No Christmas story starts out as a classic. And the road to classic status is often a long one filled with unexpected turns. It’s a Wonderful Life wasn’t a big success when it debuted in 1947. It wasn’t until a quirk of American copyright law gave it a second life on television in the 1970s that it earned its place as a cornerstone of Christmas cinema.
There are several variations and remakes of the movie. But my favorite isn’t a movie at all. It’s a made-for-radio version with much of the original cast. Take a listen and let me know what you think!
Links
Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas, by Alonso Duralde
Music
- “Bipolar Christmas” — pftq, via SoundCloud
- “Wonder Cycle” — Chris Zabriskie, via Free Music Archive
- “Continue Life” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
- “Luminous Rain” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
- “Wish Background” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
- “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist