George Bailey (It's a Wonderful Life) top ten movie dads. George Bailey (It's a Wonderful Life) George Bailey is a fictional character and the protagonist in Frank Capra's 1946 film "It's a Wonderful Life". The character is a building and loan banker who sacrifices his dreams in order to help his community, to the point where he feels life has passed him by. Eventually, due to a cruel business rival's manipulations, Bailey falls into despair so deep that he contemplates suicide, until his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody, gives him a valuable perspective on the worth of his life. The character was listed ninth on the American
It's a Wonderful Life Life" premiered at the Globe Theatre in New York on December 20, 1946, to mixed reviews. While Capra thought the contemporary critical reviews were either universally negative, or at best dismissive, "Time" said, ""It's a Wonderful Life" is a pretty wonderful movie. It has only one formidable rival (Goldwyn's "The Best Years of Our Lives") as Hollywood's best picture of the year. Director Capra's inventiveness, humor, and affection for human beings keep it glowing with life and excitement." Bosley Crowther, writing for "The New York Times", complimented some of the actors, including Stewart and Reed, but concluded that "the weakness