Top Ten Films featuring Libraries, Librarians and the Book Arts
Compiled by Steven J. Schmidt
IUPUI University Library

It's a Wonderful Life (RKO, 1946) Not Rated

Director: Frank Capra.
Screenplay: Frances Goodrich, based on a story by Philip Van Doren Stern.
Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, Frank Faylen, Ward Bond.

Storyline: In this perennial Christmas classic, George Bailey (Stewart) has spent his entire life giving up on his dreams for the good of the small town he lives in. The final straw comes one Christmas Eve when the loss of $8000 and the machinations of the evil millionaire, Mr. Potter (Barrymore) leave him broken and suicidal. His guardian angel, Clarence (Mitchell), shows him how his town, family, and friends would turn out if he had never been born.

Library focus: In this dark, alternative world George’s lovely and vivacious wife Mary (Reed) has become a timid, spinster librarian. While the scene lasts less than half a minute, we clearly see the effects of a century’s worth of stereotyping.

Image copyright of Internet Movie Database.

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