America’s Favorite Holiday Movie: A Look Inside It’s a Wonderful Life (Zoom Event)

Lisa Ryan Adults

Date:
Monday, 12/15/2025
Time: 7:00 pm

Category:


Voted the most inspirational movie ever made by the American Film Institute, Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life has been a beloved Christmas classic for many generations. The snowbound streets of Bedford Falls, the desperate travails of George Bailey, and the discovery of Zuzu’s petals have become traditional signatures of the holiday season. Yet when the film was released in 1946, it was a box-office flop, won no Academy Awards, and was largely forgotten—until it was rediscovered through endless airings on local TV stations beginning in the 1970s and on annual Christmas eve broadcasts on NBC starting in1992. This talk will examine the fascinating story of It’s a Wonderful Life, looking at the challenges of how it was made, its surprisingly dark portrait of small-town life, and how it became the ultimate portrayal of holiday goodwill and cheer

About the presenter:

Brian Rose is a professor emeritus at Fordham University, where he taught for 38 years in the Department of Communication and Media Studies. He’s written several books on television history and cultural programming, and conducted more than a hundred Q&A’s with leading directors, actors, and writers for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Screen Actors Guild, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and the Directors Guild of America.

This is a Virtual (Zoom) Event. Scroll down to register  or call 734-426-4477 (ext 120). A Zoom link will be emailed the day before the event. (Note: if you do not get the zoom link message, check your spam folder)

 

 

 

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12/15/2025 7:00 PM 12/15/2025 7:00 PM America/Detroit America’s Favorite Holiday Movie: A Look Inside It’s a Wonderful Life (Zoom Event)

Voted the most inspirational movie ever made by the American Film Institute, Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life has been a beloved Christmas classic for many generations. The snowbound streets of Bedford Falls, the desperate travails of George Bailey, and the discovery of Zuzu’s petals have become traditional signatures of the holiday season. Yet when […]

 Dexter District Library lryan lryan@dexter.lib.mi.us