WTF is this version of “It’s a Wonderful Life”?

The 1946 Frank Capra film It’s a wonderful life is certainly one of the best holiday movies ever made. It’s also fair one of the best films ever made, period. Much of this is due to the third act, when the main character, George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart), sees what life would have been like if he had never been born. This makes him realize how beautiful and special his life was, leading to the heartwarming final scene of appreciation and adoration of a city.

But what It’s a wonderful life be without this scene? What if George Bailey couldn’t see what his life would be like without his birth? These are literally questions no one ever asked because it’s like saying: “What Alone at home without the traps? That’s a bit of the problem. And yet, there is a version that removes this crucial scene, and we still can’t believe it.

Last year I sat and watched It’s a wonderful life on Prime Video and realized there were multiple versions. There is the original black and white version, which is clearly the only one everyone should watch. There is then also a colorized version (sacrilegious but understandable) as well as an “abbreviated” version. When I saw the latter, it filled me with curiosity. It’s a wonderful lifeIt’s perfect. What exactly would you like to abbreviate? I was even more curious when I saw that the version was 12 minutes shorter than the original. How to cut 12 minutes of this film?

The unfathomable answer is that it completely removes the best and most crucial scene from the film. George’s guardian angel, Clarence, arrives, jumps into the river and George saves him. Everything plays out exactly like the original film, except after George asks Clarence how he’s going to help him, the film abruptly cuts to George shouting, “Mary!” back in the present, filled with joy at being back in reality. He doesn’t see Pottersville or meet any of his friends or anything. It’s just gone. The ending then proceeds normally. The editing makes no sense and completely ruins the film.

When I first saw this, I posted about it on social media, and it went a little viral. In the comments that followed, a few people provided what I consider to be the best and most logical explanation. Apparently it’s a legal thing. The big scene in the alternate universe of Pottersville is based on a short story called “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern. This story has a different copyright than It’s a wonderful life as a whole, which fell into the public domain in 1975. This version therefore exists in the form of a royalty-free version that anyone can use or access without worry. Not that you want to.

Fortunately, there are plenty of warnings to steer you away from this version. It’s very clearly marked as “abridged” in its title, and there’s a card at the beginning saying it’s shorter and the ending has been changed. But regardless, the fact that it exists and is so easily accessible seems oddly bad. Like something old Potter would have done, trying to rob us of the joy of the Baileys.

The original black and white version of It’s a wonderful life is on Prime at this link. You can search for others if you wish.

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