Jimmy Stewart stars as George Bailey, a small-town man with grand ambitions who, through a series of tough but correct decisions in life, finds himself head of his deceased father’s small building and loan, which is barely keeping itself in business. When his uncle misplaces an $8,000 deposit, putting him on the brink of ruin, George tearfully asks God for help in a riveting, poignant scene that ranks as one of the most moving in cinematic history. When George is at the point of attempting suicide, God answers his prayer in the form of the angel Clarence (Henry Travers), who hasn’t earned his wings yet. When George tells Clarence the world would have been better off if he had never been born, God grants George the gift of seeing what his hometown of Bedford Falls would be like if he had never existed. Through viewing this alternate reality, George learns how valuable his life has been to himself and others, that no man is a failure who has friends, and begs God for the chance to live again and to see his family and friends, careless of what further hardships await him. Jimmy Stewart earned the third of his five Best Oscar nominations for his role as the harried, frustrated man who cannot help but do the right thing. Donna Reed is absolutely charming as George’s wise and faithful wife, Mary. It’s A Wonderful Life also earned Oscar nominations for Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Director (Frank Capra), and Best Picture.