short story and booklet "The Greatest Gift", self-published by Philip Van Doren Stern in 1943, which itself is loosely based on the 1843 Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol.

Trivia

  • Selected for the National Board of Review: Top Ten Films.
  • Also nominated for: Academy Award for Best Actor; Academy Award for Best Director; Academy Award for Best Film Editing; Academy Award for Best Picture; and 1 more.
  • Based on The Greatest Gift (1943 short story by Philip Van Doren Stern).
  • The original story, "The Greatest Gift", was written by Philip Van Doren Stern in November 1939.
  • After it was rejected by several publishers, he had it printed as a 24-page pamphlet and mailed to 200 family members and friends for Christmas 1943.
  • The story came to the attention of either Cary Grant or RKO producer David Hempstead, who showed it to Grant's agent.

Filming Locations

  • California
  • Filming started on April 15, 1946, and wrapped on July 27, 1946, exactly on deadline for the 90-day principal photography schedule.
  • A technician had actually knocked over some equipment; Capra left in Mitchell's impromptu ad lib and rewarded the technician with $10 (equal to $141.84 in 2021), thanking him for his 'sound improvement'. According to rare stills that have been unearthed, several sequences were filmed but subsequently cut.

Previous Showings

41 Runs • 22 Festivals

43,715 tickets sold

Original Billings: 1 run (April 27, 1947)

Original Run: April 27, 1947 (Sunday - Wednesday)

All runs on record (41):

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