Editing It's a Wonderful Life (section)

==Production==
===Background===
[[File:Capra-signed 1930s.jpg|thumb|upright|Director [[Frank Capra]]]]
The original story, "[[The Greatest Gift]]", was written by [[Philip Van Doren Stern]] in November 1939. After it was rejected by several publishers, he had it printed as a 24-page pamphlet and mailed to 200 family members and friends for Christmas 1943.<ref name="failed">Ervin, Kathleen A. [http://www.failuremag.com/arch_arts_its_a_wonderful_life.html "Some Kind of Wonderful"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207164140/http://www.failuremag.com/arch_arts_its_a_wonderful_life.html |date=February 7, 2009 }}. ''Failure Magazine'' (n.d.). Retrieved June 2, 2007.</ref>{{#tag:ref|It was not a true "Christmas card", but rather, a 24-page pamphlet.<ref>Cox 2003, pp. 29–31.</ref> |group=N}}<ref name=nj.com>{{cite news| last=Heyboer|first=Kelly| date=December 24, 2017| title=The surprising Jersey roots of 'It's a Wonderful Life'| url=http://www.nj.com/education/2017/12/the_surprising_jersey_roots_of_its_a_wonderful_lif.html| newspaper=[[The Star-Ledger]]| location=Newark| access-date=December 25, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224214748/http://www.nj.com/education/2017/12/the_surprising_jersey_roots_of_its_a_wonderful_lif.html| archive-date=December 24, 2017| url-status=usurped}}</ref> The story came to the attention of either [[Cary Grant]] or RKO producer David Hempstead, who showed it to Grant's agent. In April 1944, [[RKO Pictures]] bought the rights to the story for $10,000, hoping to turn it into a vehicle for Grant.<ref>{{cite news| title=Tempest in Hollywood| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1944/04/23/archives/tempest-in-hollywood-divergent-political-philosophies-cause.html?searchResultPosition=7| first=Fred| last=Stanley| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=April 23, 1944| page=X3| url-access=subscription}}</ref>

[[Dalton Trumbo]], [[Clifford Odets]], and [[Marc Connelly]] each worked on versions of the screenplay before RKO shelved the project. In Trumbo's draft, George Bailey is an idealistic politician who grows more cynical as the story progresses, then tries to end his life after losing an election. The angel shows him Bedford Falls not as it would be if he had never been born, but if he had gone into business instead of politics.<ref>{{cite journal |first=John A.| last=Noakes |author-link=John A. Noakes |title=Bankers and Common Men in Bedford Falls: How the FBI Determined That "It's a Wonderful Life" Was a Subversive Movie |journal=[[Film History (journal)|Film History]] |year=1998 |publisher=[[Indiana University Press]] |location=[[Bloomington, Indiana]] |volume=10 |issue=3 |pages=311–319 |jstor=3815225}} Also in {{cite book |chapter=Bankers and common men in Bedford Falls |title=Film History, Volume 10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LXlRAQAAIAAJ |year=1998 |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=LXlRAQAAIAAJ&q=%22having+lost+an+election+for+governor,+George+finds+himself+on+a+bridge+in+his+hometown+contemplating+suicide+and+wishing+that+he+had+gone+into+business+instead+of+politics+His+guardian+angel+saves+him+and+shows+how+different+the+world%22 315]}}</ref> Grant went on to make another Christmas movie staple, ''[[The Bishop's Wife]]''.{{#tag:ref|The project went through many hands, including Howard Hughes', who reportedly was interested.<ref name="capra">Weems, Eric. [http://www.eeweems.com/capra/_wonderful_life.html "Frank Capra online"]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119035038/http://www.eeweems.com/capra/_wonderful_life.html |date=January 19, 2013}}. Retrieved June 2, 2007.</ref>|group=N}}<ref>Cox 2003, p. 26.</ref>

RKO studio chief [[Charles Koerner]] urged Frank Capra to read "The Greatest Gift". Capra's new production company, [[Liberty Films]], had a nine-film distribution agreement with RKO. Capra immediately saw its potential, and wanted it for his first Hollywood film after making documentaries and training films during the war. RKO sold Capra the rights for $10,000 and threw in the three earlier scripts for free. (Capra claimed the rights and the scripts cost him $50,000.)<ref>Capra 1971, p. 376.</ref><ref name="failed"/><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a30117820/its-a-wonderful-life-flop-frank-capra/| title=It's a Wonderful Life has a dark backstory that no-one really mentions| website=[[Digital Spy]]| date=December 19, 2022}}</ref> Capra salvaged a few scenes from Odets' earlier screenplay<ref>{{cite book| last1=Capra| first1=Frank| last2=Pogue| first2=Leland| title=Frank Capra: Interviews| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1_-o2HI26KIC&q=%22greatest+gift%22| publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi| year=2004| page=29| isbn=978-1-5780-6617-9}}</ref> and worked with writers [[Frances Goodrich]] and [[Albert Hackett]], [[Jo Swerling]], [[Michael Wilson (writer)|Michael Wilson]], and [[Dorothy Parker]] (brought in to "polish" the script),<ref>Cox 2003, p. 23.</ref> on many drafts of the screenplay.

It was not a harmonious collaboration. Goodrich called Capra "that horrid man" and recalled, "He couldn't wait to get writing it himself." Her husband, Albert Hackett, said, "We told him what we were going to do, and he said 'That sounds fine.' We were trying to move the story along and work it out, and then somebody told us that [Capra] and Jo Swerling were working on it together, and that sort of took the guts out of it. Jo Swerling was a very close friend of ours, and when we heard he was doing this we felt rather bad about it. We were getting near the end and word came that Capra wanted to know how soon we'd be finished. So my wife said, 'We're finished right now.' We quickly wrote out the last scene and we never saw him again after that. He's a very arrogant son of a bitch."<ref name="McBride">{{cite book| last=McBride| first=Joseph| title=Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DMkLpTFBEtUC&q=%22arrogant+son+of+a+bitch%22| publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi| page=513| date=June 2, 2011| isbn=978-1-6047-3839-1| access-date=December 8, 2024}}</ref>

Later, a dispute ensued over the writing credits. The final screenplay, renamed by Capra ''It's a Wonderful Life'',<ref name="failed"/><ref>Goodrich et al. 1986, pp. 135, 200.</ref> was credited to Goodrich, Hackett, and Capra, with "additional scenes" by Jo Swerling. Capra said, "The Screen Writers' Arbitration committee decided that Hackett and Goodrich and I should get the credit for the writing. Jo Swerling hasn't talked to me since. That was five years ago."<ref name="McBride"/>

Some in [[Seneca Falls (village), New York|Seneca Falls, New York]], believe Capra was inspired to model Bedford Falls after the town following a visit in 1945. The town has an annual "It's a Wonderful Life Festival" on the second weekend in December.<ref>McDonald, Joan Barone (November 16, 2008). [http://www.buffalonews.com/lifearts/travel/story/495003.html "Seneca Falls: It's a 'Wonderful' town"]. ''[[The Buffalo News]]''. Retrieved December 29, 2008.</ref> On December 10, 2010, the "It's a Wonderful Life" Museum opened in Seneca Falls, with Karolyn Grimes, who played Zuzu in the movie, cutting the ribbon.<ref>Pacheco, Manny. [http://www.redroom.com/blog/raideoman1/its-a-wonderful-life-museum-opens "It's a Wonderful Life Museum opens"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122002735/http://www.redroom.com/blog/raideoman1/its-a-wonderful-life-museum-opens |date=January 22, 2011 }}. ''redroom.com'', December 11, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2010.</ref> However, film historian [[Jeanine Basinger]], curator of the Frank Capra archives at Wesleyan University and author of ''The 'It's A Wonderful Life' Book'', has said no evidence exists for Seneca Falls' claim. "I have been through every piece of paper in Frank Capra's diaries, his archives, everything. There's no evidence of any sort whatsoever to support this. That doesn't mean it isn't true, but no one is ever going to prove it." Basinger said that Capra always described Bedford Falls as an "Everytown".<ref>Gammage, Jeff (September 27, 1998). "For Seneca Falls, It's Hollywood or Bust." ''Philadelphia Inquirer.'' A3.</ref>

Philip Van Doren Stern said in a 1946 interview, "Incidentally, the movie takes place in [[Westchester County, New York|Westchester County]]. Actually, the town I had in mind was [[Califon, N.J.]]" The [[historic iron bridge]] in Califon is similar to the bridge that George Bailey considered jumping from in the movie.<ref name=nj.com />

===Casting===
In his autobiography, Capra recalled: "Of all actors' roles I believe the most difficult is the role of a Good Sam who doesn't know that he is a Good Sam. I knew one man who could play it ... James Stewart. ... I spoke to [[Lew Wasserman]], the MCA agent who handled Jimmy, told him I wanted to tell Jimmy the story. Wasserman said Stewart would gladly play the part without hearing the story."<ref>{{cite book| last=Capra| first=Frank| title=The Name Above the Title: An Autobiography| publisher=McMillan| url=https://archive.org/details/nameabovetitleau0000capr/page/376/mode/2up?q=wasserman| year=1971| pages=376–377| isbn=978-0-3068-0771-8}}</ref> Stewart and Capra had previously collaborated on ''[[You Can't Take It With You (film)|You Can't Take It with You]]'' (1938) and ''[[Mr. Smith Goes to Washington]]'' (1939).

[[Henry Fonda]], Stewart's best friend, was also considered.<ref name="blockbuster">Greene, Liz. {{cite web|url=http://blockbuster.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=382 |title="One of America's Favorite Christmas Movies Has a Wonderful Life of Its Own: 72 Percent of Viewers are Younger Than the Movie." |access-date=December 17, 2006 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207225334/http://blockbuster.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=382 |archive-date=December 7, 2008}}. ''Blockbuster Inc.'' Retrieved August 2, 2011.</ref><ref name="Cox p. 6">Cox 2003, p. 6.</ref> Both actors had returned from the war with no employment prospects. Fonda, however, was cast in John Ford's ''[[My Darling Clementine]]'' (1946), which was filmed at the same time that Capra shot ''It's a Wonderful Life.'' For 17 supporting roles<ref name="crawleyscastingcalls.com">{{cite web|title=All the Movies in Tony Crawley's Casting Calls| url=http://www.crawleyscastingcalls.com/index.php?option=com_movies&Itemid=60&id=57&lettre=ALL|access-date=July 7, 2020| website=www.crawleyscastingcalls.com}}</ref> in the film, Capra considered more than 170 established actors.

[[Jean Arthur]], Stewart's co-star in ''You Can't Take It With You'' and ''Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,'' was first offered the role of Mary, but had recently dropped out of the Broadway show ''[[Born Yesterday (play)|Born Yesterday]]'' from exhaustion shortly before its premiere. Capra next considered [[Olivia de Havilland]], [[Martha Scott]], [[Ann Dvorak]], and [[Ginger Rogers]] before borrowing Donna Reed from MGM. Rogers turned it down because she considered it "too bland."<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.metv.com/lists/6-things-you-might-not-know-about-donna-reed| title=6 things you might not know about Donna Reed| website=[[MeTV]]}}</ref> In chapter 26 of her autobiography ''Ginger: My Story,'' she questioned her decision by asking her readers: "Foolish, you say?"<!-- Capra is adamant that Ginger Rogers was not considered because of contract conflicts. This may one of those "faulty memories" issues. -->

[[File:It's A Wonderful Life.jpg|250px|thumb|George Bailey (James Stewart), Mary Bailey ([[Donna Reed]]), and their youngest daughter Zuzu ([[Karolyn Grimes]])]] A long list of actors was considered for the role of Potter (originally named Herbert Potter): [[Edward Arnold (actor)|Edward Arnold]], [[Charles Bickford]], [[Edgar Buchanan]], [[Louis Calhern]], [[Victor Jory]], [[Raymond Massey]], [[Thomas Mitchell (actor)|Thomas Mitchell]], and [[Vincent Price]].<ref name="Cox p. 6"/> Lionel Barrymore, who eventually was cast, 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 and Stewart on Capra's 1938 Best Picture Oscar winner, ''[[You Can't Take It With You (film)|You Can't Take It with You]].''

Before Capra decided on Ward Bond as Bert,<ref name="crawleyscastingcalls.com"/> he also considered [[Sam Levene]], [[Barton MacLane]], [[Robert Mitchum]], John Alexander and [[Irving Bacon]] for the role.

Before Capra cast Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy, he also considered [[Walter Brennan]] and [[W. C. Fields]] for the role.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://archive.org/details/itswonderfullife00basi| title=The "It's a wonderful life" book| year=1986 }}</ref>{{rp|8}}

[[H. B. Warner]], who was cast as Mr. Gower, the pharmacist, had studied medicine before going into acting. He was also in some of Capra's other films, including ''[[Mr. Deeds Goes to Town]],'' ''[[Lost Horizon (1937 film)|Lost Horizon]],'' ''[[You Can't Take It With You (film)|You Can't Take It with You]],'' and ''[[Mr. Smith Goes to Washington]].''<ref>Willian 2006, p. 12.</ref> In the silent era, he had played the role of [[Jesus Christ]] in [[Cecil B. DeMille]]'s ''[[The King of Kings (1927 film)|The King of Kings]]'' (1927). The name Gower came from Capra's employer [[Columbia Pictures]], which had been located on [[Gower Street (Hollywood)|Gower Street]] for many years. Also on Gower Street was a drugstore that was a favorite for the studio's employees.<ref>Willian 2006, p. 16.</ref>

[[Charles Williams (American actor)|Charles Williams]], who was cast as Eustace Bailey, and [[Mary Treen]], who was cast as Matilda "Tilly" Bailey, were both B-list actors, having appeared in 90 films each before ''It's a Wonderful Life.''<ref>Willian 2006, p. 14.</ref>

[[Jimmy the raven]] (Uncle Billy's pet) appeared in ''You Can't Take It with You'' and each subsequent Capra film.<ref name="blockbuster"/><ref name="Cox p. 24">Cox 2003, p. 24.</ref>

===Filming===
[[File:It's a Wonderful Life (film) 1946 Frank Capra, director L to R James Stewart, Gloria Grahame.jpg|thumb|James Stewart and Gloria Grahame as George Bailey and Violet Bick<!-- : "The compassion of Jesus for Mary Magdalene."<ref>Sarris, 1998. p. 355</ref> ??? -->]]
''It's a Wonderful Life'' was shot at [[RKO Pictures|RKO Radio Pictures]] Studios in [[Culver City, California]], and the 89-acre RKO [[movie ranch]] in [[Encino, Los Angeles|Encino]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retroweb.com/gallery/index.php?album=Studio%20Backlots/RKO%20Encino%20Ranch/Bison%20Archives |title=RetroWeb Image Gallery &#124; Bison Archives RKO Ranch photograph collection |publisher=Retroweb.com |access-date=December 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016102403/http://www.retroweb.com/gallery/index.php?album=Studio%20Backlots%2FRKO%20Encino%20Ranch%2FBison%20Archives |archive-date=October 16, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> where "Bedford Falls" was adapted from [[Academy Awards|Oscar]]-winning sets originally designed by art director [[Max Ree]] for the 1931 epic film ''[[Cimarron (1931 movie)|Cimarron]].'' Covering 4 acres (1.6 ha), the town consisted of a main street stretching 300&nbsp;yards (three city blocks) with 75 stores and buildings, and a residential neighborhood.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.retroweb.com/gallery/index.php?album=Studio+Backlots/RKO+Encino+Ranch/Bison+Archives/Modern+Street| title=The RetroWeb Image Gallery| website=Retroweb.com| access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> Capra added a tree-lined center parkway, built a working bank set, and planted 20 full-grown oak trees.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retroweb.com/gallery/index.php?album=Studio%20Backlots/RKO%20Encino%20Ranch/It%27s%20A%20Wonderful%20Life |title=RetroWeb Image Gallery &#124; It's A Wonderful Life |website=Retroweb.com |access-date=December 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016102403/http://www.retroweb.com/gallery/index.php?album=Studio%20Backlots%2FRKO%20Encino%20Ranch%2FIt%27s%20A%20Wonderful%20Life |archive-date=October 16, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Pigeons, cats, and dogs were allowed to roam the mammoth set to give the "town" a lived-in feel.<ref name="Cox p. 24"/>

Due to the requirements of filming in an "alternate reality," as well as different seasons, the exterior set was extremely adaptable. RKO studio's head of special effects, [[Russell Shearman]], developed a new compound using water, soap flakes, foamite, and sugar to create "chemical snow" for the film. Before then, movie snow was usually made from untoasted cornflakes, which were so loud when stepped on that dialogue had to be redubbed afterwards.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.liveabout.com/things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-its-a-wonderful-life-4864136| title=6 things you probably didn't know about 'It's a Wonderful Life'| access-date=December 8, 2024| date=December 14, 2011| website=LiveAbout| first=Matt| last=Hickman}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/hollywood-invented-a-new-type-of-fake-snow-to-film-its-5870771|title=Hollywood Invented a New Type Of Fake Snow To Film ''It's a Wonderful Life''| first=Andrew| last=Liszewski| date=December 24, 2011| website=[[Gizmodo Media Group|Gizmodo]]| access-date=December 8, 2024}}</ref>

Filming started on April 15, 1946, and wrapped on July 27, 1946, exactly on deadline for the 90-day principal photography schedule.<ref name="capra"/>

Only two locations from the film survive. The first, the swimming pool that was unveiled during the high-school dance sequence, is located in the gymnasium at [[Beverly Hills High School]] and is still in use {{as of|December 2023|lc=y}}. The second is the "Martini home" in [[La Cañada Flintridge, California]].<ref>Wayne, Gary. [http://www.seeing-stars.com/Locations/40sLocations.shtml "Hollywood on Location: the '40s"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124034039/http://www.seeing-stars.com/Locations/40sLocations.shtml |date=January 24, 2016 }}. ''seeing-stars.com.'' Retrieved August 25, 2009.</ref> RKO's movie ranch in Encino was razed in 1954.{{#tag:ref|Photographs of parts of the RKO set can be seen on retroweb.com.<ref>[http://www.retroweb.com/rko_encino_residential_sets.html "Residential Sets"]. ''retroweb.com.'' Retrieved December 29. 2011.</ref> |group=N}}

The scene where young George saves his brother Harry from drowning was different in an early draft of the script. The boys play ice hockey on the river (which is on Potter's property) as Potter watches with disdain. George shoots the puck, but it goes astray and breaks the "No Trespassing" sign and lands in Potter's yard. Potter becomes irate and his gardener releases attack dogs, which cause the boys to flee. Harry falls in the ice and George saves him with the same results.<ref>Willian 2006, p. 5.</ref>

In another draft, after he unsuccessfully attempts to consult his father about Mr. Gower and the pills, George considers asking Uncle Billy, but he is on the phone with the bank examiner. Billy lights his cigar and throws his match in the wastebasket. George turns to Tilly (who, along with Eustace, are his cousins, although not Billy's kids), but she is on the phone with her friend, Martha. She says, "Potter's here, the bank examiner's coming. It's a day of judgment." The wastebasket suddenly catches fire and Billy cries for help. Tilly runs in and puts the fire out with a pot of coffee. George decides to deal with the Gower situation by himself.<ref name="Willian 2006, p. 15"/>

According to Bobbie Anderson, in the confrontation between Mr. Gower and young George, H. B. Warner, who was drunk at the time of the drug store scene, slapped him for real and made his ear bleed, reducing him to tears. Warner hugged him after the scene was shot.<ref>{{cite news| first=Claire| last=Noland|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jun-08-me-anderson8-story.html| title=Child actor played early George Bailey| newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]| date=May 5, 2008| access-date=July 21, 2018}}</ref>
[[File:It's a Wonderful Life - George with Mary and Violet.jpg|thumbnail|right|Young George ([[Bobbie Anderson]]) with Violet and Mary in Mr. Gower's drugstore]]

Composer [[Dimitri Tiomkin]] had written "Death Telegram" and "Gower's Deliverance" for the drugstore sequence, but Capra elected to forgo music in those scenes. Tiomkin had worked on many of Capra's previous films, but those changes, and others, led to a falling out between the two men. Tiomkin felt as though his work was being seen as a mere suggestion. In his autobiography ''Please Don't Hate Me,'' he called the incident, "an all around scissors job."<ref name="Willian 2006, p. 15">Willian 2006, p. 15.</ref>

In the scene where Uncle Billy gets drunk at Harry and Ruth's welcome home/newlyweds' party and staggers away off camera, a crash is heard off screen. Mitchell, as Uncle Billy, yells, "I'm all right! I'm all right!", implying that Uncle Billy had knocked into some trash cans. A technician had actually knocked over some equipment; Capra left in Mitchell's impromptu ad lib and rewarded the technician with $10 (equal to $141.84 in 2021), thanking him for his 'sound improvement.'

According to rare stills that have been unearthed, several sequences were filmed but subsequently cut.<ref name="Cox p. 15">Cox 2003, p. 15.</ref> Alternative endings were also considered. Capra's first script had Bailey fall to his knees to recite "The Lord's Prayer" (the script also called for an opening scene with the townspeople in prayer). Feeling that an overly religious tone undermined the emotional impact of the family and friends rushing to George's rescue, the closing scenes were rewritten.<ref>Cahill 2006, p. 105.</ref><ref>Dirks. Tim. [http://www.filmsite.org/itsa2.html "Review: It's A Wonderful Life (1946)"]. ''[[Filmsite]]''. Retrieved August 25, 2009.</ref><ref>Jones, Robert L. [http://www.objectivistcenter.org/ct-1833-wonderful_life.aspx "It Was A Wonderful Life"]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070505205443/http://www.objectivistcenter.org/ct-1833-wonderful_life.aspx|date=May 5, 2007}}. ''[[The Atlas Society]]''. Retrieved August 25, 2009.</ref>

Capra found the film's original cinematographer [[Victor Milner]] slow and pretentious, and when Milner became ill, Capra borrowed [[Joseph Walker (cinematographer)|Joseph Walker]] from Columbia.<ref>Walker Lenses 'Life.' ''The Hollywood Reporter''. May 21, 1946: 4.</ref> Walker had lensed 19 previous Capra films. But when [[Rosalind Russell]] demanded that Walker return to [[Columbia Pictures]] to shoot her next film,<ref>Russell Insistence Recalls Walker Lens. ''The Hollywood Reporter''. July 22, 1946: 1.</ref> Walker trained veteran camera operator [[Joseph Biroc]] to be his replacement. Although working with three cinematographers was difficult for Capra, in Walker's opinion it turned out very well because the scenes each cinematographer shot were so different that they did not have to match each other's visual styles.<ref>{{cite book |first=Joseph |last=McBride |author-link=Joseph McBride (writer) |title=Frank Capra. The Catastrophe of Success |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DMkLpTFBEtUC |year=2011 |orig-date=1992 |publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]] |location=Jackson |isbn=978-1-6047-3839-1 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=DMkLpTFBEtUC&pg=PA528 528]}}</ref>