it's a wonderful life 4k steelbook review

4K Blu-ray SteelBook Review: It’s A Wonderful Life

Brendan Campbell

November 17, 2020

Blu-ray Reviews , Reviews , Top Story

Paramount has prepared a new SteelBook release of It’s a Wonderful Life on 4K just as we begin to head into the holiday season. In a year that has been, well, to put it lightly, quite difficult for many, this is a film that has a fantastic message that everyone could use reminding of when life seems to be kicking you while you’re down. It’s a genuine classic that even 74-years later truly stands the test of time like the best of them, and while the film has been released in 4K before, this release targets the SteelBook collectors out there – or those who just love beautiful images to house their discs, because make no mistake about it, this is a simple, yet gorgeous case!

On the front we have a beautiful shot of George Bailey (James Stewart) and Mary Hatch (Donna Reed) that harkens back to the original poster art. It’s just so clean, and while the film is so much better in black and white, the colour here just works so well and gives you a warm feeling just looking at it. A big thing with SteelBooks is for them to create unique covers that aren’t found elsewhere, yet I honestly can’t think of a better, more endearing image that represents the theme of this movie better than this throwback picture with the soft blue night’s sky and giant moon behind them.

On the back we have the famous quote, “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” It’s beautifully presented in white lettering on an image of a pair of bells, with the entire back coloured in the same red of the film’s title found on the front of the case. They even made the smart decision to keep the stars/snow from the front continuing to the back, which gives the case a very united look and feel. The red and light blue work harmoniously together to give the case a fantastic Christmas feel as well.

On the inside we have a colourized image of the end of the film, which makes sense to keep things fluid with the coloured images on the front of the disc. It’s a beautiful image that looks really sharp behind the plastic casing that holds the discs in place. As a whole this case is just top tier work, and SteelBook fans should be very pleased.

There’s also a mini-poster of the film’s original theatrical poster found folded up inside for fans who may want to display it, or to simply get a better look at the feel and style of this poster from the 1940s.

For those who have yet to purchase It’s a Wonderful Life on 4K, this SteelBook release is a no-brainer, as it’s just a perfect package for such a wonderfully memorable film. The 4K transfer work that Paramount has done here is once again some of the best on the market. Going right back to the original nitrate negative, they’ve cleaned it up in ways that never cease to amaze me. The amount of work done on these older films in order to basically save them before it’s too late is often stunning, and Paramount delivers on this front time and time again.

If you’ve already purchased the film in its initial 4K release, then you simply have to ask yourself: do I love the SteelBook art enough to warrant a double-dip? Because other than the case and the folded up, original mini-poster found within, everything else on the 4K and Blu-ray disc (which allows you to watch the film in colour if you so choose) remains the same. Maybe the win win scenario sees you purchasing the new SteelBook for yourself and paying your prior 4K copy forward to a friend or family member, as it is the season for giving, and what a wonderful gift this movie is.

For those looking for further thoughts on the film itself, please check out my previous review of the Blu-ray release from 2011…oh, how time flies!

4K Blu-ray Video and Audio Review:

As mentioned above, the film looks the best it ever has for home viewing. The 2160p/HEVC H.265 transfer is masterful. It looks gorgeous, and its filmic look is preserved while all the scratches, dust and other things that eat away at a film as the decades pass have been erased. The film also receives a lossless audio, Dolby TrueHD mono track that Paramount again nails. I praise Paramount quite a bit with its 4K transfers of older films, but that’s because they’ve proven time and time again that they deliver some of the best upgrades/restorations on the market.

Special Features: (Note: The special features are identical to those on the film’s previous 4K disc release)

Restoring a Beloved Classic – This feature is 13-minutes in length, and what it’s about is fairly self-explanatory. It goes deeper into the processes of how they restored the film from its original nitrate print, why it was so urgent to do so now and the tools involved. It’s definitely worth the watch to watch the magic happen.

Secrets from the Vault: It’s a Wonderful Life – This feature runs at 23-minutes in length and delves into the making-of process for parts of the movie, its initial failure at the box-office and how it went on to become a classic despite the bumps out of the gate. For those looking to find a small bit of history on the film, you need look no further.

It’s a Wonderful Wrap Party – This featurette is 8-minutes long and shows some footage from the film’s wrap party.

Paramount Pictures presents It‘s a Wonderful Life. Directed by: Frank Capra. Written by: Frank Capra, Frances Goodrich, Albert Hacket. Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi, Gloria Grahame, Henry Travers. Running time: 130 minutes. Rating: G. Released on 4K/Blu-ray SteelBook: Nov. 17, 2020.

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“It’s A Wonderful Life” 4K Steelbook Review

It’s A Wonderful Life

Plot Summary

Frank Capra’s heart-warming masterpiece has been embraced as a cherished holiday tradition by families around the world! George Bailey (James Stewart) sets aside his dreams of world travel to run his father’s small community bank, and protect the people of Bedford Falls from greedy businessman Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore). When a costly mistake pushes George to the brink of despair, a visit from a kindly angel (Henry Travers) will show George how the life of one good man can change the world forever. Now you can watch the holiday classic like never before, newly remastered from the original film negatives and more vibrant than ever in High Dynamic Range! (from  Amazon.com )

Film Review

For those unfamiliar with the story of  It’s A Wonderful Life , it revolves around the life of a man named George Bailey, played beautifully by James Stewart. From childhood, George is a dreamer. He aspires to be a great man, hoping to see the world, discover new lands, design and build things, and live life to its fullest. However, George lives in the small town of Bedford Falls. His father runs a “building and loan” business that serves the townsfolk, helping them make a better life for themselves. Otherwise, the town is largely owned and run by a surly old man named Potter (played with great precision by Lionel Barrymore), and he takes advantage of the residents of the town for his own financial gain. Although George sets his sights on great things, he’s frequently held back by responsibility and unfortunate circumstance. First, his father passes away just before he’s able to set out to explore the world, leaving him with the tough decision to take over his father’s business so Potter doesn’t dissolve it. As the years go by, and he starts his own family, he begrudgingly continues on at his father’s business, making the best of his being stuck in Bedford Falls. But when a financial crisis beyond his control strikes the building and loan, and the threat of prison looms over his head, his resolve is tested, and God answers the prayers of his family and friends and intervenes.

Through the expert direction of Frank Capra, and an elite group of players led by James Stewart, Donna Reed, and Lionel Barrymore,  It’s A Wonderful Life  really is an incredible film. I think the theme of feeling as though our lives have little impact is something that nearly everyone has felt at one point or another in their lifetime. But that feeling couldn’t be further from reality.  It’s A Wonderful Life  is an excellent exercise in showing how the decisions we make, especially selfless sacrifices, can greatly influence the lives of those around us. And while the movie focuses on George’s immediate friends and family, the truth is that the ripple effect of his decisions was most likely even wider spread.

Again, while the movie isn’t overtly Christmas themed in nature, the finale is really what makes this movie so moving and impactful. At the risk of spoiling the ending for the few readers who’ve yet to tune into the movie yet, seeing all of his friends and family spring in to action to bail him out at the end is just beautiful. He hadn’t asked for this gift, but they realized his own selfless deeds had done so much for them and they wanted to help in any way that they could. It’s a wonderful thing and it gets me every time.

It’s A Wonderful Life  is a fantastic film – not just for Christmastime, but for any time. If you need a reminder of your worth and impact on the world around you,  It’s A Wonderful Life  is a great reminder and a sobering cinematic experience. And it’s well worth revisiting each year at Christmas.

Last year,  It’s A Wonderful Life  made its 4K UHD debut, and this year it’s been re-released in a steelbook form with a bonus mini-poster. The 4K transfer is crisp and clear, and possibly the highest quality transfer out there. However, it’s surprisingly darker, visually, than the previous HD Blu-Ray transfer (but much less grainy). I’m not quite sure why this would be, but the Blu-Ray transfer might just be the more ideal presentation for this movie. The steelbook combo pack offers the 4K disc and then an additional Blu-Ray disc, but only with the colorized version on it.

–  John DiBiase   (reviewed: 11/17/20)

4K UHD / Blu-Ray Special Features Review

The 4K UHD combo pack of  It’s A Wonderful Life  includes the feature film in 4K UHD, a standard Blu-Ray disc that features the colorized version, and a digital copy. There are a few new bonus features on the 4K disc:

Restoring a Beloved Classic  (13:03) – Here, part of the Paramount Pictures team discuss the restoration of the film and how the original film negative has suffered from nitrate deterioration and significant portions of the film are now missing. They ended up mixing various elements of different scans of the film together to make the completed new scan. (2 “Oh my G-d”)

Secrets from the Vault:  It’s A Wonderful Life  (22:11) – This great segment features a couple film historians talking about how the movie came together and how it was received back in 1946. I was surprised to learn things like how the movie was filmed during summer time, so they had to work to make wintery scenes in the middle of June. I was also surprised to learn that the movie didn’t do very well when it first released, and that it wasn’t until years later, when it was shown repeatedly on TV, that it became a classic. Among other things, we’re treated to some neat behind the scenes photos, unused set shots, test footage and an an aerial view of the Bedford Falls city facade set. The featurette also discusses the film’s brilliant cinematography, sound, and tone. It all closes with the historians offering a little commentary on the recently discovered  It’s A Wonderful Life  “wrap party” picnic footage.

It’s A Wonderful Life  Wrap Party  (8:05) – Here is a montage of home video footage recorded at the film’s wrap party picnic. There is no sound from the event, so the video is set to the film’s musical score. We see the cast gathered around a lake, mingling with their families, and even taking part in a lively sack race!

–  John DiBiase ,  (reviewed: 11/17/20)

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Review: It’s A Wonderful Life (4K) Steelbook

George Bailey has so many problems he is thinking about ending it all – and it’s Christmas! As the angels discuss George, we see his life in flashback. As George is about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing his guardian angel, Clarence – who then shows George what his town would have looked l ike if it hadn’t been for all his good deeds over the years.

Plot: An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.

Director: Frank Capra

Aspect Ratio:  1.37.1

Runtime:  130 min

Rotten Tomatoes Consensus: The holiday classic to define all holiday classics,  It’s a Wonderful Life  is one of a handful of films worth an annual viewing.

Online Ratings:

• Rotten Tomatoes   93% 
• Metacritic 89
• Roger Ebert 4/4

“A timeless holiday classic.”

Good news is this has already been reviewed on the site! You can check out that review by clicking on this link . Officially, you can celebrate your Holidays with Frank Capra’s beloved masterpiece in this new UHD steelbook. This new transfer delivers amazing clarity with sharper and brighter images for a sensational home viewing expierence. Not only is this a must own for yourself, but it’s an ideal holiday gift too! (On top of the new packaging, it also includes a mini reproduction of the vintage film poster.)

This combo includes the black-and-white film on 4K, as well as the colorized version on Blu-ray, along with three special features: Restoring a Beloved Classic, Secrets from the Vault and It’s A Wonderful Wrap Party .

In conclusion, not only is this one of my favorite films, but I watch it (at least once) every time the holidays come around. Even more than that, it’s #1 on AFI’s Most Inspiring Films of All Time rounding out the Top 5 which includes other movies like To Kill A Mockingbird, Schindler’s List, Rocky & Mr. Smith Goes to Washington . It’s one of the greatest movies of all time — no doubt about it. (Watching the old Blu-ray, I never used to question the quality — but I also never thought it would be possible to upgrade either — I’m glad this exists.)

Officially, this new 4K UHD Steelbook will be available November 17th , so make sure you head out to your local retailer to pick it up — it’s a must own classic you have to watch every time the holidays come around. It’s never looked better and you have my permission to double or triple dip on it.

Are you a fan of this movie? Will you be picking it up in UHD? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

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BLU-RAY REVIEW

It's A Wonderful Life (Steelbook) 4K Ultra HD

Featured in issue 253, january/february 2021.

Voted the Number One most inspiring film of all time by AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers, "It's A Wonderful Life" has had just that. With the endearing message that "no one is a failure who has friends," Frank Capra's heartwarming masterpiece continues to endure, and after over 60 years this beloved classic still remains as powerful and moving as the day it was made. Based on a story by Philip Van Doren Stern. (Tricia Spears)

Special features include a colorized version of the film and the original, fully restored black-and-white version. There are no special features on the colorized version. The black-and-white version includes "The Making Of It's A Wonderful Life" (SD 22:45) and the original theatrical trailer.

The 1.33:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10/Dolby Vision picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed in spherical format on 35 mm film stock. The 1.33:1 framed picture is nearly framed in the original 1.37:1 theatrical aspect ratio. The fully restored black-and-white film is incredibly sharp, clear, and detailed. The resolution is impressive throughout, with fine facial features, clothing, and object textures perfectly resolved. The gray scale is perfectly balanced with excellent contrast. Blacks are deep and solid, shadow delineation is nicely revealing, and highlights are nicely enhanced. This new 4K restored edition will not disappoint, and the film is sure to touch the emotions of everyone in the family. (Gary Reber)

The original monaural soundtrack is delivered in the DolbyTrueHD lossless 2.0 monaural format. This new lossless soundtrack delivers remarkable clarity with intelligent dialogue and sound effects. Of course, the sound is limited to the original source elements, and the sound is dated and compressed. As well, distortions are present throughout, and while undistinguished monaural, the sound is what it is and sets the mood for this wonderful classic film. (Gary Reber)

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4K Ultra HD Review – It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

November 17, 2020 by Brad Cook

It’s a Wonderful Life , 1946.

Directed by Frank Capra. Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, Beulah Bondi, Ward Bond, Frank Faylen, and Gloria Grahame.

Perennial holiday favorite It’s a Wonderful Life was reissued on 4K UltraHD Blu-ray this year in a SteelBook that includes a vintage poster. Aside from that, it’s the same as the 4K released last year, but it’s a worthwhile pickup for fans, with stunning image quality and a code for a digital copy. A handful of extras round out the disc, and there’s a Blu-ray with a colorized version if that’s your thing.

This isn’t It’s a Wonderful Life ’s first time on 4K disc. It was actually released for the first time in that format last year, but this edition arrives in SteelBook packaging and includes a vintage mini poster. Given what a year it’s been, though, I welcomed the opportunity to indulge in some feel-good escapism, courtesy of director Frank Capra, who was at the height of his powers when this film was released in 1946.

This isn’t an obscure film, given its long-running status as a holiday favorite that’s been on TV at this time of the year for decades, but in case you don’t know the story, here’s the rundown. Sadly, this is a tale that may hit people harder this year than in more recent years.

James Stewart stars as George Bailey, who was born in Bedford Falls, married his childhood sweetheart (Donna Reed) there, and expects to die there after a life of scraping by. On Christmas Eve, George decides he’s going to end things early and finds himself at the brink of committing suicide.

The angel Clarence Odbody is assigned to save George and finally earn his wings in the process. Before he can intervene, however, he must watch flashbacks of George’s life and see how George saved his brother Harry from drowning during childhood and later postponed his dream of traveling to help protect his father’s savings and loan from board member Henry F. Potter, who seeks to dissolve it.

Time and again, George puts others’ needs ahead of his own, and when he makes a costly mistake that threatens to destroy the family business, he finds himself on a bridge contemplating suicide and wishing he was never born. With the story caught up to the beginning of the film, Clarence intervenes to show George what would have happened if he had never been born.

Spoiler alert: It turns out that life would have been much worse for many people, and George realizes that he did have an important impact on the small town of Bedford Falls. Sure, the story is sappy, and it’s very much a product of its time, especially those post-World War II years when many people wanted to move past that awful conflict and feel positive about life. But I’ll admit that I’m a Jimmy Stewart fan, and this movie gets me every time, even as I’m wondering what a guy married to Donna Reed has to feel bad about.

Like the 4K version released last year, this edition of It’s a Wonderful Life features image quality that’s probably about as good as this film has looked since 1946. Paramount clearly put a lot of effort into restoring the movie, and it shows. Also included is a Blu-ray that houses a colorized (gasp!) version of the film. I’ll admit I’m not as much of a zealot about colorization as I was way back when it was a big controversy in the 80s, but it still bugs me.

This edition includes the same bonus features found on the 2019 4K disc, although my understanding is that there are some extras that weren’t ported over from other releases. You’ll find:

• Restoring a Beloved Classic (13 minutes): A pair of Paramount executives talk about the extensive process that the film went through to restore and preserve it in 4K resolution. There’s plenty of technical detail here for folks who enjoy that kind of thing.
• Secrets From the Vault: It’s a Wonderful Life (22 minutes): Ben Burtt, the sound designer and editor who’s known to many fans from his work on the Star Wars movies, and Craig Barron, a visual effects supervisor and historian, dig into Capra’s career in the context of the making of this film. They cover a lot of ground, including, unsurprisingly, the sound design and cinematography, but they also discuss such topics as the film’s box office failure and its resurrection as a perennial holiday favorite.
• It’s a Wonderful Wrap Party (8 minutes): The Secrets From the Vault featurette also includes some home video footage from the movie’s wrap party, and here that footage is included in full. There’s no sound, and it’s, unsurprisingly, in bad shape, but it was shot in 1946 and likely sat in someone’s basement or attic for decades before being discovered.

Finally, there’s a code for a digital copy of the film. Yes, it’s the black-and-white one.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★★★★ / Movie: ★★★★

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It's a Wonderful Life: Steelbook Edition - 4K Blu-ray Review

• Start date Nov 12, 2020

Michael Scott

Moderator / reviewer.

• Nov 12, 2020

Senior Admin

Fabulous movie... one of my all-time favorites.  

Todd Anderson

Editor / senior admin.

• Nov 14, 2020

Mike - if I’m reading this correctly, this steel book features the same 4k strike as a standard 4k version released last year?  

4K strike ???  

Todd Anderson said: Yeah, the same restoration, correct? Meaning it's struck from the same restoration that was performed last year. Am I botching my terms, here? Click to expand...

lol, yes, it's IDENTICAL in all terms for the discs between the two. this is just a collectible packaging edition  

• Nov 16, 2020

My copy just arrived (last year's version ;-)  

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It's a Wonderful Life (4K Steelbook)

Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life has one of those great histories that belies its seeming omnipresence in cinema history. A dud in theaters when first released in 1946, it was confined to obscurity for years before falling into the public domain and being used by PBS stations as December counter-programming during the 1970s, after which time it became—and remains—a holiday classic. Along with stockings hung by the fireplace, decorated trees, and blinking lights on the house, the viewing of this movie has become indelibly interwoven into contemporary Christmas tradition.

Quite appropriately, the movie started as a Christmas card. In the early 1940s, writer Philip Van Doren Stern penned a short story called “The Greatest Gift,” which he printed on 200 holiday cards and sent out to friends and family. RKO Pictures bought the story a few years later for $10,000, and after three writers couldn’t make it work, sold it to Capra. Capra reworked the three existing screenplays—incorporating what he liked and adding new characters—and the rest is history.

People tend to think of It’s a Wonderful Life as a feel-good movie because of that happy, Christmas ending—George Bailey (James Stewart) running down the streets of Bedford Falls, a picture-perfect slice of small town Americana, yelling “Merry Christmas!” to anyone and everyone, all because an angel named Clarence Oddbody (Henry Travers) has just shown him that he has, indeed, lived a wonderful life.

But, what many people seem to forget (or perhaps consciously ignore) is the darkness that pervades the first hour and forty minutes of the film. Until Clarence arrives on the scene to show how mistaken George is when he laments, “It would be better if I had never been born,” Capra takes us along the painful journey that drove George to make such a statement. That the movie opens on a dark night with swirling snow, filled with the disembodied, echoing, and sad voices of characters yet to be introduced praying intently for God’s help is a strong indicator of what the movie has in store.

Most of the movie concentrates on the systematic crushing of a succession of George’s dreams. As a young man, he dreams of “shaking the dust of this crummy little town” off his feet and going to see the world. However, the day before he is set to leave on a European trip before entering college, his father dies. George sacrifices the trip to Europe in order to straighten out his father’s business, the tiny Building & Loan that is the only business in Bedford Falls not run by Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), a malicious, crooked, Scrooge-like businessman who is introduced by a character’s remarking that he is “the richest and meanest man in the county.”

George is then forced to postpone college in order to run the Building & Loan, a job that he had earlier remarked to his father he could never do. He gives his college money to his younger brother Harry, who goes to school, gets married, and doesn’t take over the Building & Loan upon graduation as George had expected. George stumbles into marriage with the beautiful and patient Mary (Donna Reed) and eventually starts a family, all of which further ties him to the town he had so desperately wanted to leave. Even his honeymoon, his last chance to see the world, is canceled because he is forced to use the $2,000 he had saved to avoid a run on the Building & Loan and protect it from bankruptcy.

The final straw occurs when George’s partner, his Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell), misplaces $8,000 of the Building & Loan’s money. The money falls into Mr. Potter’s hands on the same day that the bank inspector is checking the Building & Loan’s books. Unable to balance the books, George faces not only bankruptcy, but public humiliation and criminal liability that could land him in jail. With only a $15,000 life insurance policy to his name, George stands drunkenly on a bridge late at night, contemplating drowning himself, when Angel Second Class Clarence Oddbody intervenes.

What happens then is a sort of reworking of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol , with Clarence taking George on a tour of the alternate reality of Bedford Falls (now called Pottersville because Potter owns everything ) that would have existed had George never lived. As critic Robin Wood pointed out in an excellent analysis of the film, this portion of It’s a Wonderful Life is invaded with a “disturbing influx” of film noir—if Bedford Falls was a place of small-town comedy, then Pottersville is a seedy, dark underworld of strip clubs, neon lights, and prostitutes. This vision alone is enough to convince us of Capra’s ultimate theme: that everyone’s life is worth something.

That Harry would have drowned at age 9 if George hadn’t saved him; that the pharmacist George worked for as a boy would have gone to jail for accidentally poisoning people had George not noticed his mistake; and that his wife would have turned into a lonely, miserable spinster had he not married her (a bit of badly dated sexism, but we’ll let it slide) is all further testament to the importance of George’s very existence. After the bleakness of the opening passages (enlightened at times by light-hearted comedy, but still bleak in the overall), It’s a Wonderful Life concludes with a Hollywood happy ending that is traditional on its surface, but still subversive.

Remember that Mr. Potter never gets what’s coming to him, as he most certainly would have in most classic Hollywood pictures; in fact, in stark contrast to being punished, he presumably makes off with the missing $8,000 and continues to own most of Bedford Falls. And, despite George’s embracing of the life he has already led, it is still hard to dispel that twinge of sadness that he never got to lead the life he had truly wanted. Although at the end he finally finds happiness with the hand he has been dealt, It’s a Wonderful Life is still a film about broken dreams. However, the message at the end is that some of the best things in life are the one we never dream about—broken dreams can be a blessing.

This is part of the reason why It’s a Wonderful Life is so immanently watchable. It is a truly classic, timeless film, one of the few that quite simply never grows old. Capra weaves a rich tapestry of American life on the screen, filling each frame with numerous tiny details that are often overlooked (note that creepy-looking skull that stares at the audience from the edge of Mr. Potter’s desk). It also features wonderful performances from James Stewart, in his first role after returning from duty in World War II, and from Donna Reed, then an unknown contract player.

In fact, the best scene in the movie takes place between them. The action transpires in Mary’s house, where she and George are listening to a high school friend on the phone at the same time. As they stand close together, sharing the receiver, we gradually realize that George is finally falling in love with Mary, something he had been trying to avoid. They stand side-by-side, Mary facing forward, pretending to listen to the phone, but all-too conscious of George right next to her, smelling her hair, his trembling lips just inches from her brow. Stewart and Reed are simply marvelous in their eye movements and facial expressions; the scene is intimate, moving, and incredibly sensual, perhaps one of the best cinematic renditions of the actual dawning of love. And, the fact that the scene goes from uncomfortable, to tender, to suddenly violent, to tender again without missing a beat is but one more example of how complex and unexpected It’s a Wonderful Life truly is. Nobody could have done it better, which makes it all the more fascinating that this extraordinary scene, which Stewart was nervous about filming and which left out an entire page of scripted dialogue, was done in a single take. That’s the magic of the cinema.

Copyright © 2020 James Kendrick

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It's a Wonderful Life - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Like baseball, apple pie and the Fourth of July, It's a Wonderful Life   is an American institution. And now, the classic tale of a simple man who's rescued from the brink of suicide by his guardian angel and shown how his seemingly meaningless existence has touched, influenced, and enhanced countless other lives at last can be seen in the splendor of ultra-high-definition. In Dolby Vision HDR and with lossless audio, director Frank Capra's beloved film looks and sounds better than ever before. The vibrant, razor-sharp, yet wonderfully filmic picture and crystal clear, full-bodied sound help this edition of  It's a Wonderful Life   render all previous home video versions obsolete. Treat yourself to an early Christmas present and enjoy this holiday classic all season long.  Must Own.

George Bailey is a small-town man whose life seems so desperate he contemplates suicide. He had always wanted to leave Bedford Falls to see the world, but circumstances and his own good heart have led him to stay. He sacrficed his education for his brother's, kept the family-run savings and loan afloat, protected the town from the avarice of the greedy banker Mr. Potter, and married his childhood sweetheart. As he prepares to jump from a bridge, his guardian angel intercedes, showing him what life would have become for the residents of Bedford Falls if he had never lived.

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

"No man is a failure who has friends."

It's a simple yet powerful statement, and no film expresses the sentiment more eloquently or emphatically than director Frank Capra's perennial holiday classic, It's a Wonderful Life . The world's best known and probably most popular Christmas movie never fails to infuse viewers with seasonal spirit and produce a sizable lump in the throat - if not a torrent of tears - no matter how many times we've seen it. (I told myself I wasn't going to cry when I watched the film for the umpteenth time a few days ago, but my steely resolve crumbled during the supremely emotional final scene.) Sure, the yuletide setting slathers on an extra layer of schmaltz, but the story's universal message of selflessness, generosity, caring, and kinship plays well any time of year...and never gets old.

Familiarity, they say, often breeds contempt, but not in the case of It's a Wonderful Life . Though annual viewings may have rubbed some of the bloom off this Hollywood rose and spawned a cynical backlash, it's tough to watch Capra's film without being drawn into the quaint, homespun world of Bedford Falls and absorbed by the colorful, affecting characters who reside there. And unless your heart is made of stone, it's downright impossible to escape the onslaught of honest feeling that pervades this heartwarming – and I mean that in the best and truest sense of the word – motion picture.

George Bailey (James Stewart) is a man in crisis. Having sacrificed his own dreams and ambitions to shoulder the burden of his family's business (an altruistic building-and-loan that has helped countless town residents buy their own homes, but never yielded much of a profit), George reaches the end of his rope one Christmas Eve when his absent-minded Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) misplaces several thousand dollars while a bank examiner is auditing the company's accounts. With no way to recover the funds or get a loan to cover the deficit, George – who fears the ensuing scandal might send him to prison and make him unable to provide for his wife (Donna Reed) and four children – questions the value of his existence and wonders whether he's worth more dead than alive. Enter Clarence (Henry Travers), a second-class angel (that's right, angel) with "the IQ of a rabbit and faith of a child," who's sent back to Earth to show George how intensely he's impacted and benefited others during his time on the planet, and how he shouldn't be so quick to throw away the precious gift of life. If he succeeds in bringing George back from the brink, Clarence will earn his wings and the Bailey family will be saved.

Capra's film has been copied, imitated, and lampooned to death over the years, and it's easy to see why. The inspired story takes a unique tack as it examines how one person's influence ripples across a broad spectrum of human experience, and seemingly insignificant acts can alter not just our own lives, but also the lives of those close to us and even people we've never met. And the realization of that fact, especially when applied to our own existence, produces a powerful sense of euphoria that easily gives way to tears.

Still, without the film's dark, searing elements – ruthless greed, personal and corporate manipulation, and a longing to reject the rigid rules of society and indulge one's own fantasies – such an emotional catharsis would not be possible. The reason It's a Wonderful Life  resonates so strongly is that at one time or another we've all felt like George – burdened, trapped, unable to shoulder the weight of work and family, unsure we'll ever catch a decent break, live up to our potential, or achieve what we believe to be our destiny – all the while taking the many blessings bestowed upon us for granted. In the final analysis, it's those little things, like Zuzu's petals (if you've seen the film you know what I'm referring to), a smile from a spouse, a loving environment, and friends who care that make life worth living…and cherishing.

Without question, Capra was one of Hollywood's finest Golden Age directors, but his often preachy, heavy-handed style earned him a reputation as a shameless sentimentalist. Yet despite the rivers of emotion flowing through  It's a Wonderful Life , the movie really can't be called corny, thanks to its well-balanced presentation, exceptional script (by the excellent husband-and-wife team of Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett), and memorable performances. Stewart, in his first post-World War II role, exhibits a newfound depth and rawness that incisively lays bare the turmoil ripping George to shreds. It's a natural, nuanced, and dimensional portrayal, and Stewart makes it impossible to imagine anyone else in the part.

Reed is perfect as the perfect wife – level-headed, loving, protective, strong, and devoid of any insipid Stepford qualities movie spouses often exhibited during that period. The cuddly Travers brings incomparable innocence and whimsy to his lovable guardian angel, while Lionel Barrymore audaciously overplays the devious, Scrooge-like magnate Mr. Potter, whose delicious nastiness ultimately heightens our emotional response when George overcomes his cruel manipulations. Superb supporting work from such unsung players as Thomas Mitchell, Beulah Bondi, Gloria Grahame, and H.B. Warner enhances the movie immeasurably and helps foster our intimate bond with it. Though strangely not a box office success at the time of its release,  It's a Wonderful Life  justly deserved its Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Director, and Actor.

Long after we're all dead and gone and possibly acting as guardian angels for other George Baileys,  It's a Wonderful Life  still will be captivating legions of viewers and remaining an essential cog in the seasonal cinematic wheel. Imitators will come and go, but Capra's original film is bullet-proof, a timeless classic that deserves to be played and revered on an annual basis, if for no other reason than to remind all of us that we have wonderful lives, too.

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K UHD Blu-ray

It's a Wonderful Life   arrives on 4K UHD packaged in a standard case inside a sleeve. A Blu-ray disc that houses a colorized copy of the film, along with a leaflet containing the digital copy code are tucked inside the front cover. Video codec is 2160p/HEVC H.265 and audio is Dolby TrueHD mono. Once the disc s inserted into the player, the static menu without music immediately pops up; no previews and promos precede it.

Video Review

It's a Wonderful Life   joins  The Wizard of Oz   in the 4K UHD realm, making it a great autumn for classic film aficionados hungry - make that ravenous - for more ultra-high-def upgrades of Hollywood's legendary Golden Age movies. Both releases prove even the most antique motion pictures can look jaw-droppingly gorgeous in 4K UHD. Though three-strip Technicolor really pops in Dolby Vision HDR, good old black-and-white film stock can look pretty darn spectacular in the format, too.

It's a Wonderful Life   has never looked better than it does here. Paramount has done a superior job with this 2160p/HEVC H.265 transfer, which was sourced from the film's original nitrate negative, as well as two second generation nitrate fine grains. (For more information on the source material and restoration, see the supplements section below.) Any print damage, tears, fading, scratches, and instability have been meticulously repaired, and the result is a stunningly clean, vibrant image that features dazzling contrast and clarity, a wonderfully modulated gray scale, and a palpable sense of depth. Background elements that were fuzzy in the past are now beautifully discernible, lending Bedford Falls and later Potterstown a much richer atmosphere. Just the right amount of grain provides essential texture, but it never overwhelms the picture. Despite the extensive restoration and boost in clarity,  It's a Wonderful Life   still looks incredibly filmic, which is probably the greatest compliment I can pay this very satisfying transfer. 

Deep, inky blacks starkly contrast with the bright white snowscapes to create striking scenarios. Pouring rain and falling snow are marvelously clear, as are the hollyhocks in Mary's front yard, the grooves on a shellac record, costume patterns, fabric weaves, and bric-a-brac. Shadow delineation is excellent and close-ups, whether gauzy or realistic, render fine facial features quite well.

Because a secondary source had to be employed to replace missing and damaged elements in the original negative, there are a few moments of slight softness here and there. Thankfully, those moments are fleeting and only momentarily distract from what otherwise is a miraculous presentation. Whether you watch  It's a Wonderful Life   in Dolby Vision or HDR, you are guaranteed a memorable viewing experience. It's hard to make a beloved classic that everyone has seen dozens of times look and feel brand new, but Warner Home Video did it with  The Wizard of Oz   and Paramount Home Video has done it with  It's a Wonderful Life . Hopefully, both studios will continue this noble work and other studios will follow suit. This is our film heritage, and it deserves to be preserved in the finest possible format.

Audio Review

For the first time,  It's a Wonderful Life   is presented with lossless audio, and the Dolby TrueHD mono track Paramount supplies sounds robust and full-bodied. A wide dynamic scale handles all the highs and lows of Dimitri Tiomkin's music score without a hint of distortion, and all the priceless dialogue is clear and easy to comprehend. Sonic accents like gunfire, fisticuffs, and shattering glass are crisp and distinct, while atmospherics such as street noise and pounding rain make more of an impression without overwhelming the on-screen action. Bass frequencies are solid, and as in previous home video editions, no hiss, pops, or crackle intrude. This lossless track remains true to its source, but adds just enough extra clarity and depth of tone to make it a welcome addition to this release.

Special Features

Aside from the standard Blu-ray disc that features a colorized version of  It's a Wonderful Life , a selection of all-new supplements enhance this 4K UHD presentation.

Featurette: "Restoring a Beloved Classic"  (UHD, 13 minutes) - Paramount archivist Andrea Kalas and Paramount film preservationist Laura Thornburg provide an in-depth look at the restoration of It's a Wonderful Life . The two discuss the inherent challenges of the process, talk about their commitment to maintaining a celluloid look, and outline the technical procedures that brought a crumbling film back to brilliant life. We learn 13 of the film's 14 original negative reels have survived and were used for the restoration. Two second generation nitrate fine grains were used for the missing reel and to fill in where damage had rendered the original negative unusable. We get a look at the scanning process, witness numerous side-by-side comparisons, and see the seamless transition fom one source to another. If you're a classic film junkie like me, you'll find this featuette fascinating.

Featurette: "Secrets from the Vault:  It's a Wonderful Life "  (UHD, 22 minutes) - This informative, reverential piece examines the making of It's a Wonderful Life .   Topics include the movie's innovative soundscape, cinematography, and special effects, the origins of director Frank Capra's independent production company, and how the film's snow was produced and distributed. We also see some cut material, such as unused establishing shots, and get a glimpse of some rare home movies filmed at the post-production cast and crew picnic.

"It's a Wonderful Wrap Party"  (UHD, 8 minutes) - The complete footage from the post-production picnic features silent shots of James Stewart, Frank Capra, Lionel Barrymore, and other cast and crew members enjoying ice cream cones, watermelon, beers, boat rides, swimming, potato sack races, and a softball game.

Final Thoughts

It's a Wonderful Life  remains one of Hollywood's most heartwarming, inspirational, and emotional films, and in the splendor of 4K UHD and Dolby Vision HDR this cinema antique looks almost brand new. Few movies engender such unabashed affection or appeal to such a wide-ranging audience, and this 4K UHD edition makes this beloved movie more immediate and accessible than ever before. It's a Wonderful Life   has endured scads of subpar home video releases over the years, but with exceptional video and lossless audio Paramount elevates this Frank Capra classic to new heights. Whether you watch it every Christmas or whenever you need a spiritual pick-me-up, this is another essential American film that demands a spot in your 4K UHD collection.  Must Own. 

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• Standard DVD

It’s a Wonderful Life (Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray)

Review by: Matt Brighton

Plot: What’s it about?

Out of all of the movies out there, few stand among the classic greats. This, however, is one of them. James Stewart and Frank Capra go together like two peas in a pod and they were both at the top of their game in this film. Both admit that this was their favorite film to work on and, in a way, it shows. Originally released in 1946, America was coming out of the war (both Capra and Stewart had served in WWII) and this was their first conglomeration after “the last great war”. The film stands out from the rest for a number of reasons, and though it’s been “pigeon-holed” as a Christmas movie, I feel that it’s a whole lot more. No other movie has presented the triumph of the human spirit more so than here. And, in essence, that’s what the film is all about…the human spirit. While Capra made many other films, all having a very positive outlook on life (which gave him the nickname “Capricorn”), they were all undeniably good. Movies like It Happened One Night , Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , You Can’t Take it with You and Arsenic and Old Lace. Stewart, on the other hand, did mix it up a bit with his roles but he came out with some winners as well; such as Rear Window , Vertigo and The Philadelphia Story (for which he won his only Oscar).

It’s a Wonderful Life tells the story of George Bailey (James Stewart). George had saved the life of his younger brother when they were kids and George had always dreamed of getting out of the small town of Bedford Falls to see the world. The early part of the movie shows George as a child and his aspirations, even then, to explore the world. However, times and things change and before he knows it, George is all grown up and his desire to see the world has not dissipated one bit. His father runs the local mortgage and loan and has prided himself on seeing every decent person in town build the house of their dreams. The only problem is that his heart is bigger than his bank account and he dies leaving a starving business to his son. Contrast this with the town miser, Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) who is destined to own everything in town regardless of the cost. This leaves George with a tough decision…leave town and see the world as he’s always wanted to do, or stay and take over the family business knowing that his soft-headed Uncle Billy would most likely ruin it.

Love for his family and the family business wins out and George, forsaking his dreams, stays in town to help out. This, of course, is only half of what the film is all about. His Uncle Billy misplaces a deposit of $8000 and the bank needs that money to keep the business running. George, knowing that he is probably worth more dead than alive, contemplates suicide as the answer to his problems. It’s then that he is confronted by his own angel (Second Class), Clarence, that he starts to see the value of what his life really is. Through this unique perspective, George gets to see what the town is like if he was never born. His brother, a war hero in “real” life, is dead as is the ship of soldiers that he saved in the war. The town of Bedford Falls is now renamed Pottersville, after Mr. Potter. It’s now a tawdry town that has neon signs everywhere the eye looks and all the decent people have been driven out. Seeing that his wife is now an old maid is the final straw and convinces him to want to live again.

It’s a Wonderful Life has been shown time and again on cable TV stations around the country and world. In the early 1970’s, the film fell into public domain and was therefore allowed to be shown at any time. Even a colorized version was made, but it was so horrible that even James Stewart went before Congress to try and get it removed from public viewing. True, the repeated viewings of the film made it a lot more popular than it originally was (it wasn’t that well-regarded when it first came out), but the desecration of the film was the price it paid. Now one of our most beloved films, It’s a Wonderful Life remains a classic because of the great acting and the universal message that it conveys…life is worth living. Most likely there will never be another film like this and for good reason. As the old saying goes “There was America and then there was Frank Capra”.

Video: How does it look?

This is a good sign for the 4K format. It’s a Wonderful Life has been given a new 4K restoration and it shows, on the most literal level. Having seen this film in nearly every format ever produced, this is – hands down – the best it’s ever looked. And this is one of the very few 4K films that’s in black and white. So while films like The Wizard of Oz sparkle in technicolor, this one has a more strong, constat look and feel to it.  I noticed a deeper contrast, lack of any noise in the shadows and an overall clarity to the film that I’d not seen before. There is very little edge enhancement to speak of and there is an absence of artifacting and pixelation. It’s just a notch down from reference quality as I’m giving the film a “great” rating based on the age of the movie as opposed to the quality of the video. It’s a great picture and if you’re seeing it for the first time, you won’t be let down.

Audio: How does it sound?

The original Dolby TrueHD mono track is what is included and it sounds, for the most part, very good. The dialogue is very crisp and suffers very little from distortion that so many other films from the time are prone to. Surround effects aren’t present at all, but the entire movie seems to have a depth that I wouldn’t have thought possible given the age of the movie. If it’s Stewart or the angels talking in the galaxy, they all sound great and when you hear the line “Zuzu’s petals…” you’ll know that you’re in for a real treat. Nice job!

Supplements: What are the extras?

• Restoring a Beloved Classic – If you think that creating a new 4K disc is as simple as pressing a few buttons, think again. We meet Paramount archivist Andrea Kalas and Paramount film preservationist Laura Thornburg as the duo guide us through the process of making this look as good as it does. This is no small task and should make the viewer appreciate the film that much more.
• Secrets from the Vault:  It’s a Wonderful Life – This is a neat feature. We get some behind the scenes footage (in the form of rare videos from the production party) as well as some information on Capra and his production company.
• It’s a Wonderful Wrap Party – Piggy-backing on what was mentioned above, we see the cast and crew celebrate after the film’s been shot. This is how they partied in the mid 1940’s!

The Bottom Line

I’m willing to bet that most people have seen this movie and if not, are at least familiar with it. Stewart and Capra were in top form and this rivals Mr. Smith Goes to Washington for their best collaboration. This is, by far, the best the best the film has ever looked. Pick it up.

Disc Scores

• Video Codec: HEVC (H.265)
• Audio: Mono
• Audio: Dolby TrueHD
• Theatrical Trailer
• Audio Commentary
• Deleted Scene(s)
• Documentary
• Digital Copy

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