It's a Wonderful Life Synopsis

Activity 8.11

It’s A Wonderful Life.

Plot Synopsis

The movie opens with a depiction of angels in heaven discussing a problem. They are recevieng prayers about someone’s dad, and that he needs help. It is then told that George Bailey is going to kill himself, and they need someone to come and stop him. Clarence is chosen to do this job, and if he succeeds then he will earn his wings. The movie then begins to replay George’s life so that Clarence is able to understand George.

The first incident that Clarence is shown is of 12 year old George saving his younger brother Harry in an accident that occurred while playing on an ice-covered pond. Because George jumped in and saved Harry, George lost his hearing in+ his left ear.

Clarence is then shown that George’s father runs a small Building and Loan company that finances mortgages for the people of Bedford Falls. They are constantly facing a battle with the director of the Building and Load, Henry Potter, who holds much of the bank’s assets, as well as everything in town. Mr Potter charges people an incredibly amount of rent on his own apartments, and is trying to put Bailey’s company out of business.

George is working at a small store. Here it is shown that the owner of the store is an older man, who just lost his son. He wasn’t concentrating and he put poison in a young boys pill bottle. Young George Bailey is able to correct him on this mistake before it is too late.

George goes to work at the Building and Loan for a few years after finishing high school, although he has no intentions on following in his brothers footsteps. He expected Harry to take over him when he graduated, and George had plans to go on a European tour and then college when Harry took over. But his father has a fatal stroke and George has to now take over his father’s business for a few months, giving up the trip. Potter then tries to liquidate the business and so George has no choice but to take it over, giving up on collage and giving...