Editing Frank Capra (section)

=== ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946) ===
[[File:It's A Wonderful Life trailer (1946).webm|thumb|thumbtime=1:40|Trailer for ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'' (1946)]]
After the war ended, along with directors [[William Wyler]] and [[George Stevens]], Capra founded [[Liberty Films]]. Their studio became the first independent company of directors since United Artists in 1919 whose goal was to make films without interference by studio bosses. However, the only pictures completed by the studio were ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'' (1946) and ''[[State of the Union (film)|State of the Union]]'' (1948).<ref name=Stevens /> The first of these was a box office disappointment but was nominated for five [[Academy Awards]].

The copyright status of ''It's a Wonderful Life'' [[It's a Wonderful Life#Ownership and copyright issues|remains in flux]]. In 1998, the [[American Film Institute]] (AFI) named it one of the best films ever made, putting it at 11th on [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies]] list of the top American films of all time. In 2006, the AFI put the film at the top of its [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers]] list, ranking what AFI considers the most inspirational American movies of all time. It would become Capra's last film to win major acclaim—his successful years were now behind him, although he directed five more films over the next 14 years.<ref name=Stevens />

For ''State of the Union'' (1948), Capra changed studios. It would be the only time he ever worked for [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]. Although the project had an excellent pedigree with stars [[Spencer Tracy]] and [[Katharine Hepburn]], the film was not a success, and Capra's statement, "I think ''State of the Union'' was my most perfect film in handling people and ideas" has few adherents today.<ref>Poague 2004, p. 180.</ref>