1946
George Bailey repeatedly sacrifices his dreams of world travel to help his community, battling the greedy Henry F. Potter while running his family's Building and Loan. On Christmas Eve, a financial crisis orchestrated by Potter leads George to contemplate suicide, believing he is worth more dead than alive. An angel named Clarence shows George an alternate reality where his absence has made Bedford Falls a bleak place, revealing the profound positive impact he has had on countless lives. George returns to his own reality, where his community rallies to save him from ruin, and he learns that no man is a failure who has friends.
Save the Cat beat sheet
George Bailey’s journey from small-town dreamer to despondent everyman follows the classic Save the Cat arc, complete with a clear catalyst, midpoint temptation, and dark night of the soul.
Open full beat sheetGeorge Bailey is listed as Protagonist. A man of high ideals who sacrifices his personal dreams for the good of his community. In the parsed data, George Bailey is connected to 65 scenes, 261 dialogue lines, 267 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.
65 scenes / 261 dialogue linesUncle Billy is listed as George's Uncle. George's absent-minded but good-humored uncle. In the parsed data, Uncle Billy is connected to 24 scenes, 11 dialogue lines, 12 text mentions, first appearing around scene 16.
24 scenes / 11 dialogue linesMary Hatch is listed as George's Wife. George's childhood sweetheart and eventual wife. In the parsed data, Mary Hatch is connected to 22 scenes, 76 dialogue lines, 77 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.
22 scenes / 76 dialogue linesClarence Odbody is listed as Guardian Angel. An angel seeking to earn his wings by helping George Bailey. In the parsed data, Clarence Odbody is connected to 15 scenes, 52 dialogue lines, 53 text mentions, first appearing around scene 55.
15 scenes / 52 dialogue linesErnie is listed as Taxi Driver. A local taxi driver and friend of George. In the parsed data, Ernie is connected to 14 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 3 text mentions, first appearing around scene 61.
14 scenes / 1 dialogue linesHenry F. Potter is listed as Antagonist. The richest and meanest man in Bedford Falls. In the parsed data, Henry F. Potter is connected to 13 scenes, 18 dialogue lines, 18 text mentions, first appearing around scene 35.
13 scenes / 18 dialogue linesBert is listed as Police Officer. A local police officer and friend of George. In the parsed data, Bert is connected to 11 scenes, 9 dialogue lines, 14 text mentions, first appearing around scene 58.
11 scenes / 9 dialogue linesViolet Bick is listed as Local Resident. A flirtatious woman who grew up with George. In the parsed data, Violet Bick is connected to 9 scenes, 10 dialogue lines, 12 text mentions, first appearing around scene 23.
9 scenes / 10 dialogue linesHarry Bailey is listed as George's Brother. George's younger brother, a war hero. In the parsed data, Harry Bailey is connected to 8 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 16.
8 scenes / 1 dialogue linesMr. Gower is listed as Druggist. The local druggist who employs George. In the parsed data, Mr. Gower is connected to 6 scenes, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 4.
6 scenes / 0 dialogue linesSam Wainwright is listed as George's Friend. A successful businessman and friend of George. In the parsed data, Sam Wainwright is connected to 5 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 4 text mentions, first appearing around scene 34.
5 scenes / 1 dialogue linesJoseph is listed as Angel. A senior angel in Heaven. In the parsed data, Joseph is connected to 5 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 1.
5 scenes / 1 dialogue linesFranklin is listed as Angel. A senior angel in Heaven. In the parsed data, Franklin is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 1.
2 scenes / 0 dialogue linesZuzu Bailey is listed as George's Daughter. George's youngest daughter. In the parsed data, Zuzu Bailey is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 48.
2 scenes / 0 dialogue linesHeavenly beings discuss George Bailey's crisis and decide to send Clarence to help him.
Clarence Odbody, Joseph, FranklinGeorge saves his brother Harry from drowning in the frozen river.
George Bailey, Harry Bailey, Joseph, Clarence OdbodyGeorge and his friends see Mr. Potter in his carriage.
George Bailey, Henry F. Potter, Joseph, Clarence OdbodyGeorge works at the drugstore and discovers Mr. Gower is drunk and has made a dangerous mistake with medicine.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Mr. Gower, Violet BickGeorge visits his father and defends him against Mr. Potter.
George Bailey, Henry F. Potter, Uncle BillyGower beats George, but George convinces him of the mistake, leading to a reconciliation.
George Bailey, Mr. Gower, Mary HatchGeorge, now a young man, shops for luggage for his future travels.
George Bailey, Joseph, Clarence OdbodyGeorge visits Gower's Drugstore, receives a suitcase as a gift from Mr. Gower, and makes a wish with a cigar lighter.
George Bailey, Mr. Gower, ErnieGeorge walks through town, interacts with his family and friends, and encounters Violet Bick.
George Bailey, Uncle Billy, Violet Bick, Bert, ErnieGeorge has dinner with his family and discusses his future plans with his father.
George Bailey, Harry BaileyGeorge attends a graduation party, dances with Mary Hatch, and falls into a swimming pool when the floor opens.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Harry Bailey, Violet Bick, Sam WainwrightGeorge and Mary walk home together after the party, singing and talking.
George Bailey, Mary HatchGeorge and Mary flirt while walking; George throws a rock at the old Granville house.
George Bailey, Mary HatchA grumpy man on a porch reacts to the broken window.
George talks about his dreams; Mary throws a rock; they discuss the moon.
George Bailey, Mary HatchThe man on the porch yells at George and Mary to kiss.
George Bailey, Mary HatchA board meeting where Potter tries to dissolve the Building and Loan.
George Bailey, Henry F. Potter, Uncle BillyThe board votes to keep the Building and Loan open, appointing George.
George Bailey, Uncle Billy, ErnieHarry returns from college with his new wife, Ruth.
George Bailey, Uncle Billy, Harry BaileyA family party; George helps a tipsy Uncle Billy home.
George Bailey, Uncle BillyGeorge helps a drunken Uncle Billy find his way home.
George Bailey, Uncle BillyGeorge talks to his mother about his future and Mary Hatch.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Harry Bailey, Sam WainwrightGeorge wanders the street and encounters Violet Bick.
George Bailey, Violet BickGeorge walks past the Hatch home and is spotted by Mary.
George Bailey, Mary HatchGeorge visits Mary; they share a tense conversation and a phone call with Sam Wainwright.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Sam WainwrightGeorge and Mary get married and leave for their honeymoon.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Uncle Billy, Violet Bick, Bert, ErnieGeorge arrives at the Building and Loan to find a crowd panicking.
George Bailey, Uncle BillyGeorge and Uncle Billy discuss the bank run and Potter's hostile takeover attempt.
George Bailey, Uncle Billy, Henry F. PotterGeorge addresses the panicked crowd and uses his own money to keep the business afloat.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Uncle Billy, ErnieThe staff celebrates surviving the bank run with two dollars left.
George Bailey, Uncle BillyGeorge arrives at the run-down house to find Mary has prepared a romantic surprise.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Bert, ErnieGeorge and Mary help the Martini family move into their new home in Bailey Park.
George Bailey, Mary HatchPotter expresses his frustration with the success of Bailey Park.
Henry F. PotterGeorge and Mary say goodbye to Sam and Jane Wainwright as they leave for Florida.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Sam WainwrightPotter attempts to hire George, but George rejects the offer after a moment of revulsion.
George Bailey, Henry F. PotterGeorge returns home to Mary, who reveals she is pregnant.
George Bailey, Mary HatchA montage showing George's life in Bedford Falls during the war years.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Henry F. Potter, Uncle Billy, Harry Bailey, Mr. GowerGeorge learns of his brother Harry's Congressional Medal of Honor.
George Bailey, Mr. Gower, ErnieGeorge prepares for a bank audit while receiving news about Harry.
George Bailey, Uncle BillyUncle Billy taunts Potter and prepares to make a deposit.
Henry F. Potter, Uncle BillyUncle Billy struggles to make a deposit, realizing he has lost the money.
Uncle BillyPotter discovers the money Uncle Billy lost and watches him through the door.
Henry F. PotterUncle Billy realizes the money is missing and panics.
Uncle BillyGeorge interacts with Violet and Uncle Billy while the bank examiner waits.
George Bailey, Violet Bick, Uncle BillyGeorge discovers Uncle Billy has lost the money.
George Bailey, Uncle BillyGeorge and Uncle Billy search for the money.
George Bailey, Uncle BillyGeorge berates Uncle Billy for losing the money.
George Bailey, Uncle BillyGeorge returns home and has a breakdown in front of his family.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Zuzu BaileyGeorge goes to Potter to ask for help.
George Bailey, Henry F. PotterGeorge begs Potter for a loan to cover a missing eight thousand dollars, but Potter refuses and threatens to have him arrested.
George Bailey, Henry F. PotterGeorge leaves the bank and drives away in his car.
George BaileyGeorge drinks heavily and prays for help, but is punched by a man named Welch.
George Bailey, Uncle Billy, Violet Bick, Bert, ErnieGeorge crashes his car into a tree and ignores the angry homeowner.
George BaileyGeorge contemplates suicide on a bridge, but jumps in to save Clarence.
George Bailey, Clarence OdbodyGeorge meets Clarence, who reveals he is his guardian angel and that George has never been born.
George Bailey, Clarence OdbodyGeorge and Clarence walk through town, discovering that Bedford Falls is now Pottersville.
George Bailey, Clarence OdbodyGeorge enters the bar, which is now a rough honky-tonk, and finds Nick does not recognize him.
George Bailey, Clarence OdbodyGeorge and Clarence are at Nick's bar, where Nick acts hostile and the atmosphere is strange.
George Bailey, Clarence Odbody, Bert, ErnieGeorge and Clarence are thrown into the snow outside the bar.
George Bailey, Clarence OdbodyGeorge explores the transformed town of Pottersville.
George Bailey, Clarence Odbody, Violet Bick, Bert, ErnieGeorge rides in the taxi and realizes Ernie doesn't know him.
George Bailey, ErnieGeorge arrives at his house, which is a ruin.
George Bailey, Clarence Odbody, Bert, ErnieGeorge visits his mother, who doesn't recognize him.
George Bailey, Clarence OdbodyGeorge and Clarence visit the cemetery where Harry's grave is.
George Bailey, Clarence OdbodyGeorge finds Mary, who is an old maid and doesn't know him.
George Bailey, Mary HatchGeorge chases Mary into the Blue Moon Bar, causing an uproar.
George Bailey, Mary HatchGeorge desperately searches for Clarence while Mary faints.
George Bailey, Mary HatchGeorge encounters Bert, hits him, and flees.
George Bailey, BertGeorge prays to live again and realizes he is back in his own reality.
George Bailey, BertGeorge runs through town celebrating his return to Bedford Falls.
George BaileyGeorge taunts Potter.
George Bailey, Henry F. PotterGeorge reunites with his family and the townspeople help him.
George Bailey, Mary Hatch, Uncle Billy, Harry Bailey, Mr. Gower, Violet BickLook 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 five hundred dollar equity in a life insurance policy. You're worth more dead than alive. Why don't you go to the riff-raff you love so much and ask them to let you have eight thousand dollar? You know why? Because they'd run you out of town on a rail... But I'll tell you what I'm going to do for you, George. 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...
Let's go out in the fields and take off our shoes and walk through the grass. Then we can go up to the falls. It's beautiful up there in the moonlight, and there's a green pool up there, and we can swim in it. Then we can climb Mt. Bedford, and smell the pines, and watch the sunrise against the peaks, and... we'll stay up there the whole night, and everybody'll be talking and there'll be a terrific scandal...
Mary did it, George! Mary did it! She told a few people you were in trouble and they scattered all over town collecting money. They didn't ask any questions just said: "If George is in trouble count on me." You never saw anything like it.
Hey, look mister, we serve hard drinks in here for men who want to get drunk fast. And we don't need any characters around to give the joint atmosphere. Is that clear? Or do I have to slip you my left for a convincer?
Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn't there to save them because you weren't there to save Harry. You see, George, you really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?
Now you listen to me! I don't want any plastics! I don't want any 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...
Please help me, Mr. Potter. Help me, won't you please? Can't you see what it means to my family? I'll pay you any sort of a bonus on the loan... any interest. If you still want the Building and Loan, why I...
Know you? Are you kiddin'? I've been looking all over town trying to find you. I saw your car piled into that tree down there, and I thought maybe... Hey, your mouth's bleeding; are you sure you're all right?
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