George Bailey was the paragon citizen of Bedford Falls town.
His pain is triggered by the loss of money by one of his employees, an oversight which threatens to bring his building and loans company to its knees. Faced with the looming set of scandal, bankruptcy and penury, he remembers the dream he forfeited in order to take over the company after his father’s death.
He had wanted to travel the world and build lots of buildings. He manages to build and finance homes for the citizens of Bedford Falls at low cost, but never manages to see the world.
Even his honeymoon was cancelled to help prop up the Building and Loan when the rival Mr. Potter came up with a scheme to steal all of George’s customers. In his moment of greatest frustration, he unleashes his regret on his family. “We should leave this crumby town”, “why did we have to have so many children?”
George has an encounter with his guardian angel, Clarence, on Christmas eve.
After George declares that he wished he had never been born, Clarence allows him to view life as if he had never been born.
View the trailer here.
View the film here