Frank Capra was one of the great directors of the 1930s, winning three Academy Awards and being nominated for two more films during that decade. I think during the Depression Capra's films which gave pictures of the basic good of humanity were a tonic even more at the time then they are today.

When America came back from World War II, the tenor of Capra's films no longer fit the time and unlike so many of the other great pre-war directors (John Ford and William Wyler are the best example) his movies never had the same appeal.

It's a Wonderful Life was a box office disappointment when it came out, perhaps because it's such a truly dark film for much of the middle section. And Capra's career sputtered out, with him only making three films the rest of his life, the last in 1961.

But It's A Wonderful Life is an instution at Christmas in a way because it's so depressing. We may not all be in as dark a place as George is during the film but we all have them to some degree. But we need to be reminded of the joys in life and the happiness in brings and the way our lives touch others.

Capra was once asked late in his life if the world still needs his kind of movies. His answer was simple: "Well, if it doesn't we might as well give up." I think we need the kind of movies of a Capra more then ever these days and wish we had someone with that kind of optimism and clarity that he provided in this film and all his others. Anyone think of director or writer who does? I'd really like to know so I had see their films and watch them. I think we all do.