"[Ringing]" "GOWER:" "I owe everything to George bailey." "help him, Dear Father." "MARTINI:" "Joseph, Jesus, and Mary, help my friend Mr. bailey." "MA BAILEY:" "help my son George tonight." "BERT:" "He never thinks about himself." "That's why he's in trouble." "ERNIE:" "George is a good guy." "Give him a break, God." "MARY:" "I Iove him, Dear Lord." "Watch over him tonight." "JANIE:" "please, God." "Something's the matter with Daddy." "ZUZU:" "please bring Daddy back." "please bring Daddy home." "MARY:" "Watch over him tonight." "ZUZU:" "please bring Daddy home." "FRANKLIN:" "hello, Joseph." "trouble?" "JOSEPH:" "Looks like we'II have to send someone down." "A Iot of people asking for help for a man named George bailey." "FRANKLIN:" "George bailey?" "Yes." "Tonight's his crucial night." "We'II send someone immediately." "Whose turn is it?" "JOSEPH:" "That's why I came, sir." "It's that cIockmaker's turn again." "FRANKLIN:" "Oh." "clarence." "Hasn't got his wings yet?" "JOSEPH:" "We've passed him up right along... because, you know, sir, he's got the IQ of a rabbit." "FRANKLIN:" "Yes, but he's got the faith of a chiId--simpIe." "Joseph, send for CIarence." "CLARENCE:" "You sent for me, sir?" "FRANKLIN:" "Yes." "A man down on Earth needs our help." "CLARENCE:" "splendid." "Is he sick?" "FRANKLIN:" "No, worse." "He's discouraged." "At 10:45 p.m. Earth time... that man will be thinking seriously... of throwing away God's greatest gift." "CLARENCE:" "His life?" "Then I've only an hour to dress." "What are they wearing now?" "FRANKLIN:" "You'II spend that hour... getting acquainted with George bailey." "CLARENCE:" "Sir, if I should accomplish this mission... might I perhaps win my wings?" "I've been waiting for over 200 years." "people are beginning to talk." "FRANKLIN:" "What's that book you've got?" "CLARENCE:" "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." "FRANKLIN:" "You do a good job with George bailey... and you'II get your wings." "CLARENCE:" "Thank you, sir." "Thank you." "JOSEPH:" "Poor George." "Sit down." "CLARENCE:" "Sit down?" "JOSEPH:" "If you're going to help a man... you want to know something about him, don't you?" "CLARENCE:" "naturally." "JOSEPH:" "Keep your eyes open." "See the town?" "CLARENCE:" "Where?" "I don't see a thing." "JOSEPH:" "I forgot." "You haven't got your wings yet." "Look, I'II help you out." "Concentrate." "Begin to see something?" "CLARENCE:" "Why, yes." "This is amazing." "JOSEPH:" "If you ever get your wings... you'II see all by yourself." "CLARENCE:" "Oh, wonderful." "GEORGE:" "Yay!" "Yippee!" "OK, boys, Iet's go!" "CLARENCE:" "Hey, who's that?" "JOSEPH:" "That's your probIem-- George bailey." "CLARENCE:" "A boy?" "JOSEPH:" "That's him when he was 12, back in 1919." "Something happens here you'II have to remember later." "GEORGE:" "Come on, Marty!" "Let's go, Marty!" "GEORGE:" "Atta boy, Marty!" "SAMMY:" "Hee-haw!" "GEORGE:" "Hee-haw, Sammy." "Here comes the scare-baby, my kid brother Harry bailey." "HARRY:" "I'm not scared!" "GEORGE:" "Come on, Harry!" "Let's go, Harry!" "Come on, Harry!" "Come on, Harry!" "Come on, Harry!" "HARRY:" "help, George, help!" "help!" "GEORGE:" "Don't worry, Harry, I'm coming!" "Hang on, Harry!" "Make a chain." "Chain, gang!" "JOSEPH:" "George saved his brother's life... but he caught a bad cold which infected his left ear." "Cost him his hearing in that ear." "It was weeks before he could go back... to his after-schooI job at old man Gower's drugstore." "GEORGE:" "Mr. Potter." "CLARENCE:" "Who's that, a king?" "JOSEPH:" "That's Henry F. Potter... the richest and meanest man in the county." "children:" "Hee-haw!" "BOY:" "Go to work, slave!" "Don't worry, we'II take care of it." "GEORGE:" "Wish I had a million dollars." "Hot dog!" "[whistling]" "It's me, Mr. Gower-- George bailey." "GOWER:" "You're late." "GEORGE:" "Yes, sir." "VIOLET:" "hello, George." "hello, Mary." "MARY:" "hello, violet." "GEORGE:" "2 cents worth of shoelaces?" "VIOLET:" "She was here first." "MARY:" "I'm still thinking." "GEORGE:" "ShoeIaces?" "VIOLET:" "please, Georgie." "I Iike him." "MARY:" "You like every boy." "What's wrong with that?" "GEORGE:" "Here you are." "VIOLET:" "help me down?" "GEORGE:" "help you down?" "[Ring]" "Made up your mind yet?" "I'II take chocolate." "With coconuts?" "MARY:" "I don't like coconuts." "GEORGE:" "You don't like coconuts?" "Say, brainless, don't you know where coconuts come from?" "Look at here." "From Tahiti, the Fiji islands, the coral Sea." "MARY:" "A new magazine." "I never saw it before." "GEORGE:" "Of course you never." "only us explorers can get it." "I've been nominated for membership... in the national Geographic Society." "MARY:" "Is this the ear you can't hear on?" "George bailey, I'II love you till the day I die." "GEORGE:" "I'm going out exploring someday." "I'm going to have a couple of harems and maybe 3 or 4 wives." "Wait and see." "[whistling]" "GOWER:" "George." "George!" "GEORGE:" "Yes, sir?" "You're not paid to be a canary." "GEORGE:" "No, sir." "GEORGE:" "Mr. Gower, do you want something?" "Anything?" "No." "Anything I can do back here?" "No." "GEORGE:" "I'II get them, sir." "GOWER:" "Take those capsules over to Mrs. BIaine." "She's waiting for them." "GEORGE:" "Yes, sir." "GEORGE:" "They have diphtheria, haven't they, sir?" "GOWER:" "Yeah." "Is it a charge, sir?" "Yes, George." "Mr. Gower, I" "Oh, get going." "Yes, sir." "BILLY:" "Oh!" "Shh!" "Shh!" "Avast there, Captain Cook." "Where you heading?" "I got to see Pop." "Some other time." "BILLY:" "There's a squall in there shaping up into a storm." "telephone." "Who is it?" "Bank examiner." "Bank examiner?" "I should have called him yesterday." "Switch it inside." "BAILEY:" "I'm not crying, Mr. Potter." "POTTER:" "You're begging." "That's a whole lot worse." "BAILEY:" "I'm asking for 30 days more." "Just a minute, son." "30 short days." "I'II dig up that 5,000 somehow." "BAILEY:" "Have you put any real pressure... on these people of yours to pay those mortgages?" "BAILEY:" "Times are bad." "people are out of work." "POTTER:" "Then foreclose." "BAILEY:" "I can't." "These families have children." "POTTER:" "They're not my children." "BAILEY:" "They're somebody's children." "POTTER:" "Are you running a business or a charity ward?" "Not with my money." "BAILEY:" "What makes you so hard-skuIIed?" "You have no family, no children." "You can't begin to spend all your money." "POTTER:" "So I should give it to miserable failures..." "like you and your idiot brother?" "GEORGE:" "He's not a failure!" "You can't say that about my father." "You're the biggest man in town, bigger than everybody." "Don't let him say that about you, Pop." "BAILEY:" "AII right, son." "Thanks." "I'II talk to you tonight." "GOWER:" "What?" "Why, that medicine should have been there an hour ago." "It will be over in five minutes." "Where's Mrs. BIaine's box of capsules?" "GEORGE:" "I--you" "GOWER:" "Didn't you hear what I said?" "GEORGE:" "Yes, sir." "GOWER:" "What kind of tricks are you playing?" "[Gower slaps George]" "Why didn't you deliver them right away?" "Don't you know that boy's very sick?" "GEORGE:" "You're hurting my sore ear." "GOWER:" "You lazy IittIe" "Mr. Gower, you don't know what you're doing." "You put something wrong in those capsules." "You got the telegram, and you're upset." "You put something bad in those capsules." "It wasn't your fault, Mr. Gower." "Just look and see what you did." "The bottle you took the powder from, it's poison." "I know you feel bad." "[Sobbing]" "GOWER:" "Oh!" "GEORGE:" "Don't hurt my sore ear again!" "GOWER:" "Oh, no." "Oh, George, George." "GEORGE:" "Oh, Mr. Gower, I won't ever tell anyone." "I know how you're feeling." "I won't tell a soul." "Hope to die, I won't." "GOWER:" "Oh, George." "An overnight bag." "Genuine english cowhide." "Combination lock." "Fitted up with brushes, combs." "Nope." "Nope." "Nope." "Look, Joe." "Now, look." "I want a big one." "CLARENCE:" "What did you stop it for?" "JOSEPH:" "I want you to take a good look at that face." "CLARENCE:" "Who is it?" "JOSEPH:" "George bailey." "CLARENCE:" "You mean the kid slapped by the druggist?" "JOSEPH:" "That's the kid." "CLARENCE:" "Oh." "It's a good face." "I Iike it." "I Iike George bailey." "Did he ever tell anyone about the pills?" "JOSEPH:" "Not a soul." "CLARENCE:" "Did he marry the girl?" "Did he go exploring?" "JOSEPH:" "well, wait and see." "GEORGE:" "Big, see?" "I don't want one for one night." "I want something for 1,001 nights... with room for labels from italy, Baghdad, Samarkand." "Great big thing." "JOE:" "I see." "A flying carpet." "I don't suppose you'd Iike this old secondhand job?" "GEORGE:" "Now you're talking." "I couId use that as a raft in case the boat sunk." "How much this cost?" "JOE:" "No charge." "GEORGE:" "That's my trick ear." "Sounded like '´no charge.'´" "That's right." "What's my name doing on it?" "A present from old man Gower." "Picked it himself." "He did?" "What do you know?" "My old boss." "What boat are you sailing on?" "I'm working on a cattle boat." "A cattle boat?" "OK, I Iike cows." "GEORGE:" "hello, Mr. Gower." "Thanks ever so much for the baggage." "GOWER:" "Forget it." "GEORGE:" "It's wonderful of you to think of me." "Uh-oh." "I wish I had a million dollars." "Hot dog!" "BILLY:" "Avast there, Captain Cook!" "Got your sea legs yet?" "ParIez-vous francais, mister?" "EUSTACE:" "Send us a nice picture post card, will you?" "BILLY:" "Don't take any plug nickels." "TILLY:" "Your suitcase is leaking." "GEORGE:" "Hey, Ernie!" "Hi, Ernie." "Hi, Bert." "I'm a rich tourist today." "How about driving me home in style?" "ERNIE:" "Hop in, your highness." "And for the carriage trade, I put on my hat." "VIOLET:" "Good afternoon, Mr. bailey." "GEORGE:" "hello, violet." "You look good." "That's some dress you got on." "This old thing?" "I only wear it when I don't care how I Iook." "[Tires screech]" "[Honk]" "ERNIE:" "How would you Iike to take" "GEORGE:" "Yes." "ERNIE:" "Want to come along?" "We'II show you the town." "BERT:" "No, thanks." "I think I'II go home and see what the wife's doing." "ERNIE:" "family man." "[Men singing]" "MA:" "George, Harry, you're shaking the house down." "Stop it." "Let them alone." "I wish I was with them." "MA:" "Harry will tear his dinner suit." "George!" "ANNIE:" "That's why all children should be girls." "MA:" "Then there wouldn't be any--Oh, never mind." "George, Harry, come down to dinner this minute." "Everything's getting cold." "GEORGE:" "OK, Ma." "HARRY:" "OK, Ma." "Ta-da!" "[Dog barking]" "GEORGE:" "We got a present for you, Pop." "There you are." "[Dog barks]" "MA:" "Oh, you two idiots." "George, sit." "Have dinner." "HARRY:" "I've eaten." "MA:" "Aren't you going to finish dressing?" "HARRY:" "I don't care." "It's George's tux." "Annie, have you got those pies?" "ANNIE:" "If you touch me, I'II hit you with this broom !" "HARRY:" "I'm in love with you." "There's a moon out tonight." "GEORGE:" "Boy, my last meal in the old bailey boarding house." "MA:" "My blood pressure." "Can I have the car?" "I'm taking over some plates." "MA:" "What plates?" "I'm chairman of the eats committee." "We only need a couple dozen." "MA:" "No, you don't, Harry, not my best HaviIand." "GEORGE:" "Oh, Iet him have the plates, Mother." "POP:" "Hope you have a good trip." "uncle billy and I will miss you." "GEORGE:" "What's the matter?" "You look tired." "POP:" "I had another tussle with Potter." "I thought when I put him on the board of directors... he'd ease up on us." "GEORGE:" "What's eating that money-grubbing buzzard?" "GEORGE:" "He's a sick man-- frustrated, sick in his mind... sick in his soul, if he has one." "He hates everybody that has anything he can't have." "Hates us mostly, I guess." "HARRY:" "Gangway." "Gangway." "So long, Pop." "GEORGE:" "You got a match?" "HARRY:" "Very funny." "MA:" "Put those in the car." "I'II get your tie." "HARRY:" "OK, Mom." "You coming later, George?" "GEORGE:" "And be bored to death?" "HARRY:" "CouIdn't want a better death." "Lots of pretty girls." "POP:" "No gin tonight, son." "HARRY:" "Oh, Pop, just a little?" "POP:" "No, son." "Not one drop." "ANNIE:" "Boys and girls and music." "Why do they need gin?" "GEORGE:" "I act like that when I graduated from high school?" "POP:" "Pretty much." "I wish we could send Harry to college with you." "Mother and I talked it over." "GEORGE:" "We have that figured out." "Harry will take my job at the building and Loan... work there for four years, then he'II go." "POP:" "Pretty young for that job." "GEORGE:" "No younger than I was." "POP:" "You were born older, George." "GEORGE:" "How's that?" "POP:" "You were born older." "I suppose you've decided what you want to do... when you get out of college." "GEORGE:" "build things, design buildings, plan modern cities." "AII that stuff I've talked about." "POP:" "still after that first million before 30?" "GEORGE:" "I'II settle for half that in cash." "POP:" "Of course it's just a hope... but you wouldn't consider coming back... to the building and Loan, would you?" "GEORGE:" "well, I..." "Annie, why don't you draw up a chair?" "Then you could hear everything that's going on." "ANNIE:" "I would if I thought I'd hear anything worthwhile." "GEORGE:" "You would, huh?" "POP:" "I know it's soon to talk about it." "GEORGE:" "Now, Pop, I couldn't." "I couldn't face being cooped up for the rest of my Iife... in a shabby little office." "I'm sorry, Pop." "I didn't mean that." "It's this business of nickels and dimes.... and spending your life trying to save 3 cents on pipe." "I'd go crazy." "I want to do something big and important." "George, I feel that in a small way... we're doing something important-- satisfying a fundamental urge." "It's deep in the race for a man... to want his own roof, walls, and fireplace." "We're helping him get those things... in our shabby little office." "I know, Pop." "I know that." "I wish I felt that, uh..." "I've been hoarding pennies like a miser here in order to" "Most of my friends have already finished college." "I just feel like if I didn't get away, I'd bust!" "POP:" "Yes, you're right, son." "GEORGE:" "You see what I mean, Pop?" "POP:" "This town is no place for any man... unless he's willing to crawl to Potter." "You've got talent, son." "I've seen it." "You get yourself an education and get out of here." "Pop, you want a shock?" "I think you're a great guy." "Did you hear that, Annie?" "I heard it." "It's about time one of you Iunkheads said it." "I'm going to miss old Annie." "Pop, I think I'II get dressed and go over to Harry's party." "POP:" "Have a good time, son." "GEORGE:" "Excuse me." "There you are." "MAN:" "George, hello." "HARRY:" "You know my brother George." "I'm going to put him through college." "SAM:" "Hee-haw!" "GEORGE:" "Sam Wainwright." "How are you?" "When did you get here?" "SAM:" "This afternoon." "I thought I'd give the kids a treat." "GEORGE:" "old college graduate now." "SAM:" "old Joe college Wainwright they call me." "Freshman, looks like you'II make it after all." "Harry, you're the guy I want to see." "Coach has heard all about you." "He's followed every game." "He wants me to find out if you're coming along." "HARRY:" "I got to make some dough first." "SAM:" "Make it fast." "We need great ends like you... not broken-down old guys like him." "Hee-haw!" "PARTRIDGE:" "George, welcome back." "GEORGE:" "Mr. Partridge, how are you?" "PARTRIDGE:" "Putting a pool under this floor was a great idea." "Saved us another building." "Harry, Sam, have lots of fun." "Lots of pretty girls around." "VIOLET:" "Boys, I've got 1/3 of my dance card left." "hello, violet." "hello." "What am I bid?" "MARTY:" "George." "GEORGE:" "Marty!" "well, it's old home week." "MARTY:" "Sam, Harry, good to see you." "Do me a favor, George." "You remember my kid sister Mary." "GEORGE:" "Yeah." "SAM: '´Mama wants you, Marty.'´ Remember?" "MARTY:" "Dance with her, will you?" "GEORGE:" "Oh, me?" "I feel funny enough with all these kids." "MARTY:" "Be a sport." "Dance with her one time." "Hey, sis!" "GEORGE:" "Don't be long, Marty." "I'm not being a wet nurse to a" "BOY:" "Some guy came up and tripped me." "If not for that, that race would have been a cinch." "I tried to find out later who it was... but I couldn't find out." "Nobody would ever tell you whoever it was." "MARTY:" "You remember George." "This is Mary." "well, I'II be seeing you." "GEORGE:" "well, well, well." "BOY:" "Now to get back to my story, see..." "[Band plays buffalo gals]" "BOY:" "Hey, this is my dance." "GEORGE:" "Why don't you stop annoying people?" "BOY:" "well, I'm sorry." "Hey!" "GEORGE:" "well, hello." "MARY:" "hello." "You look at me as if you didn't know me." "well, I don't." "You've passed me on the street almost every day." "Me?" "No." "That was a little girl named Mary Hatch." "Oh, yes!" "Oh, yes!" "The big charleston contest!" "[Crowd cheers]" "HARRY:" "The prize-- a genuine loving cup." "Those not tapped by the judges will remain on the floor." "Let's go!" "[Band plays]" "GEORGE:" "I'm not very good at this." "MARY:" "Neither am I." "OK." "What can we lose?" "Hey, you're wonderful." "What's the matter, othello?" "jealous?" "Did you know there's a swimming pool under this floor... and that button behind you causes this floor to open up?" "Did you further know that George bailey... is dancing right over that crack?" "I've got the key." "Stand back, everybody!" "Stand back!" "CROWD:" "Ohh!" "They're cheering us." "We must be good." "CROWD:" "Ohh!" "[Crowd cheers]" "Get out of there!" "What--Oh, well." "[splash]" "buffalo gals, can't you come out tonight?" "Can't you come out tonight?" "Can't you come out tonight?" "buffalo gals, can't you come out tonight..." "And..." "Dance..." "By the light..." "Of da moon?" "GEORGE:" "Oh, hot dog." "Just like an organ." "I told Harry I thought I'd be bored." "You should have seen that locker room." "I had to knock down three people to get this stuff." "Let me hold that wet dress." "MARY:" "Do I Iook as funny as you do?" "GEORGE:" "I'm not the football type." "You look wonderful!" "If it wasn't me talking..." "I'd say you were the prettiest girl in town." "well, why don't you say it?" "GEORGE:" "Maybe I will say it." "How old are you anyway?" "MARY:" "Eighteen." "Eighteen?" "only last year you were 17." "Too young or too old?" "Oh, no." "Just right." "Your age fits you." "You look a little older without your clothes on." "I mean, without a dress you look older." "I mean younger." "You Iook--you just" "Uh-oh!" "Oh, I'm on the thing here." "MARY:" "Sir, my train, please." "GEORGE:" "A pox upon me for a clumsy Iout." "Your...your caboose, milady." "You may kiss my hand." "Mmm." "GEORGE:" "Hey." "Hey, Mary." "As I was Iumberin' down the street..." "Down the street, down the street..." "GEORGE:" "I'II throw a rock at the old GranviIIe house." "MARY:" "Don't." "I Iove that old house." "GEORGE:" "You make a wish and then break some glass." "MARY:" "Don't." "It's full of romance, that old place." "I'd Iike to live in it." "GEORGE:" "In that place?" "I wouldn't live in it as a ghost." "Watch this." "Right in the second floor, there." "See?" "[Crash]" "What did you wish, George?" "Not just one wish-- a whole hatful." "I know what I'm going to do... tomorrow and the next day and next year." "I'm shaking the dust of this crummy town off my feet... and I'm going to see the world!" "italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the coliseum." "Then I'II go to college and see what they know." "Then I'm gonna build things." "I'II build airfields and skyscrapers 100 stories high." "I'II build bridges a mile long." "You going to throw a rock?" "[Crash]" "Hey, that's pretty good." "What did you wish, Mary?" "buffalo gals, can't you come out tonight?" "Can't you come out tonight?" "Can't you come out tonight?" "buffalo gals, can't you come out tonight..." "And..." "Dance by the light of da moon?" "What did you wish when you threw that rock?" "MARY:" "No." "If I told you, it might not come true." "What is it you want?" "What do you want?" "You want the moon?" "Just say the word, and I'II Iasso it and pull it down." "That's a pretty good idea." "I'II give you the moon." "I'II take it." "Then what?" "Then you could swallow it, and it wouId all dissolve... and the moonbeams would shoot out of your fingers and toes... and the ends of your hair." "Am I talking too much?" "Yes!" "Why don't you kiss her?" "How's that?" "Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?" "You want me to kiss her?" "Aw, youth is wasted on the wrong people." "Hey, hold on, mister." "Come on back out here!" "I'II show you kissing that'II put hair back on your head." "[Mary squeaIs]" "Mary?" "[whistles]" "OK, 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." "MARY:" "please give me my robe." "GEORGE:" "A man doesn't get in a situation like this every day." "MARY:" "I'd Iike to have my robe." "GEORGE:" "Not in Bedford falls, anyway." "MARY:" "Ouch!" "Oh!" "GEORGE:" "Gesundheit." "This requires some thought." "MARY:" "George bailey, give me my robe." "GEORGE:" "I've read about things like this." "MARY:" "Shame on you!" "I'm going to tell your mother." "GEORGE:" "My mother's way up on the corner there." "MARY:" "I'II call the police." "GEORGE:" "They're way downtown." "They'd be on my side, too." "MARY:" "I'm going to scream !" "GEORGE:" "Maybe I couId sell tickets." "Let's see." "The point is... in order to get this robe-- I've got it." "I'II make a deal with you, Mary." "BILLY:" "George!" "George!" "BILLY:" "George, come on home!" "Quick!" "Your father's had a stroke." "GEORGE:" "What?" "Mary, I'm sorry." "I've got to go." "Did you get a doctor?" "BILLY:" "campbell's there now." "CAMPBELL:" "That's all, George." "I know you're anxious to make a train." "GEORGE:" "I have a taxi waiting downstairs." "CAMPBELL:" "You know, George gave up his Europe trip... to help straighten things out these past few months." "Good luck to you at school." "And now, the real purpose of this meeting-- to appoint a successor to Peter bailey." "POTTER:" "I'd Iike to get to my real purpose" "Wait" "For what?" "This institution is not necessary to this town." "Therefore, I make a motion to dissolve this institution... and give its assets and liabilities to the receiver." "BILLY:" "Potter, you dirty" "George, did you hear what that buzzard" "MAN:" "It's too soon after Peter bailey's death... to talk about chIoroforming the building and Loan." "SECOND MAN:" "Peter bailey died three months ago." "I second Mr. Potter's motion." "CAMPBELL:" "Very well." "In that case..." "I'II ask the two executive officers to withdraw." "The whole board wishes to express its deep sorrow... at the passing of Peter bailey." "It was his faith and devotion... that are responsible for this organization." "POTTER:" "I'II go further than that." "To the public, Peter bailey was the building and Loan." "BILLY:" "That's fine, coming from you." "You probably drove him to his grave!" "POTTER:" "Peter bailey was not a businessman." "That's what killed him." "Oh, I don't mean any disrespect to him." "He was a man of high ideals..." "so-caIIed." "But ideals without common sense can ruin this town." "Now, you take this Ioan here to Ernie Bishop-- that fellow that sits around all day on his brains... in his taxi, you know." "I happen to know the bank turned down this Ioan." "But he comes here... and we're building him a house worth $5,000." "Why?" "GEORGE:" "I handled that, Mr. Potter." "You have all the papers there." "I can vouch for his character." "A friend of yours?" "Yes, sir." "POTTER:" "If you shoot pool with some employee here... you can come and borrow money." "What does that get us?" "A discontented, 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 Iot of impossible ideas." "Now, I say" "GEORGE:" "Just a minute." "hold on, Mr. Potter." "You're right when you say my father was no businessman." "Why he started this penny-ante building and Loan..." "I'II never know... but nobody can say anything against his character." "In the 25 years... since he and uncle billy started this thing... he never once thought of himself." "He didn't save enough money for Harry or me to go to school... but he did help a few people get out of your slums." "What's wrong with that?" "You're all businessmen here." "Doesn't it make them better citizens and customers?" "You said that they had to wait and save their money... before they even thought of a decent home." "Wait until their children grow up and leave them?" "Do you know how long it takes a working man to save $5,000?" "Just remember that this rabble you're talking about-- they do most of the working, paying, living, and dying... in this community." "Is it too much to work, pay, live, and die... in a couple of decent rooms and a bath?" "My father didn't think so." "people were human beings to him, but to you... a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle." "In my book, he died a richer man than you'II ever be." "I'm not interested in your book." "I'm talking about the building and Loan." "You're talking about something you can't get your fingers on... and it's galling you." "I know." "well, I've said too much." "You're the board." "You do what you want." "Just one thing more." "This town needs this measly institution... if only to have someplace where people can come... without crawling to Potter." "Come on." "[Door closes]" "sentimental hogwash." "I want my motion acted on." "[Arguing]" "BILLY:" "Boy, oh, boy, George." "You shut his big mouth." "EUSTACE:" "What happened?" "We heard yelling." "BILLY:" "We're being voted out of business after 25 years." "Easy come, easy go." "ERNIE:" "You want me to hang around, George?" "GEORGE:" "Yeah." "I'II be right down." "BILLY:" "You'II miss your train." "Go on." "GEORGE:" "What's going on in there?" "BILLY:" "They're putting us out of business." "So what?" "I can get another job." "I'm only 55." "TILLY:" "Fifty-six." "BILLY:" "Go on." "You don't want to miss college, do you?" "CAMPBELL:" "George!" "George!" "They voted Potter down." "They want to keep it going." "They've got only one condition... and that's the best part of it-- they've appointed George as executive secretary." "GEORGE:" "But uncle BiIIy" "CAMPBELL:" "You can keep him on." "As secretary, you can hire anyone." "GEORGE:" "Let's get this straight." "I'm leaving." "I'm going to school." "This is my last chance." "uncle billy, he's your man." "CAMPBELL:" "George, they'II vote with Potter otherwise." "CLARENCE:" "I know." "He didn't go." "JOSEPH:" "That's right." "Not only that... but he gave his school money to his brother Harry... and sent him to college." "Harry became a football star." "Made second team aII-American." "CLARENCE:" "Yeah, but what happened to George?" "JOSEPH:" "George got four years older... waiting for Harry to come back... and take over the building and Loan." "There are plenty of jobs for somebody that likes to travel." "venezuela oil fieIds" "'´Wanted--man with construction experience.'´" "The Yukon--'´Wanted--man with engineering experience.'´" "[Train whistle blows]" "There she blows." "Know what the 3 most exciting sounds in the world are?" "BILLY:" "Breakfast is served, lunch is served, dinner" "GEORGE:" "No." "Anchor chains, plane motors, train whistles." "Peanut." "GEORGE:" "There's the professor now." "old professor Phi Beta Kappa, aII-American bailey." "HARRY:" "uncle billy, you haven't changed." "BILLY:" "Nobody ever changes here." "GEORGE:" "Boy, am I glad to see you." "Where's Mother?" "Home cooking the fatted calf." "HARRY:" "Wait a minute." "George, I want you to meet Ruth." "hello." "Ruth Dakin." "RUTH:" "Ruth Dakin bailey, if you don't mind." "HARRY:" "I wired you I had a surprise." "Here she is." "Meet the wife." "BILLY:" "What do you know?" "A wife!" "GEORGE:" "How do you do?" "congratulations." "What am I doing?" "congratulations!" "BILLY:" "Goodness, Harry!" "GEORGE:" "They're married!" "Why don't you tell somebody?" "BILLY:" "Mrs. bailey, I can't wait to see" "Are you really married?" "GEORGE:" "What's a pretty girl like you doing... marrying this two-headed brother of mine?" "RUTH:" "I'II tell you." "It's purely mercenary." "My father offered him a job." "BILLY:" "He got you and a job?" "Harry's cup runneth over." "HARRY:" "About that job-- I never said I'd take it." "You've been holding the bag here for four years." "I won't let you down, George." "I forgot the bags." "I'II be right back." "BILLY:" "It was a surprise to me." "This is the new Mrs. bailey." "old, old friends of the baileys." "RUTH:" "Oh, of course, I've heard him speak of you." "BILLY:" "And I want to tell you... we're going to give the biggest party... this town ever saw." "GEORGE:" "Harry will be right here." "RUTH:" "Here, have some popcorn." "George, George, George--that's all Harry ever talks about." "GEORGE:" "Ruth, this..." "What about this job?" "RUTH:" "My father owns a glass factory in buffalo." "He wants to get Harry started in the research business." "GEORGE:" "Is it a good job?" "RUTH:" "Very." "Not much money, but a good future." "Harry's a genius at research." "My father just fell in love with him." "GEORGE:" "You did, too, huh?" "PHOTOGRAPHER:" "hold it!" "hold it!" "That's it!" "BILLY:" "Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy!" "I feel so good, I couId spit in Potter's eye." "I think I will." "I think I will." "What did you say?" "Maybe I'd better go home." "Where's my hat?" "Where's my hat?" "Oh." "Thank you, George." "Which is mine?" "The middle one." "Thank you, George." "Now, look... if you'II point me in the right direction" "would you do that, George?" "old building and Loan pal, huh?" "GEORGE:" "You turn this way and right straight down." "My wild Irish rose..." "[Crash]" "I'm all right!" "I'm all right!" "The sweetest flower that grows..." "[Train whistle blows]" "Oh, hello, Ma." "That's for nothing." "How do you Iike her?" "GEORGE:" "She's swell." "MA:" "Looks like she can keep Harry on his toes." "GEORGE:" "Keep him out of Bedford falls, anyway." "MA:" "Did you know Mary Hatch is back from school?" "Came back three days ago." "Mm-hmm." "Nice girl, Mary." "Mm-hmm." "MA:" "The kind that'II help you find the answers." "Mm-hmm." "Stop that grunting." "Mmm?" "Can you give me one good reason why you shouldn't call on Mary?" "Sure." "Sam Wainwright." "Sam's crazy about Mary." "MA:" "She's not crazy about him." "GEORGE:" "Did she discuss it with you?" "No." "Then how do you know?" "I've got eyes, haven't I?" "She lights up like a firefly whenever you're around." "Besides, Sam Wainwright's away in New York... and you're here in Bedford falls." "GEORGE:" "And all's fair in love and war." "MA:" "I don't know about war." "[Laughs]" "Mother of mine, I can see right through you... right to your back collar button." "Trying to get rid of me?" "Mm-hmm." "GEORGE:" "well, here's your hat." "What's your hurry?" "AII right, old building and Loan pal..." "I think I'II go find a girl... and do a little passionate necking." "Now, if you'II just point me in the right direction." "This direction." "Good night, Mrs. bailey." "Excuse me." "well, wait a minute." "I think I got a date." "But stick around, fellas, just in case, huh?" "MAN:" "We'II wait for you, baby." "hello, Georgie-porgie." "hello, Vi." "Hey, what gives?" "Nothing." "Where you going?" "probably end up down at the library." "Georgie, don't you ever get tired... of just reading about things?" "Yes." "What are you doing tonight?" "Not a thing." "Are you game?" "Let's make a night of it." "VIOLET:" "What'II we do?" "Let's go to the fields, take off our shoes... and walk through the grass." "Huh?" "We can go up to the falls." "It's beautiful in the moonlight." "There's a green pool up there, and we can swim in it." "Then we can climb Mount Bedford... and watch the sun rise against the peaks." "We'II stay up there the whole night." "Everyone will be talking." "There'II be a scandaI" "VIOLET:" "walk in the grass barefoot?" "[Laughter]" "Why, it's 10 miles up to Mount Bedford." "GEORGE:" "OK." "Just forget about the whole thing." "MARY:" "What are you doing, picketing?" "hello, Mary." "I just happened to be passing by." "Yes, 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 phoned and said you were coming to visit." "My mother just called?" "How did she know?" "Didn't you tell her?" "I didn't tell anybody." "I went for a walk and happened to be passing by." "What do you" "Went for a walk, that's all." "I'II be downstairs, mother." "AII right, dear." "[buffalo gals plays]" "well, are you coming in or aren't you?" "well, I'II come in for a minute." "But I--I..." "I didn't tell anybody I was coming over here, you know." "GEORGE:" "When did you get back?" "Tuesday." "Where did you get that dress?" "Do you Iike it?" "It's all right." "GEORGE:" "I thought you'd go back to New York..." "like Sam and Angie and the rest of them." "I worked there a couple of vacations, but I don't know." "I guess I was homesick." "Homesick?" "For Bedford falls?" "Yes, and my family and..." "Oh, everything." "would you Iike to sit down?" "GEORGE:" "AII right." "For a minute." "I still can't understand it." "I didn't tell anybody I was coming here." "would you rather leave?" "GEORGE:" "No." "I don't want to be rude." "well, then, sit down." "GEORGE:" "What's that?" "Some joke, huh?" "well..." "I see it still smells like pine needles around here." "MARY:" "Thank you." "And dance by the..." "What's the matter?" "Oh." "Oh, yeah, yeah." "well..." "Nice about your brother Harry and Ruth, isn't it?" "Oh, yeah, yeah." "It's all right." "Don't you Iike her?" "well, of course I Iike her." "She's a peach." "Oh." "Just marriage in general... you're not enthusiastic about?" "Marriage is all right for Harry and Marty and Sam and you." "Mary?" "Mary!" "Who's down there with you?" "It's George bailey, Mother." "MOTHER:" "George bailey!" "What's he want?" "I don't know." "What do you want?" "Me?" "Not a thing." "I--I just came in to get warm." "He's making violent love to me, Mother." "MOTHER:" "tell him to go home and don't you leave the house!" "Sam Wainwright promised to call you from New York." "What's your mother mean?" "I didn't come here to" "MARY:" "What did you come here for, then?" "GEORGE:" "I don't know." "You tell me." "You're the one with all the answers." "[telephone rings]" "Why don't you go home?" "That's where I'm going." "Good night." "Good night!" "MOTHER:" "Mary!" "Mary!" "The telephone." "It's Sam." "MARY:" "I'II get it." "MOTHER:" "Whatever were you doing that you couldn't hear?" "PHONOGRAPH:" "Can't you come out tonight?" "buffalo gals, can't you come out" "[Ring]" "Mary, he's waiting." "hello?" "[Knock on door]" "GEORGE:" "I forgot my hat." "Hee-haw!" "hello, Sam." "How are you?" "SAM:" "I'm great." "It's good to hear your voice again." "MARY:" "That's awfully sweet of you." "There's an old friend of yours here--George bailey." "SAM:" "You mean old mossback George?" "MARY:" "Yes." "old mossback George." "SAM:" "Hee-haw!" "Put him on." "MARY:" "Just a minute." "I'II call him." "George!" "MOTHER:" "He doesn't want to speak to George, you idiot!" "MARY:" "He asked for him." "Sam wants to speak to you." "Hi, Sam." "well, George BaiIeyoffski!" "Hey, a fine pal you are." "What are you trying to do, steal my girl?" "What do you mean?" "Nobody's trying to steal anybody's girl." "Here." "Here's Mary." "SAM:" "Wait!" "tell Mary to get on the extension." "Mother's on the extension." "I am not!" "We can both hear." "Come here." "We're listening, Sam." "SAM:" "I have a big deal that'II make us all rich." "George, you remember that night in Martini's bar... when you told me you read someplace... about making plastics out of soybeans?" "You remember, out of chiIi-- out of soybeans?" "GEORGE:" "Uh, uh..." "Yeah, yeah." "Soybean, yeah." "SAM:" "well, Dad snapped up the idea... and he's going to build a factory... outside of Rochester." "How do you Iike that?" "GEORGE:" "Rochester?" "Why Rochester?" "SAM:" "Why not?" "Can you think of anything better?" "GEORGE:" "well, I don't know." "Why not right here?" "You remember that old tool and machinery works?" "tell your father he can get that for a song... and all the labor he wants, too." "half the town was thrown out of work when they closed down." "SAM:" "Is that so?" "I'II tell him." "Hey, that sounds great!" "I knew you'd come through." "Now, here's the point" "Mary, you're in on this, too." "Have you got any money?" "GEORGE:" "Money?" "Yeah." "well, a little." "SAM:" "I want you to put every cent into our stock." "And George, I may have a job for you." "That is, unless you're still married... to that broken-down building and Loan." "This is the biggest thing since radio... and I'm letting you in on the ground floor." "Oh, Mary..." "Mary!" "MARY:" "I-I'm here." "SAM:" "will you tell that guy..." "I'm giving him the chance of a lifetime, you hear?" "The chance of a lifetime!" "He says it's the chance of a lifetime." "Now, you listen to me." "I don't want any plastics, I don't want ground floors... and I don't want to get married, ever, to anyone." "You understand that?" "I want to do what I want to do... and you're... and you're..." "Oh, Mary, Mary." "George, George, George." "Oh, Mary." "Oh!" "Oh, dear." "Oh, dear." "Oh, dear." "Mary..." "Here they come!" "[The Wedding March plays]" "VIOLET:" "Good-bye!" "Have a wonderful time!" "MA:" "First Harry, now George." "Annie, we're just two old maids now." "ANNIE:" "You speak for yourself, Miss B." "ERNIE:" "If either of you see a stranger, it's me." "GEORGE:" "Hey, look." "Somebody's driving this cab." "ERNIE:" "Bert the cop sent this over." "float away to Happy Land on the bubbles." "GEORGE:" "Look at this." "Champagne." "ERNIE:" "Where are you two going on this honeymoon?" "GEORGE:" "Where are we going?" "Look at this." "There's the kitty, Ernie." "Count it, Mary." "MARY:" "I feel like a bootlegger's wife." "GEORGE:" "We're going to shoot the works!" "A whole week in New York, a whole week in Bermuda." "The highest hotels, the oldest champagne... the richest caviar, the hottest music... and the prettiest wife." "ERNIE:" "Rrrow!" "That does it." "Then what?" "GEORGE:" "Then what, honey?" "MARY:" "After that, who cares?" "GEORGE:" "Rrrow!" "That does it." "Come here." "ERNIE:" "There's something funny going on at the bank." "I've never really seen one... but that's got all the earmarks of a run." "MAN:" "Ernie, if you got money in the bank, you better hurry." "MARY:" "George, Iet's not stop." "Let's go." "GEORGE:" "Just a minute, dear." "GEORGE:" "Uh-oh." "MARY:" "please, Iet's not stop." "GEORGE:" "I'II be back in a minute." "GEORGE:" "hello, everybody." "Mrs. Thompson, how are you?" "charlie, what's the matter here?" "Can't you get in?" "[Awk awk awk]" "What is this, uncle billy, a holiday?" "George." "GEORGE:" "Come on in, everybody." "That's right." "Just come on in." "[Awk]" "Look out." "Why don't you all sit down?" "There are a Iot of seats over there." "Just make yourselves at home." "[Awk awk]" "BILLY:" "Can I see you a minute?" "GEORGE:" "Why didn't you call me?" "BILLY:" "I did, but you'd left." "This is a pickle!" "GEORGE:" "What happened?" "How'd it start?" "The bank called our Ioan." "When?" "An hour ago." "I handed over all our cash... and still it was less than we owe." "Then I got scared and closed the doors." "[telephone rings]" "I" "GEORGE:" "The whole town's gone crazy." "BILLY:" "hello?" "George, it's Potter." "GEORGE:" "hello?" "POTTER:" "There is a rumor that you've closed your doors." "Is that true?" "Oh, well, I'm very glad to hear that." "Are you all right?" "Do you need any police?" "police?" "What for?" "Mobs get pretty ugly sometimes." "George, I am going aII-out to help in this crisis." "I have just guaranteed the banks... sufficient funds to meet their needs." "They will close up for a week and then reopen." "GEORGE:" "He just took over the bank." "POTTER:" "I may lose a fortune... but I am willing to guarantee your people, too." "Just tell them to bring their shares over here... and I will pay 50 cents on the dollar." "You never miss a trick, do you, Potter?" "well, you'II miss this one." "If you close your doors before 6 p.m.... you will never reopen." "[click]" "BILLY:" "George, was it a nice wedding?" "Gosh, I wanted to be there." "Yeah." "You can take this one off now." "GEORGE:" "Now... just remember that this thing isn't as black as it appears." "[Sirens]" "GEORGE:" "I have some news for you, folks." "I just talked to Potter... and he's guaranteed cash payments for the bank." "The bank will reopen next week." "ED:" "But, George, I got my money here." "CHARLIE:" "Did he guarantee this place?" "GEORGE:" "No, charlie." "We don't need Potter over here." "CHARLIE:" "Then I'II take mine now." "GEORGE:" "No, but you're" "You're thinking of this place all wrong... as if I had the money back in a safe." "The money's not here." "Your money's in Joe's house and in the Kennedy house... and Mrs. MackIin's house and a hundred others." "You're lending them the money to build... and they'II pay it back as best they can." "Are you going to foreclose on them?" "TOM:" "I got $242 in here... and $242 isn't going to break anybody." "GEORGE:" "OK, Tom, all right." "You sign this." "You'II get your money in 60 days." "TOM: 60 days?" "GEORGE:" "That's what you agreed when you bought your shares." "Tom, did you get your money?" "No." "RANDALL:" "Potter pays 50 cents on the dollar for every share." "50 cents?" "Cash." "TOM:" "well, what do you say?" "GEORGE:" "You have to stick to your original agreement." "Give us 60 days." "OK, randall." "Are you going to Potter's?" "TOM:" "Better to get half than nothing." "GEORGE:" "Tom !" "Tom !" "randall!" "Wait." "Now, listen to me." "I beg of you not to do this." "If Potter gets ahold of this building and Loan... there'II never be another decent house built in this town." "He's got charge of the bank... the bus line, the department stores... and now he's after us." "Why?" "Because we're cutting in on his business, that's why." "He wants to keep you living in his slums... and paying the kind of rent he decides." "Joe, you had one of Potter's houses." "Have you forgotten what he charged you for that shack?" "Ed, last year when you couldn't make your payments... you didn't lose your house." "You think Potter would've let you keep it?" "Can't you understand what's happening here?" "Don't you see what's happening?" "Potter isn't selling, Potter's buying!" "And why?" "Because we're panicky, and he's not." "He's picking up some bargain." "We can get through this thing all right." "We've got to stick together, though." "We've got to have faith in each other." "WOMAN:" "But my husband hasn't worked in over a year." "SECOND WOMAN:" "How will I Iive until the bank opens?" "I got doctor bills to pay." "I need cash!" "MARY:" "How much do you need?" "GEORGE:" "Hey!" "I got $2,000." "This will tide us over till the bank reopens." "AII right, Tom, how much do you need?" "TOM: $242." "GEORGE:" "Tom, just enough to tide you over." "TOM:" "I'II take $242." "There you are." "That'II close my account." "Your account's still here." "That's a Ioan." "AII right, Ed." "I got $300 here." "What will it take until the bank opens?" "ED:" "well, I suppose $20." "GEORGE:" "Twenty dollars." "Now you're talking." "Thanks, Ed." "Mrs. Thompson, how much do you want?" "MRS. THOMPSON:" "But it's your own money." "GEORGE:" "Never mind." "How much do you want?" "MRS. THOMPSON:" "$20, and I'II sign the paper." "GEORGE:" "You don't have to sign anything." "I know you." "Pay it when you can." "AII right." "Miss Davis?" "could I have 17.50?" "GEORGE:" "bless your heart." "Of course you can have it." "You got 50 cents?" "BILLY:" "We're going to make it." "They'II never close us up today!" "GEORGE:" "Five, four... three, two... one...bingo!" "We made it!" "close the door, Eustace!" "We've still got 2 bucks left." "Let's have some of that." "Let's celebrate!" "Get some glasses, TiIIy." "We're a couple of financial wizards." "BILLY:" "Those RockefeIIers!" "GEORGE:" "Get a tray for these two important simoIeons." "BILLY:" "We'II save 'em for seed." "A toast!" "GEORGE:" "A toast to Mama dollar and Papa dollar... and if you want to keep us in business... you'd better have a family real quick." "TILLY:" "I wish they were rabbits." "GEORGE:" "Let's put them in the safe and see what happens." "[Humming Stars and Stripes Forever]" "EUSTACE:" "folks, wedding cigars." "GEORGE:" "Oh-oh." "Wedding." "holy mackerel, I'm married." "Where's Ma--Mary!" "Oh, poor Mar-- Look, I got a train to catch." "The train's gone." "I wonder if Ernie's still here?" "TILLY:" "George, there's a call for you." "GEORGE:" "will you get my wife on the phone?" "TILLY:" "Mrs. bailey is on the phone." "I don't want Mrs. bailey." "I want my wife." "Mrs. bailey." "That's--that's my wife." "Here, I'II take it in here." "Mary?" "hello." "Listen, dear, I'm sorry." "Huh?" "Come home?" "What home?" "320 Sycamore?" "Whose home is that?" "The WaIdorf hotel, huh?" "MAN:" "That's company posters." "The company won't like this." "BERT:" "How would you Iike to get a ticket?" "Isn't there any romance in you?" "MAN:" "Sure, I had it, but I got rid of it." "BERT:" "Who wants to see liver pills on their honeymoon?" "What we want is romantic places, beautiful places." "places George wants to go." "ERNIE: [whistling] Hey, Bert, here he comes!" "BERT:" "We got to get this up." "He's coming!" "MAN:" "Who?" "BERT:" "The groom, idiot!" "This is their honeymoon." "MAN:" "What are they, ducks?" "Get that ready." "AII right, all right." "Hurry up!" "I'm hurrying'!" "ERNIE:" "Hiya, Geo--Good evening, sir." "Entrez, monsieur." "Entrez." "[Phonograph playing Song of the islands]" "welcome home, Mr. bailey." "GEORGE:" "well, I'II..." "Mary, where did you" "BERT AND ERNIE:" "[Singing] I Iove you truly." "truly, dear." "Life with its shadow..." "GEORGE:" "Oh, Mary." "BERT AND ERNIE:" "Life with its tear." "Remember the night we broke some windows in this old house?" "This is what I wished for." "GEORGE:" "You're wonderful." "BERT AND ERNIE:" "I Iove you truly." "truly, dear." "MAN:" "Martini, you rented a new house?" "MARTINI:" "Rent?" "[Laughs]" "You hear what he say, Mr. bailey?" "I own the house." "Me, Giuseppe Martini, I own my own house." "No more we live like pigs in Potter's field." "GEORGE:" "Mary, bring the baby." "GEORGE:" "I'II take the kids in the car." "MARTINI:" "Thank you, Mr. bailey." "GEORGE:" "AII right, kids." "Get in here." "One at a time." "Get up in the seat." "MARY:" "Sit down, honey." "You must be careful." "MARY:" "I'II hold it." "GEORGE:" "AII in?" "MARTINI: [Singing] sole mio..." "Stanfronte a te..." "O sole mio." "GEORGE:" "Mr. and Mrs. Martini, welcome home." "SAM:" "Look at old George." "He's always making a speech." "Hee-haw!" "GEORGE:" "That's Sam Wainwright." "MARY:" "Oh, who cares?" "Bread." "That this house may never know hunger." "salt." "That life may always have flavor." "GEORGE:" "And wine." "That joy and prosperity may reign forever." "Enter the Martini castle." "REINEMAN:" "Mr. Potter, it's no skin off my nose." "I'm just your rent collector... but you can't laugh off this bailey Park anymore." "[Intercom buzzes]" "SECRETARY:" "Congressman BIatz is here, sir." "POTTER:" "tell the congressman to wait." "Go on." "REINEMAN: 15 years ago... a half dozen houses here and there." "squirrels, buttercups, daisies." "I used to hunt rabbits there myself." "Look at it today." "Dozens of the prettiest little homes... 90% owned by suckers who used to pay rent to you." "Your Potter's field is becoming just that." "The local yokels... are making with those David and goliath wisecracks." "POTTER:" "Even though they know... the baileys never made a dime out of it?" "REINEMAN:" "The BaiIeys were all chumps." "Every home is worth twice... what it cost the building and Loan to build." "If I were you" "POTTER:" "You are not me." "REINEMAN:" "It's no skin off my nose." "But one day, this bright young man... will ask George bailey for a job." "bailey family's been a boil on my neck long enough." "SECRETARY:" "Yes?" "POTTER:" "Come in here." "SAM:" "We stopped at the new factory... then we're driving to florida." "WOMAN:" "Have them join us." "SAM:" "Sure." "Why don't you drive down with us?" "GEORGE:" "Oh, I'm afraid I couldn't get away, Sam." "SAM:" "still got the nose to the grindstone." "I offered to let George in on the ground floor in plastics... and he turned me down." "GEORGE:" "Don't rub it in." "SAM:" "I guess we'd better run along." "WOMAN:" "Happy to have met you, Mary." "SAM:" "So long, George." "MARY:" "Bye, Sam." "Have fun!" "GEORGE:" "Thanks for dropping around." "Hee-haw!" "Hee-haw!" "GEORGE:" "Thank you, sir." "That's quite a cigar." "POTTER:" "You like it?" "I'II send you a box." "GEORGE:" "well, I, uh..." "I suppose I'II find out sooner or later... but what did you want to see me about?" "POTTER:" "That's what I Iike so much about you." "I am an old man, and most people hate me... but I don't like them either, 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." "You know I've been trying to get control or kill it... but I haven't been able to do it." "You have been stopping me." "In fact, you have beaten me... and as anyone can tell you, that takes some doing." "Take during the Depression, 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." "POTTER:" "The envious ones say that--the suckers." "Now, I have stated my side very frankly." "Let's look at your side." "A young man... 27, 28... married... making, say, 40 a week." "Forty-five." "POTTER:" "Forty-five." "Out of which, after supporting your mother... and paying your bills... you're able to keep, say, 10, if you skimp." "A child or two comes along... and you won't be able to save the 10." "If this young man of 28 was an ordinary yokeI..." "I'd say he was doing fine... but George bailey is not an ordinary yokeI." "He is an intelligent, smart, ambitious young man... who hates his job, 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." "A young man-- the smartest one in the crowd... who has to sit by and watch his friends go places... because he's trapped into frittering his life away... playing nursemaid to a Iot of garlic eaters." "Do I paint a correct picture, or do I exaggerate?" "What's your point, Mr. Potter?" "POTTER:" "My point is I want to hire you." "Hire me?" "POTTER:" "I want you to run my properties." "George, I'II start you out at $20,000 a year." "$20,000 a year?" "You wouldn't mind living in the nicest house in town... buying your wife a Iot of fine clothes... a couple of business trips to New York a year... maybe once in a while, Europe?" "You wouldn't mind that, would you?" "would I?" "You're not talking to somebody else, are you?" "This is me." "Remember me?" "George bailey." "George bailey, right." "George bailey, whose ship has just come in... provided he has enough brains to climb aboard." "holy mackerel." "well, how about the building and Loan?" "Oh, confound it!" "Are you afraid of success?" "I'm offering you a three-years contract... at $20,000 a year starting today." "Is it a deal or isn't it?" "Mr. Potter, I know I ought to jump at the chance... but I just..." "would it be possible for you to give me... twenty-four hours to think it over?" "Sure, sure, sure." "Go on home and talk about it to your wife." "GEORGE:" "I'd Iike to do that." "POTTER:" "In the meantime, I'II draw up the papers." "OK, George?" "OK, Mr. Potter." "GEORGE:" "Now, wait a minute here." "I don't need 24 hours or to talk to anybody." "I know right now." "The answer is no!" "You sit around here and spin your webs... and you think the world revolves around you." "well, it doesn't, Mr. Potter." "In the vast configuration of things..." "I'd say you're nothing but a scurvy spider." "And that goes for you, too!" "And it goes for you, too!" "POTTER:" "You wouldn't mind..." "living in the nicest house in town... buying your wife a Iot of fine clothes... going on a couple of business trips to New York... maybe Europe once in a while." "GEORGE:" "I know what I'II do tomorrow and the next day... and next year and the year after that." "I'm shaking the dust of this town off my feet... and I'm going to see the world." "Then I'II build things" "I'II build airfields." "Skyscrapers 100 stories high." "A bridge a mile long." "What is it you want, Mary?" "You want the moon?" "Say the word..." "I'II throw a lasso around it and pull her down for you." "MARY: [Singing] 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." "Mary Hatch..." "Why in the world did you ever marry a guy like me?" "MARY:" "To keep from being an old maid." "GEORGE:" "You could have married Sam Wainwright... and anybody else in town." "MARY:" "I didn't want to marry anybody else in town." "I want my baby to look like you." "GEORGE:" "We didn't even have a honeymoon." "I promised you--Your what?" "MARY:" "My baby." "GEORGE:" "Your b--your--your..." "Mary, you on the nest?" "MARY:" "George bailey Iassos stork." "GEORGE:" "Lassos a stork?" "well..." "You mean, y-you're..." "What is it, a boy or a girl?" "MARY:" "Mm-hmm." "JOSEPH:" "Now you've probably already guessed... that George never leaves Bedford falls." "CLARENCE:" "No." "JOSEPH:" "Mary had her baby, a boy." "Then she had another one, a girl." "Day after day, she worked... remaking the old GranviIIe house into a home." "Night after night..." "George came back late from the office." "JOSEPH:" "Potter was bearing down hard." "JOSEPH:" "Then came a war." "Ma bailey and Mrs. Hatch... joined the Red Cross and sewed." "Mary had two more babies... but found time to run the USO." "Sam Wainwright made a fortune in plastic hoods for planes." "Potter became head of the draft board." "POTTER: 1-A." "1-A." "1-A." "JOSEPH:" "Gower and uncle billy sold war bonds." "Bert the cop was wounded in North Africa." "Got the silver Star." "Ernie the taxi driver parachuted into France." "Marty helped capture the Remagen bridge." "Harry?" "Harry bailey topped them all." "A Navy flier, he shot down 15 planes... two of them as they were about to crash... into a transport full of soldiers." "CLARENCE:" "Yes, but George?" "JOSEPH:" "George?" "4-F on account of his ear..." "George fought the battle of Bedford falls." "GEORGE:" "hold on!" "hold on now!" "Don't you know there's a war on?" "JOSEPH:" "Air raid warden..." "[blows whistle]" "JOSEPH:" "Paper drives, scrap drives... rubber drives." "Like everybody else... on V-E Day, he wept and prayed." "On V-J Day, he wept and prayed again." "FRANKLIN:" "Joseph, now show him what happened today." "JOSEPH:" "Yes, sir." "The day before Christmas... about 10 a.m. Bedford falls time..." "GEORGE:" "Hey, Ernie, look at that." "ERNIE:" "It's going to snow again." "GEORGE:" "What do you mean?" "Look at the headline!" "ERNIE:" "I know, George, and it's marvelous." "GEORGE:" "Commander Harry bailey." "Mr. Gower, look at this." "This is for you." "That's for you." "See you again." "BILLY:" "Hey!" "Be sure you spell the name right." "GEORGE:" "Yeah!" "Extra!" "Read all about it." "EUSTACE:" "George, it's Harry from Washington." "He reversed the charges." "It's OK, isn't it?" "GEORGE:" "Reversed the charges?" "Of course." "For a hero?" "Harry, you old son of a gun, congratulations." "How's Mother standing it?" "What do you know?" "Mother had lunch with the president's wife." "TILLY:" "Wait till Martha hears about this." "EUSTACE:" "What did they eat?" "GEORGE:" "What did they eat?" "You should see what they're cooking up here for you." "The Navy's flying Mother home this afternoon." "EUSTACE:" "In a plane?" "GEORGE:" "What?" "uncle billy." "Has uncle billy come in yet?" "TILLY:" "He stopped at the bank." "GEORGE:" "He's not here right now" "EUSTACE:" "George, that man is here again." "What man?" "Bank examiner." "GEORGE:" "Harry, talk to Eustace for a minute." "I'II be right back." "Good morning, sir." "Carter, bank examiner." "Mr. Carter, Merry Christmas." "Merry Christmas." "We're excited around here." "My brother got the congressional medal of Honor." "The president just decorated him." "CARTER:" "I guess they do those things." "I trust you had a good year." "GEORGE:" "Good year?" "Between you and me, Mr. Carter, we're broke." "CARTER:" "Very funny." "GEORGE:" "Ahem." "Come in here, Mr. Carter." "CARTER:" "I shouldn't wonder when you OK reverse charges... on personal Iong-distance calls." "TILLY:" "George, shall we hang up?" "GEORGE:" "No." "He wants to talk to uncle billy." "CARTER:" "If you'II cooperate, I'd Iike to finish by tonight." "I want to spend Christmas with my family." "GEORGE:" "I don't blame you." "Step in here." "We'II fix you up." "BILLY:" "December 24." "8,000." "MEN:" "Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter!" "BILLY:" "Good morning, Mr. Potter." "What's the news?" "well, well, well." "'´Harry bailey wins congressional medal.'´" "That wouldn't be one of the bailey boys?" "You just can't keep those BaiIeys down." "POTTER:" "How does slacker George feel about that?" "BILLY:" "Very jealous." "He only lost three buttons off his vest." "George would have gotten two if he had gone." "POTTER:" "Bad ear." "BILLY:" "Some people like George had to stay home." "Not every heel was in Germany and Japan." "HORACE:" "Good morning, Mr. bailey." "BILLY:" "Good morning." "HORACE:" "I guess you forgot something." "Huh?" "You forgot something." "What?" "Aren't you making a deposit?" "BILLY:" "Sure." "Sure I am." "HORACE:" "It's customary to bring the money with you." "BILLY:" "Oh, shucks." "I..." "I, uh..." "HORACE:" "How about that finger?" "POTTER:" "bailey." "Take me back there." "Hurry up." "Come on." "Look sharp." "Take me back." "GEORGE:" "Make yourself at home." "I'II get those books." "hello, Vi." "George, can I see you for a second?" "GEORGE:" "Of course." "Come in my office." "uncle billy, talk to Harry on the telephone." "TILLY:" "Hurry up." "Long distance." "EUSTACE:" "Here's Harry on the phone!" "TILLY:" "Your nephew, remember?" "Here he is." "Hurry up." "BILLY:" "hello." "Yes, Harry." "Yes, everything's fine." "I should have my head examined." "$8,000." "It's got to be somewhere." "GEORGE:" "Ah, that's fine." "Here you are." "VIOLET:" "Character." "If I had any character, I'd" "GEORGE:" "It takes character to leave your hometown." "No, George, don't" "Here." "You're broke, aren't you?" "I know, but" "Do you want to hock your furs and that hat?" "You want to walk to New York?" "They charge for meals and rent just the same as Bedford falls." "That's a Ioan." "That's my business-- building and Loan." "Besides, you'II get a job." "Good luck to you." "I'm glad I know you, George bailey." "Say hello to New York for me." "Sure I will." "GEORGE:" "Let's hear from you once in a while." "What's the matter?" "Merry Christmas, Vi." "Merry Christmas, George." "CARTER:" "Mr. BaiIey" "GEORGE:" "I'm sorry." "I'II be right with you." "uncle billy in?" "TILLY:" "He's in his office." "GEORGE:" "Unc--What's going on?" "The bank examiner's here." "BILLY:" "He's here?" "GEORGE:" "Yeah." "He wants the accounts payabIe" "What's the matter with you?" "BILLY:" "Come here." "Eustace?" "Yeah?" "GEORGE:" "Come here a minute." "Did you see uncle billy with any cash last night?" "EUSTACE:" "He was counting it before we closed up." "GEORGE:" "Look, did you buy anything?" "BILLY:" "Nothing, not even a stick of gum." "GEORGE:" "AII right." "We'II go over every step you took." "BILLY:" "This way." "[Honk]" "GEORGE:" "Did you put the envelope in your pocket?" "BILLY:" "Maybe, maybe, maybe." "GEORGE:" "I don't want any maybe!" "We've got to find that money!" "Do you realize what will happen if we don't?" "Do you have any secret hiding place in the house?" "BILLY:" "I've gone over the whole house... even in rooms locked since I lost Laura." "GEORGE:" "Listen to me!" "Think!" "BILLY:" "I can't think anymore." "I can't think." "It hurts." "GEORGE:" "Where's that money, you silly, stupid old fool?" "Do you realize what this means?" "It means bankruptcy and scandal and prison!" "That's what it means!" "One of us is going to jail!" "It's not going to be me!" "[playing Hark!" "The herald angels Sing]" "[Door slams]" "hello, darling." "hello, Daddy." "MARY:" "How do you Iike it?" "GEORGE:" "Ah-choo!" "bless you!" "bless you!" "MARY:" "Did you bring the wreath?" "GEORGE:" "What wreath?" "MARY:" "The Christmas wreath for the window." "GEORGE:" "I Ieft it at the office." "Is it snowing?" "Yeah, it just started." "MARY:" "Where's your coat and hat?" "GEORGE:" "At the office." "MARY:" "What's the matter?" "GEORGE:" "Nothing's the matter." "Everything's all right." "[Tommy roars]" "MARY:" "You're a big boy." "You can get this star up... way up at the top." "There it is." "Now fill in that little bare spot there." "[Tommy roars]" "MARY:" "Isn't it wonderful about Harry?" "We're famous, George." "Bet I had 50 calls today about the parade, the banquet." "Your mother's so excited, sh" "GEORGE:" "Must she keep playing that?" "JANIE:" "I have to practice it for the party tonight, Daddy." "PETE:" "Mom said we can stay up and sing carols." "TOMMY:" "Can you sing, Daddy?" "MARY:" "Better hurry and shave." "The families will be here soon." "GEORGE:" "families?" "I don't want the families over here!" "MARY:" "Come in the kitchen with me while I finish dinner." "TOMMY: 'Scuse me!" "'Scuse me!" "MARY:" "Have a hectic day?" "GEORGE:" "Another big red-Ietter day for the baileys." "PETE:" "The Browns have a new car." "You should see it." "GEORGE:" "Isn't our car good enough for you?" "PETE:" "Yes, Daddy." "TOMMY: 'Scuse me!" "'Scuse me!" "GEORGE:" "Excuse you for what?" "TOMMY:" "I burped." "MARY:" "You're excused." "Now go on upstairs... and see if little Zuzu wants anything." "GEORGE:" "What's the matter with Zuzu?" "MARY:" "She's got a cold." "She's in bed." "Caught it coming home from school." "They gave her a flower prize." "She didn't want to crush it, so she didn't button her coat." "GEORGE:" "What is it?" "Sore throat?" "MARY:" "A cold." "The doctor says" "GEORGE:" "The doctor?" "MARY:" "It's nothing to worry about." "Is she running a temperature?" "Just a teensy one--99.6." "It's this old house." "We'II all have pneumonia." "Might as well be living in a refrigerator." "Why do we live here and stay around this crummy old town?" "George, what's wrong?" "Everything's wrong." "You call this a happy family?" "Why do we have to have all these kids?" "PETE:" "Dad, how do you spell frankincense?" "GEORGE:" "I don't know." "Ask your mother." "Where are you going?" "To see Zuzu." "PETE:" "I'm writing a play for tomorrow." "MARY:" "F-r-a-n... k-i-n..." "ZUZU:" "Hi, Daddy!" "GEORGE:" "What happened to you?" "I won a flower." "Where do you think you're going?" "Want to give my flower a drink." "Give Daddy the flower." "I'II give it a drink." "Now, here." "Look, Daddy!" "Paste it!" "AII right." "Give it here." "Now, we'II paste this together here." "There." "It's good as new." "Now give the flower a drink." "Now will you do something for me?" "What?" "Get some sleep." "I'm not sleepy." "I want to look at my flower." "I know, but just go to sleep... and then you can dream about it... and it'II be a whole garden." "It will?" "Uh-huh." "[telephone rings]" "telephone!" "telephone!" "MARY:" "I'II get it." "[Ring]" "MARY:" "hello?" "Yes, this is Mrs. bailey." "Oh, thank you, Mrs. WeIch." "She'II be all right." "The doctor said she should be out of bed... in time for Christmas dinner." "GEORGE:" "Is that Zuzu's teacher?" "Let me speak to her." "hello, Mrs. WeIch?" "George bailey." "I'm Zuzu's father." "What kind of a teacher are you, sending her home half naked?" "She'II probably end up with pneumonia on account of you!" "Is this the sort of thing we pay taxes for... to have teachers like you-- stupid, careless people... that send our kids home without any clothes on?" "Maybe my kids aren't the best-dressed kids... and don't have decent cIothes" "Ah, that stupid..." "MARY:" "hello, Mrs. WeIch." "I want to apoIogi" "hello?" "She's hung up!" "GEORGE:" "I'II hang her up!" "MR. WELCH:" "Hey, you!" "I'II knock your block off!" "GEORGE:" "hello!" "Who's this?" "Oh, Mr. WeIch." "That's fine." "I'II tell you what I really think of your wife!" "will you get out and let me handle this?" "hello!" "hello!" "What?" "Oh, you will, huh?" "OK." "Any time you think you're man enough, you" "hello." "Any" "Argh!" "PETE:" "How do you spell haIIeIujah?" "GEORGE:" "You think I'm a dictionary?" "Stop that." "Janie, haven't you learned that silly tune yet?" "You play it over and over again." "Stop it!" "GEORGE:" "I'm sorry, Mary." "Janie, I'm sorry." "I..." "I didn't mean that." "I..." "You go on and practice." "Pete, I owe you an apology, too, now." "I'm sorry." "What do you want to know?" "PETE:" "Nothing, Daddy." "GEORGE:" "What's the matter with everybody?" "Janie, I told you to practice." "Go on, play!" "JANIE:" "Oh, Daddy!" "MARY:" "Why must you torture the children?" "Why don't you" "GEORGE:" "Mary..." "MARY:" "Bedford 247, please." "Is Daddy in trouble?" "Yes, Pete." "JANIE:" "shall I pray for him?" "MARY:" "Yes." "Pray very hard." "Me, too?" "You, too, Tommy." "MARY:" "hello?" "uncle billy?" "GEORGE:" "I'm in trouble, Mr. Potter." "I need help." "Through some sort of accident... my company's short in their accounts." "The bank examiner got there today." "I must raise $8,000 immediately." "POTTER:" "Oh, that's what the reporters wanted." "GEORGE:" "The reporters?" "POTTER:" "They called me from your building and Loan." "There's a man from the D.A.'s office looking for you." "please help me, Mr. Potter." "help me, won't you, please?" "Can't you see what it means to my family?" "I'II pay any bonus on the Ioan, any interest." "If you still want the building and Loan" "POTTER:" "could it possibly be... there's a discrepancy in the books?" "No, sir." "I've just misplaced $8,000." "I can't find it anywhere!" "You misplaced $8,000?" "GEORGE:" "Yes, sir." "POTTER:" "Have you notified the police?" "No, sir." "I didn't want the publicity." "Harry's homecoming tomorrow" "POTTER:" "They're going to believe that one." "What have you been doing... playing the market with the company's money?" "No, sir, I haven't." "POTTER:" "Is it a woman, then?" "It's all over town you've been giving money to violet Bick." "What?" "POTTER:" "Why did you come to me?" "Why don't you ask Sam Wainwright for the money?" "He's in Europe." "POTTER:" "What about your other friends?" "They don't have that kind of money." "You're the only one in town that can help me." "POTTER:" "I've suddenly become quite important... but what kind of security would I have?" "Have you got any stocks?" "No, sir." "POTTER:" "Bonds, real estate, collateral of any kind?" "I have some life insurance" "$15,000 policy." "POTTER:" "Yes." "How much is your equity in it?" "$500." "POTTER: $500?" "And you ask me to lend you 8,000?" "Look at you." "You used to be so cocky." "You were going to go out and conquer the world." "You once called me a warped, frustrated old man." "What are you but a warped, frustrated young man?" "A miserable little clerk... crawling in here on your hands and knees... and begging for help." "No securities, no stocks, no bonds-- nothing but a miserable little $500 equity... in a life insurance policy." "Hee hee!" "You're worth more dead than alive." "Why don't you go to the riffraff you love so much... and ask them to let you have 8,000?" "You know why?" "Because they'd run you out of town on a rail." "But I'II tell you what I'm going to do for you." "Since the state examiner is still here... as a stockholder of the building and Loan..." "I'm going to swear out a warrant for your arrest-- misappropriation of funds, manipulation, malfeasance." "AII right, George, go ahead." "You can't hide in a little town like this." "Yeah, bill?" "This is Potter." "[Singing in italian]" "MARTINI:" "Ah, Merry Christmas!" "glad you come!" "MAN:" "How about some of that good spaghetti?" "MARTINI:" "We got everything." "GEORGE:" "Oh, God..." "Oh, God..." "Dear Father in heaven..." "I'm not a praying man... but if you're up there, and you can hear me... show me the way." "I'm at the end of my rope." "I..." "Show me the way, oh, God." "NICK:" "Are you all right, George?" "Want somebody to take you home?" "MARTINI:" "Why you drink so much, my friend?" "please go home, Mr. bailey." "This is Christmas eve." "MR. WELCH:" "bailey?" "Which bailey?" "NICK:" "This is Mr. George bailey." "MR. WELCH:" "Next time you talk to my wife like that... you'II get worse!" "She cried for an hour!" "It isn't enough she slaves teaching your stupid kids!" "You had to bawl her out!" "MARTINI:" "Get out!" "MR. WELCH:" "I want to pay for my drink." "MARTINI:" "Never mind!" "Get out of here!" "You hit my best friend!" "Get out!" "NICK:" "You all right, George?" "GEORGE:" "Who was that?" "MARTINI:" "He gone." "No worry." "He name is WeIch." "He no come into my place no more." "GEORGE:" "Oh, welch." "That's what I get for praying." "MARTINI:" "The last time he come in here." "You hear?" "GEORGE:" "Where's my insurance policy?" "Oh, here it is." "MARTINI:" "please no go this way." "You no feel good." "Sit down and rest!" "please no go away!" "please!" "MAN:" "What do you think you're doing?" "Now look what you did." "My great-grandfather planted this tree!" "Hey, you!" "Hey, you!" "Come back here, you drunken fool!" "Get this car out of here!" "[Honk honk]" "MAN:" "What's the matter with you?" "Look where you're going!" "CLARENCE:" "help!" "help!" "help!" "Aah!" "help!" "help!" "help!" "help!" "help!" "help!" "help!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "help!" "help!" "CLARENCE:" "I didn't have time to get some stylish underwear." "My wife gave me this on my last birthday." "I passed away in it." "Tom Sawyer's drying out, too." "You should read the new book Mark Twain's writing now." "TOLLKEEPER:" "How did you happen to fall in?" "CLARENCE:" "I didn't fall in." "I jumped in to save George." "GEORGE:" "You what?" "To save me?" "CLARENCE:" "I did, didn't I?" "You didn't go through with it." "With what?" "Suicide." "It's against the Iaw to commit suicide around here." "It's against the Iaw where I come from, too." "Where do you come from?" "CLARENCE:" "Heaven." "I had to act quickly." "That's why I jumped in." "I knew if I were drowning, you'd try to save me." "You see, you did, and that's how I saved you." "GEORGE:" "Very funny." "CLARENCE:" "Your lip's bleeding, George." "Yeah." "I got a bust in the jaw in answer to a prayer." "No, George." "I'm the answer to your prayer." "That's why I was sent down here." "GEORGE:" "How do you know my name?" "CLARENCE:" "I know all about you." "I've watched you grow up." "Are you a mind reader?" "No." "GEORGE:" "Who are you, then?" "clarence Odbody, A-S-2." "GEORGE:" "Odbody?" "A-S-2..." "What's that, A-S-2?" "angel Second class." "Cheerio, my good man." "GEORGE:" "Oh, brother." "Gee whiz." "I wonder what Martini put in those drinks?" "Hey, 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." "ridiculous to think of killing yourself for money--$8,000." "Yeah, things like that." "How do you know that?" "I told you." "I'm your guardian angel." "I know everything about you." "You look like the kind of angel I'd get... sort of a fallen angel." "What happened to your wings?" "I haven't won them yet." "That's why I'm an angel second class." "I don't know whether I Iike it much... being seen with an angel without any wings." "I've got to earn them, and you'II help me." "Sure, sure." "How?" "By letting me help you." "only one way you can help me." "Do you happen to have 8,000 bucks on you?" "No." "We don't use money in heaven." "That's right." "I keep forgetting." "Comes in pretty handy down here." "Oh, tut, tut, 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" "Yeah, everybody would be a Iot better off-- my wife, my kids, and my friends." "little fellow, go off and haunt somebody else." "Now, you don't understand." "I've got my job" "Oh, shut up, will you?" "Oh, this isn't going to be so easy." "Yeah." "So you still think killing yourself... would make everyone feel happier, right?" "well, I don't know." "I guess you're right." "I suppose it wouId've been better if I'd never been born." "What?" "I wish I'd never been born!" "Oh, you mustn't say things like that." "You" "Wait a minute, wait a minute." "That's an idea." "What do you think?" "Yeah, that'II do it." "AII right." "You've got your wish." "You've never been born." "[Wind blows]" "CLARENCE:" "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-- no worries, no obligations... no $8,000 to get, no sheriff looking for you." "GEORGE:" "Say something else in that ear." "CLARENCE:" "Sure, you can hear out of it." "I haven't heard out of it since I was a kid." "Must have been that jump in that cold water." "Your lip stopped bleeding, too, George." "well, what do you know about that?" "What's happening?" "It stopped snowing out there, didn't it?" "What's happened here?" "What I need's a couple of good, stiff drinks." "How about you, angel?" "You want a drink?" "Ha ha ha!" "GEORGE:" "As soon as our clothes are dry" "CLARENCE:" "Those are dry." "GEORGE:" "Stove's hotter than I thought." "Now get your clothes on." "We'II stroll up to my car and get" "Sorry." "I'II stroll, you fly." "CLARENCE:" "I can't fly!" "I haven't got my wings!" "GEORGE:" "Yeah, that's right." "CLARENCE:" "What's the matter?" "GEORGE:" "This is where I Ieft my car, and it isn't here." "CLARENCE:" "You have no car." "GEORGE:" "well, I had one." "It was right here." "I guess somebody moved it." "Oh, say, hey, uh... where's my car?" "MAN:" "I beg your pardon?" "GEORGE:" "I own the car that ran into your tree." "MAN:" "What tree?" "GEORGE:" "What tree?" "This tree!" "I ran into it." "Cut a big gash in the side of it there." "MAN:" "You must mean two other trees." "You had me worried." "One of the oldest trees in pottersville." "GEORGE:" "PottersviIIe?" "You mean Bedford falls." "MAN:" "I mean PottersviIIe." "Don't you think I know where I Iive?" "What's the matter with you?" "GEORGE:" "What's the matter with me?" "well..." "Either I'm off my nut or he is..." "Or you are." "'Tisn't me." "GEORGE:" "Maybe I Ieft the car at Martini's." "Come on, gabriel." "clarence." "GEORGE:" "clarence." "clarence." "GEORGE:" "Go on in." "Martini's a friend of mine." "There's a place to sit down." "Sit down." "Nick, hey, where's Martini?" "NICK:" "Want a martini?" "GEORGE:" "No." "Where's Martini, your boss?" "I'm the boss." "Want a drink or not?" "GEORGE:" "AII right." "double bourbon, quick." "NICK:" "OK." "What's yours?" "CLARENCE:" "I was just thinking, uh... it's been so long since I" "NICK:" "Look, Mister, I'm waitin' for you to make up your mind." "CLARENCE:" "That's a good man." "I was just thinking of a flaming rum punch." "No." "It's not cold enough for that." "Wait a minute." "I got it!" "MuIIed wine... heavy on the cinnamon, light on the cloves." "Off, me lad, and be lively." "NICK:" "Hey, look, mister, we serve hard drinks... for men who want to get drunk fast." "We don't need characters around for atmosphere." "Is that clear, or do I have to slip you my left?" "CLARENCE:" "What's he talking about?" "GEORGE:" "Uh, Nick, just give him the same as mine." "He's OK." "NICK:" "OK." "GEORGE:" "What's the matter with him?" "I never saw Nick act like that before." "CLARENCE:" "You'II see a Iot of strange things from now on." "GEORGE:" "Oh, yeah..." "Hey, little fella... you worry me, you know?" "You got someplace to sleep?" "No." "You don't, huh?" "You got any money?" "No." "GEORGE:" "No wonder you jumped in the river." "CLARENCE:" "I jumped to save you, so I couId get my wings." "[bell rings]" "Uh-oh." "[Ding]" "Somebody's just made it." "Made what?" "Every time you hear a bell ring... it means some angel's just got his wings." "GEORGE:" "Look, uh..." "I think maybe, uh... you better not mention getting your wings around here." "Why?" "Don't they believe in angels?" "Uh..." "GEORGE:" "Yeah, uh, they believe..." "CLARENCE:" "Why should they be surprised when they see one?" "GEORGE:" "well... he never grew up." "He's, uh--How old are you anyway, clarence?" "CLARENCE: 293, uh... next May." "NICK:" "That does it." "Out you two pixies go... through the door or out the window!" "GEORGE:" "Nick, what's wrong?" "NICK:" "Where do you come off calling me Nick?" "GEORGE:" "That's your name." "NICK:" "What's that got to do with it?" "I don't know you." "Hey, you!" "Rummy!" "Come here, come here." "Didn't I tell you never to panhandle here?" "[Laughter]" "GEORGE:" "Mr. Gower." "Mr. Gower." "What--what" "Mr. Gower, it's George bailey." "Don't you know me?" "No." "No." "NICK:" "Throw him out." "GEORGE:" "Mr. Gower!" "Hey, what is" "Isn't that Mr. Gower, the druggist?" "NICK:" "That's another reason not to like you." "That rum-head spent 20 years in jail... for poisoning a kid." "You must be a jailbird yourself." "Show these gentlemen the door." "MAN:" "This way, gentlemen." "MAN:" "Stay out." "[Ding]" "NICK:" "Get me." "I'm givin' out wings." "[Laughter]" "CLARENCE:" "See, you weren't there to stop Gower... from putting that poison into the capsules." "GEORGE:" "What do you mean, I wasn't there?" "I remember distinctIy" "GEORGE:" "What's going on around here?" "Why, that" "This ought to be Martini's place." "Look, who are you?" "I told you, George." "I'm your guardian angel." "Yeah, yeah." "You told me that." "What else are you?" "What, are you a hypnotist?" "CLARENCE:" "No." "Of course not." "Then why am I seeing these strange things?" "CLARENCE:" "Don't you understand?" "It's because you were not born." "If I wasn't born, who am I?" "CLARENCE:" "You're nobody." "You have no identity." "Oh, what do you mean?" "My name's George bailey." "CLARENCE:" "There is no George bailey." "You have no papers... no cards, no driver's license... no 4-F card, no insurance policy." "They're not there, either." "What?" "Zuzu's petals." "You've been given a great gift-- 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." "So long, mister." "I'm going home." "CLARENCE:" "Home?" "What home?" "GEORGE:" "Now, shut up!" "Cut it out!" "You--you're crazy!" "That's what I think." "You're driving me crazy, too." "I'm seeing things." "I'm going home and see my wife and family, understand?" "And I'm going home alone." "How am I doing, Joseph?" "Thanks." "No, I didn't have a drink." "[Music playing]" "[Siren]" "GEORGE:" "Where'd the building and Loan move to?" "building and what?" "The bailey building and Loan." "POLICEMAN:" "That went out of business years ago." "VIOLET:" "That sailor's a liar!" "I know every big shot in this town!" "I'II have you kicked off the poIice" "GEORGE:" "Hey, violet!" "Hey, hey!" "Listen." "That's violet Bick." "I know that girl!" "POLICEMAN:" "Take a walk." "Beat it." "GEORGE:" "Hey, Ernie!" "Ernie, take me home." "I'm going off my nut." "ERNIE:" "Where do you live?" "GEORGE:" "Doggone it!" "Don't you start." "You know where!" "320 Sycamore." "Now hurry up!" "ERNIE: 320 Sycamore?" "GEORGE:" "Yeah." "Hurry up!" "ERNIE:" "AII right." "GEORGE:" "Ernie, straighten me out here." "I got some bad liquor or something." "You're Ernie Bishop-- you live in bailey Park... with your wife and kid, right?" "You seen my wife?" "I've been to your house!" "I Iive in a shack in Potter's field." "My wife ran away and took the kid... and I ain't never seen you before." "OK." "Just step on it." "Just get me home!" "ERNIE:" "Is this the place?" "GEORGE:" "Of course it's the place." "ERNIE:" "This house ain't been lived in for 20 years." "BERT:" "What's up, Ernie?" "ERNIE:" "We better keep our eye on him." "He's bats." "Mary." "Mary!" "Tommy!" "Pete!" "Janie!" "Zuzu!" "Where are you?" "They're not here." "You have no children." "GEORGE:" "Where are they?" "BERT:" "Put up your hands." "No fast moves." "Come on out here." "GEORGE:" "Bert!" "Thank heaven you're here." "What's happened to this house?" "Where's Mary?" "Where's my kids?" "ERNIE:" "Watch him, Bert." "GEORGE:" "Bert, Ernie, what's the matter?" "On my wedding night... you sang to us on the porch, remember?" "ERNIE:" "I'd better be going." "BERT:" "Let's go to a doctor." "Everything will be all right." "GEORGE:" "Take me to my mother's." "It's that fellow there." "He says he's an angel." "Tried to hypnotize me." "BERT:" "I hate to do this, but" "Ow!" "CLARENCE:" "Run, George!" "BERT:" "Ow!" "CLARENCE:" "Joseph!" "BERT:" "Oh, shut up." "CLARENCE:" "Oh, Joseph!" "Joseph!" "BERT:" "Where'd he go?" "I had him right here." "ERNIE:" "I need a drink." "BERT:" "Which way did he go?" "help me find him !" "[Buzz]" "MA:" "well?" "Mother." "Mother?" "What do you want?" "Mother, th-this is George." "I thought you'd remember me." "George who?" "If you want a room, there's no vacancy." "please help me." "Something terrible's happened to me." "Something's happened to everybody." "please keep me here until I get over it." "Get over what?" "I don't take in strangers." "well, I know everybody you know..." "Your brother-in-Iaw uncle billy." "You know him?" "Sure I do." "When did you see him last?" "Today." "It's a lie." "He's been in the insane asylum since he lost his business... and that's where you belong." "Strange, isn't it?" "Each man's life touches so many other lives." "When he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole." "You've got me under a spell." "I'II get out of it." "I know how, too." "I" "Martini was the Iast man I talked to." "You know where he lives?" "Sure I know--in bailey Park!" "CLARENCE:" "Are you sure this is bailey Park?" "GEORGE:" "I'm not sure of anything anymore." "This should be bailey Park... but where are the houses?" "CLARENCE:" "You weren't here to build them." "Your brother Harry bailey broke through the ice... and drowned at age 9." "That's a lie." "Harry bailey went to war." "He saved the lives of every man on that transport." "CLARENCE:" "They died." "Harry wasn't there to save them... because you weren't there to save Harry." "CLARENCE:" "You see, George?" "You really had a wonderful life." "Don't you see what a mistake it wouId be... to throw it away?" "CIarence." "Yes, George?" "Where's Mary?" "Oh, well, I can't, uh" "GEORGE:" "I don't know how you know... but tell me, where is she?" "tell me." "I'm not supposed to tell." "please, clarence, tell me!" "You won't like it." "Where is she?" "She's an old maid." "She never married." "Where is she?" "She's just about to close up the library!" "There must be some easier way to get my wings." "Mary!" "Mary!" "GEORGE:" "Mary!" "Mary!" "Mary!" "It's George." "Don't you know me?" "I don't know you!" "Let me go!" "Don't do this to me." "Where's our kids?" "I need you!" "Aah!" "help me, Mary!" "GEORGE:" "Let me go!" "MARY:" "help!" "help!" "MARY:" "Somebody stop him !" "GEORGE:" "Tom !" "Ed!" "charlie!" "That's my wife!" "Aah!" "Aah!" "GEORGE:" "Mary!" "No, you don't." "Somebody call the police." "MAN:" "Somebody hit him with a bottle." "SECOND MAN:" "Get a straitjacket." "GEORGE:" "clarence!" "[Siren]" "clarence!" "BERT:" "Oh, it's you!" "Stand back!" "[Gunshots]" "GEORGE:" "clarence!" "[Siren]" "GEORGE:" "clarence!" "clarence!" "clarence!" "help me, clarence!" "Get me back." "Get me back." "I don't care what happens to me." "Get me back to my wife and kids." "help me, clarence, please." "please." "I want to live again." "I want to live again." "I want to live again." "please, God." "Let me live again." "[Cries]" "BERT:" "Hey, George!" "George!" "BERT:" "You all right?" "What's the matter?" "GEORGE:" "Get out of here, Bert, or I'II hit you again." "BERT:" "What are you yelling for, George?" "GEORGE:" "You" "George?" "Bert, do you know me?" "BERT:" "Know you?" "You kidding?" "I've been looking all over for you." "I saw your car piled into that tree, and I thought" "Hey, your mouth's bleeding." "Sure you're all right?" "GEORGE:" "What?" "Ha ha ha!" "My mouth's bleeding, Bert!" "My mouth's bIeeding-- Zuzu's petaIs" "There they are!" "Bert!" "What do you know about that?" "Merry Christmas!" "BERT:" "well, Merry Christmas." "GEORGE:" "Mary!" "Mary!" "Yay!" "Yay!" "hello, Bedford falls!" "GEORGE:" "Merry Christmas!" "MAN AND WOMAN:" "Merry Christmas, George!" "SECOND MAN:" "Merry Christmas, George!" "GEORGE:" "Merry Christmas, movie house!" "Merry Christmas, emporium !" "Merry Christmas... you wonderful old building and Loan!" "Hey!" "Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter!" "POTTER:" "Happy new year to you...in jail." "Go on home." "They're waiting for you." "GEORGE:" "Mary!" "Mary!" "Mary!" "well, hello, Mr. Bank Examiner." "CARTER:" "Mr. bailey, there's a deficit." "I know. $8,000." "I've got a paper here..." "GEORGE:" "I'II bet it's a warrant for my arrest." "It's wonderful!" "I'm going to jail!" "Reporters?" "Where's Mary?" "Mary!" "Look at this wonderful old drafty house." "Mary!" "Mary!" "Mary." "Have you seen my wife?" "CHILDREN:" "Merry Christmas, Daddy." "GEORGE:" "Kids!" "Pete!" "Uh-oh." "Kids!" "Janie!" "Janie!" "Tommy!" "Let me look at you." "Oh, I couId eat you up." "Where's your mother?" "PETE:" "She went looking for you." "ZUZU:" "Daddy!" "GEORGE:" "Zuzu, my little gingersnap, how are you?" "ZUZU:" "Fine!" "Not a smitch of temperature." "GEORGE:" "Not a smitch of temperature." "HaIIeIujah!" "MARY:" "hello." "George!" "Mary!" "Mary!" "MARY:" "George, darling, where have you" "Oh, George, George, George." "GEORGE:" "Let me touch you." "Are you real?" "MARY:" "George, George." "GEORGE:" "You have no idea what's happened to me." "MARY:" "You've no idea what happened" "Come on, George." "Come on downstairs." "Quick, they're on their way." "Come on." "Come on in here now." "Stand right over here by the tree." "Right there, and don't move." "Don't move." "I hear them coming now." "It's a miracle." "It's a miracle." "ZUZU:" "What's happening?" "PETE:" "Who's going to come, Daddy?" "MARY:" "Come in, uncle billy." "Everybody in here." "BILLY:" "George." "Here's everything right here." "Isn't it wonderful?" "Mary told some people you were in trouble." "They scattered all over town collecting money." "Didn't ask any questions." "You never saw anything like it" "KEAN:" "Another run on the bank?" "MAN:" "Here you are, George." "Merry Christmas." "ERNIE:" "Don't crowd." "Don't push." "The line forms on the right." "More coming, George." "Merry Christmas, and God bless you." "WOMAN:" "Merry Christmas." "ERNIE:" "Mr. Martini!" "MARTINI:" "Merry Christmas." "ERNIE:" "Martini!" "Step right up there." "MARTINI:" "I busted the jukebox, too." "[Laughter]" "ERNIE:" "Oh, Mr. Gower!" "GOWER:" "I made the rounds on my charge accounts." "VIOLET:" "I'm not going to go, George." "I changed my mind." "ERNIE:" "Oh, Annie!" "ANNIE:" "I been saving this money for a divorce... if ever I get a husband." "[Laughter]" "MR. WELCH:" "Here you are, George." "I got the faculty up." "Here's something to play with." "MAN:" "I have a home because of you." "ERNIE:" "Just a minute." "Just a minute." "Quiet, everybody." "Now get this--it's from London." "'´Mr. Gower cabIed you need cash." "Stop." "'´My office instructed to advance you... '´up to $25,000." "Stop." "'´Hee-haw and Merry Christmas." "Sam Wainwright.'´" "[Crowd cheers]" "MARY:" "Mr. Martini, how about some wine?" "[Piano plays]" "Hark!" "The herald angels sing..." "glory to the newborn king." "Peace on earth and mercy mild..." "God and sinners reconciled." "joyful, all ye nations, rise." "Join the triumph of the skies." "With angelic host proclaim..." "Christ is born in bethlehem." "ERNIE:" "Harry bailey!" "HARRY:" "George, you old son of a gun." "GEORGE:" "Harry!" "Harry!" "BERT:" "I drove as quick as I couId." "The fool flew here in a blizzard." "MA:" "Your banquet in New York?" "HARRY:" "I Ieft when I got Mary's telegram." "Good idea, Ernie." "A toast!" "To my brother George-- the richest man in town." "[Crowd cheers]" "should auld acquaintance be forgot..." "And never brought to mind." "should auld acquaintance..." "Be forgot..." "And days of auld lang syne." "MARY:" "What's that?" "GEORGE:" "That's a Christmas present... from a very dear friend of mine." "[bell rings]" "ZUZU:" "Look, Daddy!" "Teacher says every time a bell rings... an angel gets his wings." "GEORGE:" "That's right." "That's right." "Atta boy, clarence." "AuId lang syne." "For auld lang syne, my dear..." "For auld lang syne..." "We'II drink a cup of kindness yet..." "For auld lang syne." "We'II drink a cup of kindness yet..." "For auld lang syne." "[Ringing]"