The Christmas fantasy drama film It’s a Wonderful Life was produced and
directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story "The Greatest Gift",
which Philip Van Doren Stern wrote in 1939 and published privately in
1945. The film is now among the most popular in American cinema and
because of numerous television showings in the 1980s has become
traditional viewing during the Christmas season.

It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the most acclaimed films ever made and
was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture. It has
been recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the100 best
American films ever made, placing number 11 on its initial 1998 greatest
movie list, and number one on AFI’s list of the most inspirational American
films of all time