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It's a Wonderful Life
CAST & DIRECTOR
Directed by Frank Capra. With James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore.
82.8/100
TMDB RATINGWHAT IT'S ABOUT
George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and loan company. But on Christmas Eve the business's $8,000 is lost and George's troubles begin.
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82.8/100
TMDB RATINGYOUR WATCHLISTGeorge Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George'…
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RELEASE SNAPSHOT
Release snapshot for It's a Wonderful Life.
MoviHero lists December 20, 1946 as the release date for It's a Wonderful Life. Frank Capra is the listed director. The listed cast includes James Stewart as George Bailey, Donna Reed as Mary Hatch, Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter, Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy. A trailer and 5 stills are available on this page.
Release dateDecember 20, 1946
GenresDrama · Family · Fantasy
Runtime2h 11m
DirectorFrank Capra
CastJames Stewart as George Bailey, Donna Reed as Mary Hatch, Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Potter, Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy
TrailerAvailable on this page
Images5 stills
BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY
Is It's a Wonderful Life right for tonight?
Pacing, attention and emotional impact are estimates from the current MoviHero Watch Profile, not verified scene-by-scene reviews.
How much time should I set aside?
It's a Wonderful Life runs 2h 11m. Allow extra time for breaks.
Is it slow or fast?
The current MoviHero pacing estimate is 4/10: a more patient pace.
Is it a good choice when I am tired?
The attention estimate is 6/10. Expect to follow the story rather than use it as background viewing.
How emotionally intense is it?
The emotional-impact estimate is 8/10, suggesting a stronger emotional experience. This does not tell you whether the ending is happy or sad.
CHANGE ONE THING
Like this, but...
These share a listed genre with It's a Wonderful Life. Profile differences are estimates, not a guarantee of the same story or mood.
But shorterTREE HOUSE2026 · 9m
122 minutes shorter (9m). Shared genre: drama, family, fantasy.
But less emotionally intenseClick2006 · 1h 47mEstimated emotional impact: 5/10 versus 8/10. Shared genre: drama, fantasy.
But less demandingКапитан Невельской и земли Чёрного дракона2026 · 1h 30mEstimated attention required: 3/10 versus 6/10. Shared genre: family, fantasy.
RATING & SOURCE
TMDB audience rating
TMDB: 82.8/100 (8.277/10) from 5,109 votes. Updated Oct 16, 2026.
External ratings are converted directly to /100. We add no popularity, metadata or Watch Profile bonuses. MoviHero audience ratings are calculated separately from numerical ratings submitted here.
MOVIHERO AUDIENCE RATING
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WHAT WATCHING IT FEELS LIKE
Watch Profile
Seven estimates of the viewing experience, based on the stored Watch Profile. These are separate from the movie rating and are not verified scene-by-scene assessments.
Pacing4/10
Emotional Impact8/10
Mind-Bending5/10
Scary1/10
Violence2/10
Rewatchability7/10
Attention Required6/10
WATCH A PREVIEW
Trailer
WORDS THAT STAY WITH YOU
Memorable lines
Reveal a line containing a spoiler
“I'll go further than that. I'll say that to the public Peter Bailey was the Building and Loan.”
A CLOSER LOOK
Stay with the image.
CAST & CREW
The people who make it land.
CHARACTERS IN THIS MOVIE
Follow the character.
Reviewed MoviHero character guides connected to this movie.
otherGeorge BaileyGeorge Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), played by James Stewart.Open character guide otherMary HatchMary Hatch in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), played by Donna Reed.Open character guide otherMr. PotterMr. Potter in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), played by Lionel Barrymore.Open character guide
SIMILAR GENRES & STORY THEMES
Keep the night going.
73/100
MOVIHERO ESTIMATETREE HOUSE
2026·Drama · Family · Fantasy · Animation
66.4/100
TMDB RATINGThe Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
2008·Adventure · Family · Fantasy
80/100
TMDB RATINGA Dog's Journey
2019·Adventure · Drama · Family