It's a Wonderful Life

It's a Wonderful Life was released in the by The Video Collection on 4th November 1985, and then it got re-released by The Video Collection and Cinema Club on 10th September 1990, It got re-released by The Video Collection on 17th February 1992 and it got re-released by VCI and Cinema Club on 16th October 1995 and 19th February 1996. Starring James Stewart.

Description[]

Cast[]

Credited Cast

James Stewart as George Bailey
Donna Reed as Mary Hatch Bailey
Henry Travers as Clarence Odbody
Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Henry F. Potter
Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy Bailey
Beulah Bondi as Ma Bailey
Frank Faylen as Ernie Bishop, the cab driver
Ward Bond as Bert, the cop
Gloria Grahame as Violet Bick
H. B. Warner as Mr. Emil Gower
Todd Karns as Harry Bailey
Samuel S. Hinds as father Peter "Pop" Bailey
Lillian Randolph as Annie, maid
Frank Albertson as Sam Wainwright
Virginia Patton as Ruth Dakin Bailey, Harry's wife
Mary Treen as Cousin Tilly, employee
Charles Williams as Cousin Eustace, employee
Sarah Edwards as Mrs. Hatch, Mary's mother
William Edmunds as Mr. Giuseppe Martini
Argentina Brunetti as Mrs. Martini
Bobby Anderson as Little George Bailey
Ronnie Ralph as Little Sam Wainwright
Jean Gale as Little Mary Hatch
Jeanine Ann Roose as Little Violet Bick
George Nokes as Little Harry Bailey
Danny Mummert as Little Marty Hatch
Sheldon Leonard as Nick, the bartender
Frank Hagney as Potter's mute aide
Charles Lane as Potter's rent collector
Jimmy Hawkins as Tommy Bailey
Karolyn Grimes as Zuzu Bailey
Larry Simms as Pete Bailey
Carol Coomes (AKA Carol Coombs) as Janie Bailey

Uncredited Cast

Charles Halton as Mr. Carter, bank examiner
J. Farrell MacDonald as the man whose grandfather planted the tree that George drives into
Harry Holman as Mr. Partridge, College teacher
Harold Landon as Marty Hatch, Mary's brother
Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer as Freddie (Mary's annoying high school suitor)
Mark Roberts as Mickey (student with the key to open up pool)
Max Wagner as Cashier/Bouncer at Nick's Bar
Dick Elliott as fat man on porch
Tom Fadden as Bridge Caretaker
Stanley Andrews as Mr. Welch, teacher's husband
Al Bridge as Sheriff with arrest warrant
Ellen Corby as Miss Davis
Marian Carr as Jane Wainwright, Sam's wifet
Adriana Caselotti as the singer in Martini's Bar
Joseph Granby as Angel Joseph (voice)
Moroni Olsen as the Senior Angel (voice)

The contention that James Stewart is often referred to as Capra's only choice to play George Bailey is disputed by film historian Stephen Cox, who indicates that "Henry Fonda was in the running."

Although it was stated that Jean Arthur, Ann Dvorak and Ginger Rogers were all considered for the role of Mary before Donna Reed won the part, this list is also disputed by Cox as he indicates that Jean Arthur was first offered the part but had to turn it down for a prior commitment on Broadway before Capra turned to Olivia de Havilland, Martha Scott and Ann Dvorak. Ginger Rogers was offered the female lead, but turned it down because she considered it "too bland". In Chapter 26 of her autobiography Ginger: My Story, she questioned her decision by asking her readers: "Foolish, you say?"

A long list of actors were considered for the role of Potter (originally named Herbert Potter): Edward Arnold, Charles Bickford, Edgar Buchanan, Louis Calhern, Victor Jory, Raymond Massey, Vincent Price and even Thomas Mitchell. However, Lionel Barrymore, who eventually won the role, was a famous Ebenezer Scrooge in radio dramatizations of A Christmas Carol at the time and was a natural choice for the role. Barrymore had also worked with Capra on his 1938 Best Picture Oscar winner, You Can't Take It with You.

H.B. Warner, who was cast as the drugstore owner Mr. Gower, actually studied medicine before going into acting. He was also in some of Capra's other films, including Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Lost Horizon, You Can't Take It with You, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. In the silent era, he had played the role of Jesus Christ in Cecil B. DeMille's The King of Kings (1927). The name Gower came from Capra's employer Columbia Pictures, which had been located on Gower Street for many years. Also on Gower Street was a drugstore that was a favorite for the studio's employees.

Charles Williams, who was cast as Eustace Bailey, and Mary Treen, who was cast as Matilda "Tilly" Bailey, were both B-list actors, as they both had appeared in 90 films each before filming It's a Wonderful Life.

Jimmy the raven (Uncle Billy's pet) appeared in You Can't Take It with You and each subsequent Capra film.

Credits[]

Opening (Original 1985 release)[]

Warning screen (1985-1986)
The Video Collection logo (1985-1986)
Video Collection International Movies promo from 1985 [announced by Simon Bates]
Liberty Films logo (1946)
Start of It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Closing (Original 1985 release)[]

End of It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
The End
Closing Credits Film
The Video Collection logo (1985-1986)

Opening (1990 Re-release) (with no trailer)[]

Warning screen (1986-1995)
The Video Collection logo (1986-1995)
Tracking control screen (1988-1991) (Normal)
Liberty Films logo (1946)
Start of It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Closing (1990 Re-release) (with no trailer)[]

End of It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
The End
Closing Credits Film
The Video Collection logo (1986-1995)

Opening (1992 Re-release) (with no trailer)[]

Tracking control screen (1991-1994) (Slow)
Warning screen (1986-1995)
The Video Collection logo (1986-1995)
Start of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1991)
Liberty Films logo (1946)
Start of It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Closing (1992 Re-release) (with no trailer)[]

End of It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
The End
Closing Credits Film
End of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1991)
The Video Collection logo (1986-1995)

Opening (1996 Re-release)[]

VCI: Cinema Club promo from 1996 [announced by Jonathan Kydd]
Tracking control screen (1995-2005)
Warning screen (1995-2005)
VCI logo (1995-2005)
Start of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1991)
Liberty Films logo (1946)
Start of It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Closing (1996 Re-release)[]

End of It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
The End
Closing Credits Film
End of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1991)
VCI logo (1995-2005)

Trailers and info[]

Original 1985 release[]

The 1985 advert with clips of various titles that are released by the Video Collection including clips from:

John Wayne classics
"Rio Grande"
"Sands of Iwo Jima"
"The Quiet Man"
Cary Grant carrying Doris Day on his shoulder in "A Touch of Mink"
"Indiscreet" (1958)
"Operation Petticoat"
Cary Grant in "Father Goose"
The greatest western film "High Noon"
"The Bells of St. Mary's"
It's a wonderful life
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
a scene of Frank Sinatra saying 'Hi' in "Young at Heart"
Never Love a Stranger.
"The Men"
"The Glory Boys"

Then here is range of cartoon clips for some children's titles by the Video Collection including.

"Mr. T" smashing the door down and arriving into a room in an episode of the "Mr. T" cartoon show,
"Space Ghost" flying downward in the cosmos and shooting lasers with his hand.
"Atom Ant" arriving into shot in the "Atom Ant" cartoon intro.
The scene of Zilly running away from a crocodile in his jacket from the "Dastardly and Muttley" cartoon show.
A gust of wind blowing Atom Ant's mailbox outside his tree the wrong side.
"Yogi Bear" watching his friend run out of his cave in "Hey There, it's Yogi Bear"
He-Man getting his power of Greyskull ready in the intro of the "He-Man and the Universe" cartoon series and yelling his "I have the power" quote.
Mr T taking a glare.
Muttley having a wheezy giggle in the airplane scene of a "Dastardly and Muttley" cartoon episode

Here is the last few set of clips that end the commercial which are:

a "Young at Heart" scene of Doris Day taking a smile.

The very last clip of the advert is the logo of the Video Collection with the announcer telling people to start their collection today.

1996 Re-release[]

The VCI: Cinema Club trailer from 1996 with clips of "Strictly Ballroom", "Richard III", "City Slickers", "The Lawnmower Man", "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp", "The Princess Bride" and "The Carry On Collection".