December 20th Marks the Anniversary of It's a Wonderful Life's movie premiere.

The movie was directed by Frank Capra and starred Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore and Henry Travers.

In case you have not seen the movie (which is completely okay - up until a few years ago my mom had never seen it) here is a quick summary:

George Bailey is not having a good day. His life in the sleepy little town of Bedford Falls has been thrown off track, perhaps never to recover. His business has failed, he is wanted by the police, and he has had a fight with his beloved wife Mary. On this disastrous day, his responsibilities and frustrations overwhelm him, leading him to a bridge and serious contemplation of suicide. It is up to an angel named Clarence to convince George that his life has been one of worth and that it is still worth living. After taking a long look at George's life, the angel offers a portrait of what life in Bedford Falls would be like if George had never been born. This classic, sentimental favorite has become a Christmas tradition.

The library system has the movie on both DVD and BluRay (in both black and white and in color).

This holiday classic is based on the short story, “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern.

From the publisher:

[The story] which came to Stern in a dream one night. Unable at first to find a publisher for his evocative tale about a man named George Pratt who ponders suicide until he receives an opportunity to see what the world would be like without him, Stern ultimately published the story in a small pamphlet and sent it out as his 1943 Christmas card. One of those 200 cards found its way into the hands of Frank Capra, who shared it with Jimmy Stewart, and the film that resulted became the holiday tradition we cherish today.

The library system also has related materials you might be interested in:

It’s a Wonderful Life for Kids by Jimmy Hawkins.

Jimmy Hawkins played the role of Tommy Bailey in the movie and has written this book for kids. In this telling Tommy needs the help of an angel-in-training named Arthur.

Wonderful memories of “It’s a Wonderful Life” by Jimmy Hawkins

In this digitally available audiobook (available through hoopla) Jimmy Hawkins shares some of his memories of filming the movie.

It’s a Wonderful Life: Screenplay and The “It’s a Wonderful Life” book

Both of these titles contain the final screenplay of the movie.

-Amelia R.