"I owe everything to George Bailey." "dear Father. help my friend Mr. Bailey." "Help my son George tonight." "God." "That's why he's in trouble." "George is a good guy." "God." "dear Lord." "Watch over him tonight." "God." "Something's the matter with Daddy." "Please bring Daddy back." "Please bring Daddy home." "Watch over him tonight." "Please bring Daddy back." "Joseph." "Trouble?" "Looks like we'll have to send someone down." "A lot of people asking for help for a man named George Bailey." "George Bailey?" "Yes." "Tonight's his crucial night." "You're right." "We'll have to send someone down immediately." "Whose turn is it?" "sir." "It's that clockmaker's turn again." "has he?" "We've passed him up right along." "he's got the IQ of a rabbit." "but he's got the faith of a child." "Simple." "send for Clarence." "sir?" "Clarence." "A man down on Earth needs our help." "Splendid." "Is he sick?" "worse." "He's discouraged. that man will be thinking seriously of throwing away God's greatest gift." "his life?" "Then I've only an hour to dress." "What are they wearing now?" "You will spend that hour getting acquainted with George Bailey. might I perhaps win my wings? and people are beginning to talk." "What's that book you've got there?" "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." "you do a good job with George Bailey and you'll get your wings." "sir." "Thank you." "Poor George." "Sit down." "Sit down?" "What are we... don't you?" "of course." "I... keep your eyes open." "See the town?" "Where?" "I don't see a thing." "I forgot." "You haven't got your wings yet." "I'll help you out." "Concentrate." "Begin to see something?" "yes." "This is amazing." "you'll see all by yourself." "wonderful." "Yay!" "Yippee!" "let's go." "who's that?" "That's your problem." "George Bailey." "A boy?" "That's him when he was 12 back in 1919." "Something happens here you'll have to remember later on." "Marty." "Marty!" "Marty." "Hee-haw!" "Sammy!" "my kid brother Harry Bailey." "I'm not scared." "Harry." "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "help!" "Help!" "Harry." "I'm coming!" "Harry!" "gang. but he caught a bad cold which infected his left ear." "Cost him his hearing in that ear." "It was weeks before he was able to go back to his after-school job at old man Gower's drugstore." "Mr. Potter." "a king? the richest and meanest man in the county." " Hee-haw!" "Hee-haw!" " Hee-haw!" "Hee-haw!" "slave." "we'll take care of it." "Wish I had a million dollars." "Hot dog!" "Mr. Gower." "George Bailey." "You're late." "sir." "George." "Mary." "Violet." "Two cents' worth of shoelaces?" "She was here first." "I'm still thinking." "Shoelaces?" "Georgie." "I like him." "You like every boy." "What's wrong with that?" "Here you are." "Help me down?" "Help you down?" "Made up your mind yet?" "I'll take chocolate." " With coconuts?" " I don't like coconuts." "You don't like coconuts?" "don't you know where coconuts come from?" "Lookit here." "the Coral Sea." "A new magazine." "I never saw it before." "Of course you never." "Only us explorers can get it." "I've been nominated for membership in the National Geographic Society." "Is this the ear you can't hear on?" "I'll love you till the day I die." "I'm going out exploring someday." "You watch." "And I'm gonna have a couple of harems and maybe three or four wives." "Wait and see." "sir?" "You're not paid to be a canary." "sir." "do you want something?" "Anything?" "No." " Anything I can do back here?" " No." "sir." "take those capsules over to Mrs. Blaine." "She's waiting for them." "sir." "sir?" "Yeah." "sir?" "George." "I... sir." "Captain Cook." "Where you heading?" "George." " It's important." " There's a squall in there." "It's shaping up into a storm." "telephone." " Who is it?" " Bank examiner." " Bank examiner?" "I should have called him yesterday." "Switch it inside." "Mr. Potter." "you're begging." "That's a whole lot worse." "All I'm asking for is 30 days more." "Son." "000 somehow." "shove me up." " Pop." " Just a minute." " Have you put any real pressure on these people of yours to pay those mortgages?" "Mr. Potter." "A lot of these people are out of work." "foreclose." "I can't do that." "These families have children." " Pop." " They're not my children." "Mr. Potter." "Are you running a business or a charity ward?" "all right..." " Not with my money." "what makes you such a hard-skulled character?" "no children." "You can't begin to spend all the money you've got." "I suppose I should give it to miserable failures like you and that idiot brother of yours to spend for me." "He's not a failure!" "George." "You're not." "You're the biggest man in town... - bigger than everybody." " Gives you an idea of the Baileys." "Pop." "Son." "All right." "Thanks." "I'll talk to you tonight." "What?" "that medicine should have been there an hour ago." "Mrs. Blaine." "Where's Mrs. Blaine's box of capsules?" "I..." "You..." "Didn't you hear what I said?" "sir." "I..." "What kind of tricks are you playing anyway?" "Why didn't you deliver them right away?" "Don't you know that boy's very sick?" "You're hurting my sore ear." "You lazy loafer." "you don't know what you're doing." "You put something wrong in those capsules." "I know you're unhappy." "and you're upset." "You put something bad in those capsules." "Mr. Gower." "Just look and see what you did." "it's poison." "it's poison." "I know you feel bad." " Oh!" " Don't hurt my sore ear again!" "George." "I won't ever tell anyone." "I know how you're feeling." "I won't." "George." "George." "An overnight bag." "Genuine English cowhide." "Combination lock." "nope." "look." "I want a big one." "What did you stop it for?" "I want you to take a good look at that face." "Who is it?" "George Bailey." "you mean the kid that had his ears slapped back by the druggist?" "That's the kid." "It's a good face." "I like it." "I like George Bailey." "did he ever tell anyone about the pills?" "Not a soul." "Did he ever marry the girl?" "Did he ever go exploring?" "wait and see." "see?" "I don't want one for one night." "001 nights" "Samarkand." "about... huh?" " Yeah." "would you?" "Now you're talking." "I could use that as a raft in case the boat sunk." " How much this cost?" " No charge." "Joe." "It sounded like you said "no charge." "That's right." "what's my name doing on it?" "A little present from old man Gower." "Came down and picked it out himself." "He did?" "What do you know about that?" "My old boss." "Isn't that nice?" "What boat are you sailing on?" "I'm working across on a cattle boat." "I like cows." "Mr. Gower." "How are you?" "Thanks ever so much for the baggage." "It's just exactly what I wanted." "Forget it." " It's wonderful of you to think of me." " Hope you enjoy it." "I wish I had a million dollars." "Hot dog!" "Captain Cook!" "mister?" "George?" "don't take any plug nickels." "your suitcase is leaking." "Ernie!" "George." "I'm a rich tourist today." "How about driving me home in style?" "sir." "I put on my hat." "Mr. Bailey." "Violet." "you look good." "That's some dress you got on there." "This old thing?" "I only wear it when I don't care how I look." " How would you like to take..." " Yes." "Bert?" "We'll show you the town." "thanks." "I think I'll go home and see what the wife's doing." "Family man." "you're shaking the house down." "Stop it." "Let them alone." "I wish I was up there with them." "But Harry will tear his dinner suit." "George!" "That's why all children should be girls." "never mind." "come down to dinner this minute." "and you know how long we've been waiting for you." "Ma." " Ta-da!" " Ta-da!" "Pop." " There you are." "you two idiots." "sit down and have dinner." " Fine." " I've eaten." "aren't you gonna finish dressing for your graduating party?" "Look at you!" "I don't care." "It's George's tux." "have you got those pies?" "I'll hit you with this broom!" "I'm in love with you." "There's a moon out tonight." "oh boy!" "My last meal in the old Bailey boarding house." "my blood pressure." "can I have the car?" "I gotta take over a lot of plates and things." "What plates?" "I'm chairman of the Eats Committee." "We only need a couple of dozen." "no." "Mother." "George." "Uncle Billy and I are gonna miss you." "Pop." "What's the matter?" "You look tired." "I had another tussle with Potter today. he'd ease up on us a little bit." "What's eating that old money-grubbing buzzard anyway?" "sick in his mind." "if he has one." "He hates everybody that has anything that he can't have." "I guess." "Gangway." "Gangway." "Pop." " So long." "very funny. hurry up." "don't drop one of those." "George?" "and be bored to death? too." "Son." "just a little?" "Son." "Not one drop." "Boys and girls and music." "Why do they need gin?" "Did I act like that when I graduated from high school?" "Pretty much." "I wish we could send Harry to college with you." "Your mother and I talked it over half the night." "We have that all figured out. then he'll go." "Pretty young for that job." "no younger than I was." "George." "How's that?" "I said you were born older." "I suppose you've decided what you want to do when you get out of college. plan modern cities." "All that stuff I've been talking about." "Still after that first million before you're 30?" "I'll settle for half that in cash." "it's just a hope." "But you wouldn't consider coming back would you?" "I..." "I... why don't you draw up a chair? and you could hear everything that's going on." "I would if I thought I'd hear anything worth listening to." "eh?" "I know it's soon to talk about it." "I couldn't." "I couldn't face being cooped up for the rest of my life in a shabby little office." "but I..." "It's this business of nickels and dimes and spending all your life trying to figure out how to save three cents on a length of pipe." "I'd go crazy." "I want to do something big and something important. satisfying a fundamental urge." "It's deep in the race for a man to want his own roof and walls and fireplace." "And we're helping him get those things in our shabby little office." "Pop." "I know that." "I wish I felt that..." "I've been hoarding pennies like a miser here in order to..." "Most of my friends have already finished college." "I'd bust." "Son." "Pop?" "This town is no place for any man unless he's willing to crawl to Potter." "Son." "I've seen it." "You get yourself an education and get out of here." "you want a shock?" "I think you're a great guy." "Annie?" " I heard it." "It's about time one of you lunkheads said it." "It's about time one of you lunkheads said it." "I'm gonna miss old Annie." "I think I'll get dressed and go over to Harry's party." "Son." "Excuse me." "There you are." "hello." "You know my kid brother George." "George." "Hee-haw!" "Sam Wainwright." "How are you?" "When did you get here?" "This afternoon." "I thought I'd give the kids a treat." "Old college graduate now." "old "Joe College" Wainwright they call me." "huh?" "Sam." " Coach has heard all about you." " He has?" "and his mouth's watering." "He wants me to find out if you're gonna come along with us." "I got to make some dough first." "you better make it fast." "We need great ends like you." "Not broken-down old guys like this one." "Hee-haw!" "welcome back." "how are you?" "Putting a pool under this floor was a great idea." "Saved us another building." "have a lot of fun." "There's lots of stuff here to eat and drink." "Lots of pretty girls around." "A third dance..." "A third..." "Violet." " Hello." "What am I bid?" "George." "it's old home week." "how are you?" "George?" " What's that?" "yeah." "Yeah." "Marty." "Mama wants you." Remember?" "will you?" "I feel funny enough already with all these kids." "be a sport." "Sis!" "Marty." "I'm not being a wet nurse to a... some guy came up and tripped me." "That's the reason why I came in fourth." "that race'd have been a cinch." "but I couldn't find out." "because they'd be scared." "'Cause they know what kind of a guy I am." "You remember George." "This is Mary." "I'll be seeing you." "well." "see?" "this is my dance." "Why don't you stop annoying people?" "I'm sorry." "Hey!" "hello." " Hello." "You look at me as if you didn't know me." "I don't." "You've passed me on the street almost every day." "Me?" "No." "That was a little girl named Mary Hatch." "That wasn't you." "yes!" "The big Charleston contest!" "a genuine loving cup." "Those not tapped by the judges will remain on the floor." "Let's go!" "I'm not very good at this." "Neither am I." "Okay." "What can we lose?" "you're wonderful." "Othello?" "Jealous?" "Did you know there's a swimming pool under this floor?" "And did you know that button behind you causes this floor to open up?" "And did you further know that George Bailey is dancing right over that crack?" "And I've got the key." "everybody!" "Stand back!" "They're cheering us." "We must be good." "Get out of there!" "well." "Buffalo gals can't you come out tonight?" "Can't you come out tonight?" "Can't you come out tonight?" "can't you come out tonight" "And dance by the light of the moon" "hot dog." "Just like an organ." " Beautiful." "I told Harry I thought I'd be bored to death." "You should have seen the commotion in that locker room." "I had to knock down three people to get this stuff we're wearing here." "Let me hold that old wet dress of yours." "Do I look as funny as you do?" "I guess I'm not quite the football type." "You look wonderful! I'd say you were the prettiest girl in town." "why don't you say it?" "I don't know." "Maybe I will say it." "How old are you anyway?" "Eighteen." "it was only last year you were seventeen." "Too young or too old?" "no." "Just right." "Your age fits you." "you look a little older without your clothes on." "without a dress you look older." "I mean younger." "You look..." "You just..." "I'm on the thing here." "please." "A pox upon me for a clumsy lout." "milady." "You may kiss my hand." "Hey." "Mary." "As I was lumbering' down the street down the street then." "I'll throw a rock at the old Granville house." "don't." "I love that old house." "you make a wish and then try and break some glass." "too." "that old place." "I'd like to live in it." "In that place?" "watch." "there." "See?" "George?" "a whole hatful." "I know what I'm gonna do tomorrow and the next day and next year and the year after that. and I'm gonna see the world!" "the Coliseum." "Then I'm coming back here and go to college to see what they know." "And then I'm gonna build things." "I'm gonna build airfields." "I'm gonna build skyscrapers 100 stories high." "I'm gonna build bridges a mile long." "are you gonna throw a rock?" "that's pretty good." "Mary?" "Buffalo gals can't you come out tonight?" "Can't you come out tonight?" "Can't you come out tonight?" "can't you come out tonight" "And" "Dance by the light of the moon?" "What did you wish when you threw that rock?" "tell me." "it might not come true." "Mary?" "What do you want?" "You want the moon?" "and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down." "Mary." "I'll take it." "Then what?" "see?" "And the moonbeams would shoot out of your fingers and your toes and the ends of your hair." " Am I talking too much?" " Yes!" "Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?" "How's that?" "Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?" "huh?" "Youth is wasted on the wrong people." "mister." "Come on back out here!" "I'll show you some kissing that'll put hair back on your head." "What are you..." "Mary?" "I give up." "Where are you?" "Over here in the hydrangea bushes." "Here you are." "Catch." "Wait a minute." "What am I doing?" "This is a very interesting situation." "Please give me my robe." "A man doesn't get in a situation like this every day." "I'd like to have my robe." "anyway." " Ouch!" "Oh!" " Gesundheit." " George Bailey!" " This requires a little thought here." "Give me my robe." "but I've never..." "Shame on you!" "I'm gonna tell your mother on you." "My mother's way up on the corner there." "I'll call the police." "too." "Then I'm going to scream!" "Maybe I could sell tickets." "the point is in order to get this robe..." "I've got it." "Mary." "George!" "George!" "come on home!" "Quick!" " Your father's had a stroke." " What?" "let's hurry." " Did you get a doctor?" " Yes." "Campbell's there now." "George." " I know you're anxious to make a train." " I have a taxi waiting downstairs." "I want the board to know that George gave up his trip to Europe to help straighten things out here these past few months." "George." "George. to appoint a successor to our dear friend Peter Bailey." "I'd like to get to my real purpose." " Wait just a minute now." " Wait for what?" "I claim this institution is not necessary to this town." "I make a motion to dissolve this institution and turn its assets and liabilities over to the receiver." "contemptible..." "I'll wring his neck." "did you hear what that buzzard..." "Mr. Chairman." "It's too soon after Peter Bailey's death to talk about chloroforming the Building and Loan." "Peter Bailey died three months ago." "I second Mr. Potter's motion." "I'm sure the whole board wishes to express its deep sorrow" " at the passing of Peter Bailey." " Thank you very much." "It was his faith and devotion that are responsible for this organization." "I'll go further than that." "I'll say that to the public Peter Bailey was the Building and Loan. considering that you probably drove him to his grave." "Peter Bailey was not a businessman." "That's what killed him." "I don't mean any disrespect to him." "God rest his soul." "so-called." "But ideals without common sense can ruin this town. that fellow that sits around all day you know." "I happen to know the bank turned down this loan. 000." "Mr. Potter." "insurance." "I can personally vouch for his character." "sir. you can come and borrow money." "What does that get us?" "lazy rabble instead of a thrifty working class." "And all because a few starry-eyed dreamers like Peter Bailey stir them up and fill their heads with a lot of impossible ideas." "I say..." "Mr. Potter." "You're right when you say my father was no businessman." "I know that." "Why he ever started this cheap penny-ante Building and Loan" "I'll never know. because his whole life was... Uncle Billy?" "let alone me." "Mr. Potter." "you're all businessmen here." "and doesn't it make them better customers?" "You said that they..." "What'd you say just a minute ago?" "They had to wait and save their money before they even thought of a decent home." "Wait?" "Wait for what?" "Until their children grow up and leave them?" "Until they're so old and broken-down that they... 000? they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community." "is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath?" "my father didn't think so. they're cattle." "he died a much richer man than you'll ever be." "I'm not interested in your book." "I'm talking about the Building and Loan." "I know very well what you're talking about." "I know." "I've said too much." "I..." "You're the Board here." "You do what you want with this thing." "though." "This town needs this measly one-horse institution if only to have someplace where people can come without crawling to Potter." "Uncle Billy." "Sentimental hogwash." "I want my motion." "old boy." "You shut his big mouth." "You should have heard him." "What happened?" "We heard a lot of yelling." "we're being voted out of business after 25 years." "easy go." " Here it is. "Help wanted." "Female." "George?" "you'll miss your train." "You're a week late for school already." "Go on." " What's going on in there?" " Never mind." "Don't worry about that." "They're putting us out of business." "So what?" "I can get another job." " I'm only 55." " 56. do you?" "George!" "George!" "They voted Potter down." "They want to keep it going." "George." "You did it." "only one condition." " What's that?" " And that's the best part of it." "They've appointed George here as Executive Secretary to take his father's place." "Uncle Billy..." " You can keep him on." "That's all right." "you can hire anyone you like." "now let's get this thing straight." "I'm leaving." "I'm leaving right now." "I'm going to school." "he's your man." "they'll vote with Potter otherwise." "he didn't go." " That's right. and sent him to college." "Harry became a football star." "Made second team all-American." "but what happened to George?" "waiting for Harry to come back and take over the Building and Loans." "There are plenty of jobs around for somebody that likes to travel." "Look at this." "Here." "man with construction experience." "right here." "man with engineering experience." "There she blows." "You know what the three most exciting sounds in the world are?" "Breakfast is served." "Lunch is served." "Dinner... plane motors and train whistles." " Peanut?" " There's the professor now." "Old Professor Phi Beta Kappa all-American Baily." "old George "Geographic Explorer" Bailey." "you haven't changed a bit." "you know that." "am I glad to see you." "cooking the fatted calf." "wait a minute." "I want you to meet Ruth." " Hello." " How do you do?" "if you don't mind." "I wired you I had a surprise." "Here she is." "Meet the wife." "what do you know?" "A wife." "how do you do?" "Congratulations." " How do you do?" "What am I doing?" "Congratulations!" "you..." " They're married!" "Why don't you tell somebody?" "I can't wait to see everybody's reaction." "yes." "What's a pretty girl like you doing marrying this two-headed brother of mine?" "I'll tell you." "It's purely mercenary." "My father offered him a job." "Harry's cup runneth over." "about that job." "Ruth spoke out of turn." "I never said I'd take it." "George." "I would like to... wait a minute." "I forgot the bags." "I'll be right back." "It was a surprise to me." "my nephew's wife." "old friend of the Baileys." "really?" "What are their names?" "Let's see..." "I've heard him speak of you." "we're gonna give the biggest party this town ever saw." "have some popcorn." "George." "That's all Harry ever talks about." "this..." "What about this job?" "my father owns a glass factory in Buffalo." "He wants to get Harry started in the research business." "very." "you know." " Yeah." " Harry's a genius at research." "too." "Joe." "oh boy." "I feel so good." "I could spit in Potter's eye." "I think I will." "I think I will." "What did you say?" "Huh?" "Maybe I'd better go home." "Where's my hat?" "Where's my..." "George." "Which is mine?" " The middle one." "George?" "Right down here." "huh?" "Now you just turn this way and then right straight down there." "huh?" "My wild Irish rose" "I'm all right." "I'm all right." "Ma." "That's for nothing." "isn't she?" "Looks like she can keep Harry on his toes." "anyway." "Did you know that Mary Hatch is back from school?" "Came back three days ago." "Mary." "George." "Stop that grunting." "Can you give me one good reason why you shouldn't call on Mary?" "Sure." "Sam Wainwright." "Sam's crazy about Mary." "how do you know?" "did she discuss it with you?" " No." "haven't I?" "she lights up like a firefly whenever you're around. - and you're here in Bedford Falls." " And all's fair in love and war." "I don't know about war." "I can see right through you right to your back-collar button." "huh?" "here's your hat." "What's your hurry? I think I'll go out and find a girl and do a little passionate necking." "George." "if you'll just point me in the right direction..." "This direction." "Mrs. Bailey." "wait a minute." "I think I got a date." "huh?" "baby." "Georgie Porgie!" " Hello Vi." " What gives?" " Nothing." "Where are you going?" "I'll probably end up down at the library." "don't you ever get tired of just reading about things?" "Yes." " What are you doing tonight?" " Not a thing." "Vi?" "Let's make a night of it." "Georgie." "What'll we do?" "Let's go out in the fields and take off our shoes" " and walk through the grass." " Huh? and we can swim in it." "Then we can climb Mount Bedford and smell the pines and everybody'll be talking." "There'll be a terrific scandal." "walk in the grass in my bare feet?" "Why it's 10 miles up to Mount Bedford." "just forget about the whole thing." "Mary." "I just happened to be passing by here." "so I noticed." " Have you made up your mind?" " How's that?" " Have you made up your mind?" " About what?" "About coming in." "Your mother just phoned and said you were on your way over" " to pay me a visit." " My mother just called you?" "how did she know?" " Didn't you tell her?" " I didn't tell anybody." "I just went for a walk and happened to be passing by here." "What do you..." "Went for a walk." "That's all." "dear." "are you coming in or aren't you?" "I'll come in for a minute." "But I... you know." " When did you get back?" " Tuesday." "Where did you get that dress?" " Do you like it?" " It's all right. like Sam and Angie and the rest of them." "but I don't know." "I guess I was homesick." "Homesick?" "For Bedford Falls?" "and my family and..." "Everything." "Would you like to sit down?" "for a minute." "though." "I didn't tell anybody I was coming here." "Would you rather leave?" "No." "I don't want to be rude." "sit down." "What's that?" "huh?" "Well..." "I see it still smells like pine needles around here." "Thank you." "And dance by the" "What's the matter?" "yeah." "Well... isn't it?" "that's all right." "Don't you like her?" "of course I like her." "She's a peach." "huh?" "No." "Marriage is all right for Harry and Marty and Sam and you." "Mary!" "Mary!" "Who's down there with you?" "Mother." "George Bailey?" "What's he want?" "I don't know." "What do you want?" "Me?" "Not a thing." "I just came in to get warm." "Mother." "either!" "Sam Wainwright promised to call you from New York tonight." "I didn't come here to... then?" " I don't know." "You tell me." "You're supposed to be the one that has all the answers." "You tell me." " Why don't you go home?" " That's where I'm going." "I don't know why I came here in the first place." " Good night." " Good night!" "Mary!" "Mary!" "The telephone." "It's Sam." "I'll get it." "Whatever were you doing that you couldn't hear?" "he's waiting." "Hello?" "Forgot my hat." "how are you?" "it's good to hear your voice again." "Sam." "There's an old friend of yours here." "George Bailey." "You mean old mossback George?" "old mossback George." "Hee-haw!" "Put him on." "Wait just a minute." "I'll call him." "George!" "you idiot." "He does so." "He asked for him." "Sam wants to speak to you." "Sam." "a fine pal you are." "steal my girl?" "What do you mean?" "Nobody's trying to steal anybody's girl." "Here..." "Here's Mary." "wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "I want to talk to both of you." "Tell Mary to get on the extension." " Mother's on the extension." "We..." " I am not!" "We can both hear." "Come here." "Sam." "I have a big deal coming up that's gonna make us all rich." "do you remember that night in Martini's bar when you told me you'd read someplace about making plastics out of soybeans?" "will you?" "out of chili..." "Out of soybeans." "yeah. and he's gonna build a factory outside of Rochester." "How do you like that?" "why Rochester?" "why not?" "Can you think of anything better?" "I don't know." "Just why not right here?" "You remember that old tool and machinery works?" "You tell your father he can get that for a song." "too." "Half the town was thrown out of work when they closed down." "I'll tell him." "that sounds great." "I knew you'd come through." "too." "Now listen." "Have you got any money?" "a little." "listen." "do you hear? that is unless you're still married to that broken-down Building and Loan. and I'm letting you in on the ground floor." "Mary." "Mary?" "I'm here." "Would you tell that guy do you hear?" "The chance of a lifetime!" "He says it's the chance of a lifetime." "Now you listen to me." "and I don't want any ground floors." "to anyone." "You understand that?" "I want to do what I want to do." "And you're..." "And you're..." "George." "Mary." "dear." "Mary..." "Here they come!" "Here they come!" "George!" "Goodbye!" "now George." "we're just two old maids now." "Miss B." "it's me." "look." "There's somebody driving this cab." "Bert the cop sent this over." "He said to float away to Happyland on the bubbles." "look at this." "Old Bert." "Champagne!" "where are you two going on this here now honeymoon?" "Where are we going?" "Look at this." "Mary." "I feel like a bootlegger's wife." "Look." "You know what we're gonna do?" "We're gonna shoot the works." "A whole week in New York." "A whole week in Bermuda. the hottest music and the prettiest wife." "That does it!" "Then what?" "who cares?" "come here." "Come here." "but there's something funny" "George." "but that's got all the earmarks of being a run." "you better hurry." "let's not stop." "Let's go!" "dear." "Mary." "how are you?" "can't you get in?" "Uncle Billy?" "A holiday?" "George." "everybody." "That's right." "Just come on in." "you." "why don't you all sit down?" "There are a lot of seats over there." "Just make yourselves at home." "can I see you a minute?" "but they said you left." "George." "This is a pickle." "what happened?" "How did it start?" "How does a thing like this ever start?" " All I know is the bank called our loan." " When?" "About an hour ago." "I handed over all our cash. - and still it was less than we owe them." " Holy mackerel!" "and closed the doors." "I..." "I..." "The whole town's gone crazy." "hello?" "it's Potter." "Hello?" "there is a rumor around town that you've closed your doors." "Is that true?" "I'm very glad to hear that." "are you all right?" "Do you need any police?" "Police?" "What for?" "you know." "I'm going all out to help in this crisis." "I've just guaranteed the bank sufficient funds to meet their needs." "They'll close up for a week and then reopen." "He just took over the bank. too. and I will pay 50 cents on the dollar." "Potter?" "you're gonna miss this one." "you will never reopen." "was it a nice wedding?" "I wanted to be there." "Yeah." "You can take this one off now." "just remember that this thing isn't as black as it appeared." "folks. and he's guaranteed cash payments at the bank." "The bank's gonna reopen next week." "I got my money here." "Did he guarantee this place?" "Charlie." "I didn't even ask him." "We don't need Potter over here." "I'll take mine now." "but you're... as if I had the money back in a safe." "The money's not here." "your money's in Joe's house." "That's right next to yours." "And in the Kennedy house and Mrs. Macklin's house and 100 others. they're gonna pay it back to you as best they can." "foreclose on them?" "and $242 isn't going to break anybody." "Tom." "All right." "Here you are." "You sign this." "You'll get your money in 60 days." "Sixty days?" "that's what you agreed to when you bought your shares." "did you get your money?" " No." "I did." "Old man Potter'll pay 50 cents on the dollar for every share you've got." "cash!" "what do you say?" "you have to stick to your original agreement." "give us 60 days on this." "Randall." " Are you going to go to Potter's?" "Better to get half than nothing." "Tom!" "Tom!" "wait!" "Wait." "listen to me." "I beg of you not to do this thing. there'll never be another decent house built in this town." "He's already got charge of the bank." "He's got the bus line." "He got the department stores." "it's very simple." "that's why." "And because he wants to keep you living in his slums and paying the kind of rent he decides." "didn't you?" "have you forgotten?" "Have you forgotten what he charged you for that broken-down shack?" "you know." "You remember last year when things weren't going so well and you couldn't make your payments." "did you?" "You think Potter would've let you keep it?" "Can't you understand what's happening here?" "Don't you see what's happening?" "and why?" "Because we're panicky and he's not." "That's why." "He's picking up some bargain." "Now we can get through this thing all right." "though." "We've got to have faith in each other." "and I need money." "How am going to live until the bank opens?" " I got doctor bills to pay." " I need cash." "I can't feed my kids on faith." "How much do you need?" "000." "000." "This'll tide us over till the bank reopens." "how much do you need?" " $242." "just enough to tide you over until the bank reopens." "I'll take $242." " There you are." " That'll close my account." "Your account's still here." "That's a loan." "George." "what'll it take till the bank opens?" "What do you need?" "I suppose $20." "Ed." "That's fine." "how much do you want?" "George." "Never mind about that." "How much do you want?" "fine." " And I'll sign the paper." " You don't have to sign anything." "I know you." "You pay it when you can." "That's okay." "Mrs. Davis?" " Could I have $17.50?" "Bless your heart." "Of course you can have it." "You got 50 cents?" "George." "...six..." " They'll never close us up today! bingo!" "Eustace!" "We made it." "we're still in business." "We've still got 2 bucks left." "let's have some of that." "Let's celebrate!" "Tilly." "a couple of financial wizards." " Call us Rockefellers." "Get a tray for these two great big important simoleons here." "We'll save them for seed." "A toast. you better have a family real quick." "too." "let's put them in the safe and see what happens." "Close the door." "wedding cigars." "I'm married." "Where's Mary?" "Mary!" "Poor... the train's gone." "I wonder if Ernie's still here with his taxicab." "there's a call for you." "will you get my wife on the phone?" "She's probably over at her mother's." "Mrs. Bailey is on the phone." "I don't want Mrs. Bailey." "I want my wife." "I'll take it in here." "I'm sorry." "Huh?" "Come home?" "What home?" "what..." "Whose home is that?" "huh?" "and the company won't like this." "How would you like to get a ticket next week?" "You got any romance in you?" "but I got rid of it." " Liver pills." "Who wants to see liver pills on their honeymoon? places George wants to go." "Bert." "Here he comes." "we got to get this up." "He's coming." "idiot." "This is their honeymoon." "Come on." "Get that ladder." "ducks?" "all right." " Hurry up." "Hurry up." "Hurry up." " I'm hurrying." "sir." "Mr. Bailey." "I'll be... where did you..." "Mary." "Remember the night we broke some windows in this old house?" "This is what I wished for." "You're wonderful." "You're wonderful." "you rented a new house?" " Rent?" "Mr. Bailey?" " What's that?" "I own the house." "I own my own house." "No more we live like a pigs in this Potter's Field." "bring the baby." "I feel like a queen." "Mr. Bailey." "Thank you." "get in here." "one at a time." "Get right up on the seat there." "now." "That's it." "too." " Everybody!" "All in!" "Bye-bye!" "Bye-bye!" "All in?" "welcome home." "he's always making a speech." "Hee-haw!" "who cares." "Bread." "That this house may never know hunger." "Salt." "That life may always have flavor." "And wine." "That joy and prosperity may reign forever." "Enter the Martini castle." "it's no skin off my nose." "I'm just your little rent collector." "But you can't laugh off this Bailey Park anymore." "Look at it." "sir." "tell the Congressman to wait." "Go on." "a half a dozen houses stuck here and there." "daisies." "I used to hunt rabbits there myself." "Look at it today. 90% owned by suckers who used to pay rent to you." "is becoming just that." "And are the local yokels making with those David and Goliath wisecracks." "are they?" "Even though they know the Baileys never made a dime out of it." "You know very well why." "The Baileys were all chumps." "Every one of these homes is worth twice what it cost the Building and Loan to build." "Mr. Potter..." " You are not me. but one of these days this bright young man is gonna be asking George Bailey for a job." "The Bailey family has been a boil on my neck long enough." "sir?" " Come in here. and then we're gonna drive on down to Florida." "Why don't you have your friends join us?" "huh?" "Sam." "eh? and he turned me down cold." "don't rub it in." " I'm not rubbing it in." "I guess we better run along." "too." "George." "George." "See you in the funny papers." "Sam." "Have fun." " Thanks for dropping around." " Florida!" " Hee-haw!" " Hee-haw." "sir." "Mr. Potter." " You like it?" "I'll send you a box." "I... but just what exactly did you want to see me about?" "now that's just what I like so much about you." "and most people hate me." "so that makes it all even." "You know just as well as I do that I run practically everything in this town but the Bailey Building and Loan." "that for a number of years I've been trying to get control of it." "Or kill it." "But I haven't been able to do it." "You have been stopping me. that takes some doing." "for instance." "You and I were the only ones that kept our heads." "You saved the Building and Loan." "I saved all the rest." "most people say you stole all the rest." "the suckers." "I have stated my side very frankly." "Now let's look at your side." "$40 a week." " $45." " $45." "$45. if you skimp." "ordinary yokel. who hates the Building and Loan almost as much as I do." "A young man who's been dying to get out on his own ever since he was born." "mind you." "A young man who has to sit by and watch his friends go places because he's trapped. playing nursemaid to a lot of garlic eaters." "or do I exaggerate?" "Mr. Potter?" " My point?" " My point is I want to hire you." " Hire me?" "run my properties." "000 a year." "000 a year? maybe once in a while Europe." "George?" "Would I?" "are you?" "this is me." "You remember me?" " George Bailey." " George Bailey." "whose ship has just come in." "Provided he has enough brains to climb aboard." "Holy mackerel." "how about the Building and Loan?" "are you afraid of success?" "starting today." "or isn't it?" "I..." "I know I ought to jump at the chance but I..." "I just..." "I wonder if it would be possible for you to give me 24 hours to think it over?" "sure." "You go on home and talk about it to your wife." "I'd like to do that." "I'll draw up the papers." "George?" "Mr. Potter." "here." "I don't need 24 hours." "I don't have to talk to anybody." "doggone it! and you think the whole world revolves around you and your money." "Mr. Potter." "I'd say you were nothing but a scurvy little spider." "You... too!" "too! maybe Europe once in a while." "I know what I'm gonna do tomorrow and the next day and next year and the year after that. and I'm gonna see the world." "And then I'm gonna build things." "I'm gonna build air fields." "I'm gonna build skyscrapers 100 stories high." "I'm gonna build a bridge a mile long." "you want the moon?" "I'll throw a lasso around it and pull her down for you." "Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight?" "Won't you come out tonight?" "Won't you come out tonight?" "Buffalo gal Won't you come out tonight" "And" " Hi." " Hi. why in the world did you ever marry a guy like me?" "To keep from being an old maid." "You could have married Sam Wainwright and anybody else in town." "I didn't want to marry anybody else in town." "I want my baby to look like you." "You didn't even have a honeymoon." "I promised you..." " Your what?" " My baby." "Your..." "Your... you on the nest?" " George Bailey lassoes stork." " Lassoes a stork!" "a boy or a girl?" "you've probably already guessed that George never leaves Bedford Falls." "a boy." "a girl. remaking the old Granville house into a home." "George came back late from the office." "Potter was bearing down hard." "Then came a war." "Ma Bailey and Mrs. Hatch joined the Red Cross and sewed." "Mary had two more babies but still found time to run the USO." "Sam Wainwright made a fortune in plastic hoods for planes." "Potter became head of the draft board." "One-A." "One-A." "One-A." "Gower and Uncle Billy sold war bonds." "got the Silver Star." "Ernie the taxi driver parachuted into France." "Marty helped capture the Remagen Bridge." "Harry..." "Harry Bailey topped them all. two of them as they were about to crash into a transport full of soldiers." "but George." " George? George fought the battle of Bedford Falls." "hold on!" "Hold on!" "Hold on now!" "Don't you know there's a war on?" "Air raid warden." "Paper drives." "Scrap drives." "Rubber drives." "he wept and prayed." "he wept and prayed again." "now show him what happened today." "sir." "about 10:00 a.m." "Bedford Falls time..." "Ernie." "Look at that." "It's gonna snow again." "it's gonna snow?" "Look at the headlines." "The President..." "George." "That's marvelous." "Commander Harry Bailey!" "the second page." "this is for you." " This is for you." "That's for you." " Okay." "thanks." " See you again." "Be sure you spell the name right." "Extra!" "Read all about it!" "George!" "It's Harry now on long-distance from Washington." "Harry!" "What do you know about that!" "isn't it?" "Reversed the charges?" "Of course it is for a hero." "Harry!" "You old seven times a son of a gun." "Congratulations." "How's Mother standing it?" "She did?" "What do you know?" "Mother had lunch with the President's wife." "Wait till Martha hears about this." " What did they have to eat?" " What'd they have to eat? you should see what they're cooking up in the town for you." "they are?" "The Navy's gonna fly Mother home this afternoon." "In a plane?" "What?" "Uncle Billy?" " Has Uncle Billy come in yet?" " He stopped at the bank first." "tell me about it." "George." " What?" " That man is here again." " What man?" "Bank examiner." "will you?" "I'll be right back." "Harry." "bank examiner." "Merry Christmas." " Merry Christmas." "We're all excited around here." "My brother just got the Congressional Medal of Honor." "I guess they do those things." "I trust you had a good year." " Good year?" "we're broke." "very funny." "Mr. Carter." "Although I shouldn't wonder when you okay reverse charges on personal long-distance calls." "no." "there." "I'd like to finish with you by tonight." "I want to spend Christmas in Elmira with my family." "Mr. Carter." "Just step right in here." "We'll fix you up." "December 24." "000." "Mr. Potter." " Merry Christmas." "Mr. Potter." "What's the news?" "Harry Bailey wins Congressional Medal." "That couldn't be one of the Bailey boys." "Mr. Potter?" "How does slacker George feel about that?" "Very jealous." "Very jealous." "He only lost three buttons off his vest." "slacker George would've gotten two of these medals if he had gone." " Bad ear." " Yes." "some people like George had to stay at home." "Not every heel was in Germany and Japan." "Horace." " I guess you forgot something." " Huh?" " You forgot something." " What?" "aren't you going to make a deposit?" "sure I am." "it's usually customary to bring the money with you." "I knew I had." "I knew I had." "How about that finger there?" "I..." "Bailey." "Take me back there." "Hurry up." "look sharp." "Take me back." "Mr. Carter." "I got those books for you here." "Vi." "can I see you for a second?" "of course you can." "Go on in the office there." "talk to Harry." "He's on the telephone." "Washington." "here's Harry on the phone." "remember?" "Harry." " Here he is." " Hurry up." "everything's fine." "I ought to have my head examined." "000." "It's got to be somewhere." "Here you are." "Character?" "I'd..." "It takes a lot of character to leave your hometown and start all over again." "don't." "aren't you? hock your furs and that hat?" "You want to walk to New York? just the same as they do in Bedford Falls." "now." "Building and Loan." "you'll get a job." "Good luck to you." "George Bailey." "I will." "let's hear from you once in a while." "George." "I'm sorry." "I'll be right with you." "Uncle Billy in there?" "he's in his office." "What's going on?" "The bank examiner's here." " He's here?" " Yeah." "He wants the accounts payable..." "What's the matter with you?" "Come here." "Eustace." " Yeah?" " Come here a minute." "Did you see Uncle Billy with any cash last night?" "He had it on his desk counting it before he closed up." "did you buy anything?" "all right." "we'll go over every step you took since you left the house." " Right." "This way." " Come on." "And did you put the envelope in your pocket?" "maybe." "Maybe!" "I don't want any maybe." "We've got to find that money! do you realize what's going to happen if we don't find it?" "Listen to me." "Do you have any secret hiding place here in the house?" "Someplace you would have..." "Someplace you hide the money? even in rooms that have been locked since I lost Laura." "think!" "George." "I can't think anymore." "It hurts." "stupid old fool?" "Where's that money?" "Do you realize what this means?" "It means bankruptcy and scandal and prison!" "That's what it means." "it's not going to be me." "darling." "Daddy." "How do you like it?" " Bless you!" " Bless you!" "Did you bring the wreath?" "did you bring the Christmas wreath?" "What wreath?" "The Merry Christmas wreath for the window." "No." "I left it at the office." "it just started." " Where's your coat and hat?" " Left them at the office." "What's the matter?" "Nothing's the matter." "Everything's all right." "you're a big boy." "You can help me get this star up." "Way up at the top." "There." "That's it." "fill in that little bare spot right there." "Right there." "George." "the banquet." "Your mother's so excited." "She..." "Must she keep playing that?" "Daddy." "Mama said we could stay up till midnight and sing Christmas carols." "Daddy?" "Better hurry and shave." " The families will be here soon." " Families." "I don't want the families over here." "Come on out in the kitchen with me while I finish dinner." "Excuse me." "Excuse me." "yeah." "Another big red-letter day for the Baileys." "the Browns next door have a new car." "You should see it." "what's the matter with our car?" "Isn't it good enough for you?" "Daddy." "Excuse me." "Excuse me." " Excuse you for what?" " I burped." "you're excused." "go on upstairs and see if little Zuzu wants anything." "she's just got a cold." "She's in bed." "Caught it coming home from school. so she didn't button up her coat." "a sore throat or what?" " It's just a cold." " The doctor says it's nothing serious." " The doctor?" "I called him right away." "He says it's nothing to worry about." "Is she running a temperature?" "What is it?" "99.6." "She'll be all right." "it's this old house." "I don't know why we don't all have pneumonia." "Drafty old barn." "Might as well be living in a refrigerator." "Why did we have to live here in the first place crummy old town?" "what's wrong?" " Wrong!" "Everything's wrong." "You call this a happy family?" "Why do we have to have all these kids?" "how do you spell "frankincense"?" " I don't know." "Ask your mother." " Where're you going?" " I'm going up to see Zuzu." "He told me to write a play for tomorrow." "F-r-a-n-k-i-n..." "Daddy!" "what happened to you?" " I won a flower." "Wait now." "Where do you think you're going?" "I want to give my flower a drink." "give Daddy the flower." "I'll give it a drink." "here." "Daddy!" "Paste it!" "all right." "Give it here." "we'll paste this together here." "There." "There it is." "Good as new." "give the flower a drink." "will you do something for me?" " What?" " Will you try to get some sleep?" "I'm not sleepy." "I want to look at my flower. and it'll be a whole garden." "It will?" " Telephone!" " Telephone!" "I'll get it." "Hello?" "this is Mrs. Bailey." "Mrs. Welch." "I'm sure she'll be all right." "The doctor said that she ought to be out of bed in time to have her Christmas dinner." " Is that Zuzu's teacher?" " Yes." "Let me speak to her." "Mrs. Welch?" "This is George Bailey." "I'm Zuzu's father." "anyway?" "half naked?" "Do you realize she'll probably end up with pneumonia on account of you?" " George!" " Is this the sort of thing we pay taxes for to have teachers like you?" "careless people who send our kids home without any clothes on?" "maybe my kids aren't the best-dressed kids." "And maybe they don't have any decent clothes..." "That stupid..." "Mrs. Welch." "I want to apologize..." "Hello?" "Hello." " She's hung up!" " I'll hang her up!" "you!" "I'll knock your block off!" " What is that?" "Hello!" "Who's this?" "Mr. Welch?" "Mr. Welch." "Give me a chance to tell you what I really think of your wife." "stop it." "Will you get out and let me handle this?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "What?" "huh?" "you..." "Hello!" "Any... how do you spell "hallelujah"?" "a dictionary?" "stop that!" "Stop it!" "haven't you learned that silly tune yet?" "You play it over and over again." "Now stop it!" "Stop it!" "Mary." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean that." "I..." "You go on and practice." "too." "I'm sorry." "Daddy." "What's the matter with everybody?" "play!" "Daddy!" "why must you torture the children?" "Why don't you..." "Mary... please." "Pete." "pray very hard." "Tommy." "Hello?" "Uncle Billy?" "Mr. Potter." "I need help." "my company's short in their accounts." "The bank examiner got there today." "000 immediately." "that's what the reporters wanted to talk to you about?" " The reporters?" " Yes." "They called me up from your Building and Loan." "too." "He's looking for you." "please?" "Can't you see what it means to my family? if you still want the Building and Loan... could it possibly be there's a slight discrepancy in the books?" "sir." "There's nothing wrong with the books." "000." "I can't find it anywhere." "sir." "sir." "I didn't want the publicity." " Harry's homecoming tomorrow..." " They're going to believe that one." "George?" "Playing the market with the company's money?" "I haven't." "then?" "it's all over town that you've been giving money to Violet Bick." "What?" "but why did you come to me?" "Why don't you go to Sam Wainwright and ask him for the money?" "I can't get a hold of him." "He's in Europe." "what about all your other friends?" "Mr. Potter." "You know that." "You're the only one in town that can help me." "I've suddenly become quite important." "George?" "sir." "Bonds?" "Real estate?" "Collateral of any kind?" "000 policy." " Yes." "How much is your equity in it?" " Five hundred dollars." "Five hundred dollars?" "000?" "Look at you." "You used to be so cocky." "You were going to go out and conquer the world." "frustrated old man." "frustrated young man? crawling in here on your hands and knees and begging for help." "no bonds." "Nothing but a miserable little $500 equity in a life insurance policy." "You're worth more dead than alive." "Why don't you go to the riffraff you love so much 000?" "You know why?" "Because they'd run you out of town on a rail." "George." "I'm going to swear out a warrant for your arrest." "malfeasance." "go ahead." "You can't hide in a little town like this." "Bill?" "This is Potter." "Merry Christmas!" "Glad you come!" "How about some of that good spaghetti?" "We got everything." "God." "God. show me the way." "I'm at the end of my rope." "I..." "O God." "George?" "Want somebody to take you home?" "George?" "Want somebody to take you home?" "my friend?" "Mr. Bailey." "This is Christmas Eve." "Bailey?" "Which Bailey?" "This is Mr. George Bailey." "you'll get worse!" "She cried for an hour! Mr. Welch!" "I want to pay for my drink." "Never mind the money!" "You get out of here quick!" " All right!" " You hit my best friend!" "Get out!" "George?" " Who was that?" "He gone." "No worry." "He name is Welch." "Welch." "That's what I get for praying." "Nick?" "you bet." "here it is." "Mr. Bailey." "you no feel so good." " Sit down and rest." " I'm all right." "please!" "What do you think you're doing?" "Now look what you did." "My great-grandfather planted this tree!" "you!" "you drunken fool!" "Get this car out of here!" "what's the matter with you?" "Look where you're going." "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "I didn't have time to get some stylish underwear." "Wife gave me this on my last birthday." "I passed away in it." "too." "You should read the new book Mark Twain's writing now." "How did you happen to fall in?" "I didn't fall in." "I jumped in to save George." "You what?" "To save me?" "did you?" " Go through with what?" " Suicide." "It's against the law to commit suicide around here." "too." " Where do you come from?" " Heaven." "I had to act quickly." "That's why I jumped in." "you'd try to save me." "and that's how I saved you." "Very funny." "George." "I got a bust in the jaw in answer to a prayer a little bit ago." "I'm the answer to your prayer." "That's why I was sent down here." "I know all about you." "I've watched you grow up from a little boy." "a mind reader or something?" "No." "AS2." "Oddbody?" "AS2?" "Angel Second Class." "my good man." "brother." "Gee whiz." "I wonder what Martini put in those drinks." "what's with you?" "What did you say just a minute ago?" "Why'd you want to save me?" "That's what I was sent down for." "I'm your guardian angel." "I wouldn't be a bit surprised." "000." "just things like that..." "How do you know that?" "I told you." "I'm your guardian angel." "I know everything about you." "you look about like the kind of an angel I'd get." "aren't you?" "What happened to your wings?" "I haven't won my wings yet." "That's why I'm an Angel Second Class." "I don't know whether I'd like it very much being seen around with an angel without any wings." "won't you?" "sure." " How?" " By letting me help you." "Yes." "Only one way you can help me." "do you?" "no." "No." "We don't use money in heaven." "I keep forgetting." "tut." "I found it out a little late." "I'm worth more dead than alive." "you mustn't talk like that." "I won't get my wings with that attitude." "You just don't know all that you've done." "If it hadn't been for you... everybody'd be a lot better off." "My wife and my kids and my friends." "will you?" "you don't understand." "I've got my job... will you?" "this isn't gonna be so easy." "eh?" "I don't know." "I guess you're right." "I suppose it would have been better if I'd never been born at all." " What'd you say?" " I said I wish I'd never been born." "you mustn't say things like that." "You..." "Wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "That's an idea." "What do you think?" "that'll do it." "All right." "You've got your wish." "You've never been born." "You don't have to make all that fuss about it!" "What did you say?" "You've never been born." "You don't exist." "You haven't a care in the world. no Potter looking for you with the Sheriff." "you can hear out of it." "that's the doggonedest thing." "I haven't heard anything out of that ear since I was a kid." "Must have been that jump in that cold water." "George." "What do you know about that?" "What's happening?" "didn't it?" "What's happened here?" "What I need is a couple of good stiff drinks." "Angel?" "You want a drink?" "soon as these clothes of ours are dry..." "The clothes are dry." "What do you know about that?" "Stove's hotter than I thought." "get your clothes on." "We'll stroll up to my car and get..." "I'm sorry." "I'll stroll." "You fly." "I can't fly." "I haven't got my wings." "that's right." "What's the matter?" "and it isn't here." "and it was right here." "I guess somebody moved it." "where's my car?" "my car." "I'm the fellow that owns the car that ran into your tree." "what tree?" "I ran into it." "Cut a big gash in the side of it there." "You must mean two other trees." "You had me worried." "One of the oldest trees in Pottersville." "Pottersville?" "you mean Bedford Falls." "I mean Pottersville." "Don't you think I know where I live?" "What's the matter with you?" "I guess I just..." "I don't know." "Either I'm off my nut or he is or you are." "It isn't me." "maybe I left the car up at Martini's." "Gabriel." " Clarence." "Clarence." "Clarence." "That's all right." "Go on in." "Martini is a friend of mine." "There's a place to sit down." "Sit down." "where's Martini?" " Want a martini?" "Martini." "Your boss." "Where is he?" "I'm the boss." "You want a drink or don't you?" "huh?" "Okay." " What's yours?" " I was just thinking." "It's been so long since I..." "I'm standing here waiting for you to make up your mind." "That's a good man." "I was just thinking of a flaming rum punch." "not nearly cold enough." "Wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "I got it." "heavy on the cinnamon and light on the cloves." "and be lively!" "we serve hard drinks in here for men who want to get drunk fast." "And we don't need any characters around to give the joint atmosphere." "or do I have to slip you my left for a convincer?" "What's he talking about?" "just give him the same as mine." " He's okay." " Okay." "What's the matter with him?" "I never saw Nick act like that before." "You'll see a lot of strange things from now on." "yeah." "you know." " You got someplace to sleep?" " No." "huh?" "you got any money?" " No." "No wonder you jumped in the river." "I jumped in the river to save you so I could get my wings." " Somebody's just made it." " Made what?" "it means that some angel's just got his wings." "I think maybe you better not mention getting your wings around here." "Why?" "Don't they believe in angels?" "they believe in them." "why should they be surprised when they see one?" "he never grew up." "He's... next May." "you two pixies!" "Go through the door or out the window." "that's another thing." "Where do you come off calling me Nick?" "that's your name." "What's that got to do with it?" "I don't know you from Adam's off ox." "come here." "huh?" "Mr. Gower." "Mr. Gower." "What..." "What did... this is George Bailey." " Don't you know me?" " No." "No." "Throw him out." "Throw him out." "what is... the druggist?" "that's another reason for me not to like you." "That rum head spent 20 years in jail for poisoning a kid." "you must be a jailbird yourself." "Would you show these gentlemen to the door?" "gentlemen." "Stay out." "Get me!" "I'm giving out wings!" "you were not there to stop Gower from putting that poison into the capsules." "I wasn't there?" "I remember distinctly... what's going on around here?" "What... this ought to be Martini's place." "who are you?" "George." "I'm your guardian angel." "I know." "You told me that." "are you a hypnotist?" "No." "Of course not." "why am I seeing all these strange things here?" "George?" "It's because you were not born." "who am I?" " You're nobody." "You have no identity." "no identity?" "My name's George Bailey." "There is no George Bailey. no insurance policy." "either." " What?" " Zuzu's petals. a chance to see what the world would be like without you." "wait a minute here." "Wait a minute here." "This is some sort of a funny dream I'm having." "mister." "I'm going home." " Home?" "What home?" " Shut up!" "Cut it out!" "You're crazy!" "That's what I think." "You're screwy." "too." "I'm seeing things here." "I'm going home and see my wife and family." "You understand that?" "And I'm going home alone." "Joseph?" "Thanks." "I didn't have a drink." "where did the Building and Loan move to?" "Building and what?" "The Bailey Building and Loan." "It was up there." "They went out of business years ago." "That sailor's a liar!" "I know every big shot in this town!" "and I'll have you kicked off the beat." "Violet!" "hey!" "Listen." "That's Violet Bick." " I know." " I know that girl!" "Take a walk." "Beat it." "Ernie!" "Ernie." "take me home." "I'm going off my nut." "Where do you live?" "don't you start pulling that stuff." "You know where I live. 320 Sycamore." "Now hurry up." "hurry up." "Zuzu's sick." " Come on." " All right." "All right." "now straighten me out here." "I've got some bad liquor or something." "Listen to me. and you live in Bailey Park with your wife and kid?" "isn't it?" " You seen my wife?" "Seen your wife?" "I've been to your house 100 times. see?" "just step on it." "Just get me home!" " Is this the place?" " Of course it's the place." "this house ain't been lived in for 20 years." "Ernie?" " I don't know." "But we better keep our eye on this guy." "He's bats." "Mary." "Mary!" "Tommy!" "Pete!" "Janie!" "Zuzu!" "Where are you?" "George." "You have no children." "Where are they?" "What have you done with them?" "put up your hands." "No fast moves." "both of you." " Bert!" "Thank heaven you're here." " Back this." "what's happened to this house?" "Where's Mary?" "Where's my kids?" "come on." "Ernie." "What's the matter with you two guys?" "You were here on my wedding night." "stood out there on the porch don't you remember?" " Think I'd better be going. and we'll take you in to a doctor?" "listen to me." "will you take me over to my mother's house?" "listen." "It's that fellow here." "He says he's an angel." "but..." "George!" "Run!" "shut up." "Joseph!" "Joseph!" "Where'd he go?" "Where'd he go?" "I had him right here." "Where'd he go?" "Where'd he go?" "I had him right here." "I need a drink." "which way did he go?" "Help me find him." "Well?" "Mother." "Mother?" "What do you want?" "this is George." "I thought sure you'd remember me." "George who?" "there's no vacancy." "listen." "Please help me." "Something terrible's happened to me." "I don't know what it is." "Something's happened to everybody." "and keep me here until I get over it." "Get over what?" "I don't take in strangers unless they're sent here by somebody I know." "Uncle Billy." "sure I do." " When did you see him last?" " Today over at his house." "It's a lie." "He's been in the insane asylum ever since he lost his business." "that's where you belong." "isn't it?" "Each man's life touches so many other lives." "doesn't he?" "I've heard of things like this." "You got me in some kind of a spell or something." "I'm gonna get out of it." "I'll get out of it." "too." "I... was Martini." "You know where he lives?" "I know where he lives." "He lives in Bailey Park." "I'm not sure of anything anymore." "All I know is this should be Bailey Park." " But where are the houses?" " You weren't here to build them." "Your brother Harry Bailey broke through the ice and was drowned at the age of nine." "That's a lie." "Harry Bailey went to war." "He got the Congressional Medal of Honor." "He saved the lives of every man on that transport." "Every man on that transport died. because you weren't there to save Harry." "George?" "You really had a wonderful life." "Don't you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?" "George?" "I can't... where is she?" "tell me where my wife is." "tell me where she is." "George." " Where is she?" "She's an old maid." "She never married." "Where is Mary?" "Where is she?" "Where is she?" "She's just about to close up the library!" "There must be some easier way for me to get my wings." "Mary!" "Mary!" "Mary!" "Mary!" "Mary!" "it's George." "Don't you know me?" "What's happened to us?" "I don't know you." "Let me go!" "help me." "Mary." "Mary!" "Mary!" "Let me go!" "Help!" "It's a wild man!" "The wild man is chasing me." "Somebody stop him!" "Tom!" "Ed!" "Charlie!" "That's my wife!" "you don't." "Somebody call the police." "Somebody hit him on the head with a bottle." "You need a straightjacket." "Clarence!" "Get out of here!" "Clarence!" "that's you!" "Stand back!" "Clarence!" "Clarence!" "Clarence!" "Clarence!" "Clarence!" "Get me back!" "Get me back." "I don't care what happens to me." "Get me back to my wife and kids." "please." "Please." "I want to live again." "I want to live again." "let me live again." "George!" "George!" "what's the matter?" "or I'll hit you again!" "Get out of here!" "George?" "You... do you know me?" "Know you?" "You kidding?" "I've been looking all over town trying to find you." "and I thought maybe you... your mouth's bleeding." "Are you sure you're all right?" "What did..." "Bert!" "My mouth's..." "Zuzu's petals." "Zuzu..." "There they are!" "Bert!" "What do you know about that?" "Merry Christmas." "Mary!" "Mary!" "Bedford Falls!" "Merry Christmas!" "George!" " Merry Christmas!" "George." "movie house!" "emporium!" "you wonderful old Building and Loan!" "Mr. Potter!" "Happy New Year to you in jail!" "Go on home." "They're waiting for you." "Mary!" "Mary!" "Mary!" "Mr. Bank Examiner!" "How are you?" "000." "I've got a little paper here." "I'll bet it's a warrant for my arrest." "Isn't it wonderful?" "I'm going to jail!" "Merry Christmas!" "Reporters?" "Where's Mary?" "old drafty house." "Mary!" "Mary!" "Mary." "Have you seen my wife?" "Daddy." "Kids!" "Pete!" "Kids!" "Janie!" "Janie!" "Tommy!" "I could eat you up." "Where's your mother?" " She went looking for you." " With Uncle Billy." " Daddy!" " Zuzu!" "my little gingersnap." "How do you feel?" " Fine!" "Not a smidge of temperature." " Not a smidge of..." " Hallelujah!" " Hello." "darling!" " Mary!" "Mary!" "darling!" " Mary!" "Mary!" "darling." "Where have you been?" "George." " Mary." "Let me touch you." "Let me touch you." "Are you real?" "George." "You have no idea what's happened to me." "You've no idea what happened... quick." " They're on their way." " All right." "Come on." "Come on in here now." "you stand right over here by the tree." "and don't move." "Don't move." "What's happening?" "Who's gonna come?" "I hear them coming now." "it's a miracle." "It's a miracle." " What's happening?" " What's happening?" "Daddy?" "in here." "George." "Here's everything right here." "George!" "Mary did it! and they scattered all over town collecting money." "Didn't ask any questions." ""George in trouble?" "Then count me in." " What is this..." " You never saw anything like it." "...another run on the bank?" "George." "Merry Christmas." "don't crowd." "Don't push." "There we are." "The line forms on the right." "George." "and God bless you." "Merry Christmas." "Mr. Martini!" " Merry Christmas." "Martini!" "Step right up here." "too." "Mr. Gower!" "I made the rounds of my charge accounts." "George." "I changed my mind." "Violet Bick." "Annie!" "Annie! if ever I get a husband." "Merry Christmas." "George." "I got the faculty all up and out of bed." "Here's something for you to play with." "George." "quiet." "it's from London." "Mr. Gower cabled you need cash." "Stop." "000." "Stop." "Hee-haw and Merry Christmas." "Sam Wainwright." "And Mr. Martini." "How about some wine?" "Hark the herald angels sing" "Glory to the newborn king" "Peace on earth and mercy mild" "God and sinners reconciled all ye nations rise" "Join the triumph of the skies" "With angelic host proclaim" "Christ is born in Bethlehem" "Harry Bailey!" "you old son of a gun." "Harry." "Harry." "Looks like I got here too late." "I got him here from the airport just as quick as I could." "The fool flew all the way up here in a blizzard." "how about your banquet in New York?" "I left right in the middle of it as soon as I got Mary's telegram." "Ernie." "A toast the richest man in town!" "Should auld acquaintance be forgot" "And never brought to mind?" "Should auld acquaintance" "Be forgot" "And days of auld lang syne" "Who's that?" "That's a Christmas present from a very dear friend of mine." "Daddy!" "an angel gets his wings." "That's right." "That's right." "Clarence." "Auld lang syne my dear" "For auld lang syne" "We'll drink a cup of kindness yet" "For auld lang syne" "We'll drink a cup of kindness yet" "For auld lang syne" "5@y3"