There’s a reason Frank Capra’s seasonal heart-warmer gets shown year after year. Quite simply, it’s one of the most passionately uplifting movies to come out of golden-age Hollywood. Those who still think it’s just some schmaltzy fluff for holiday TV, be forewarned: perhaps more than ever in these tough times, it’s a film which hits us with an almost primal force.

Come Christmas in Bedford Falls, James Stewart’s George Bailey is contemplating financial calamity and preparing to throw himself off a bridge. As we trace his past history, it’s utterly agonising to see his youthful decency brought low by greed and ruthlessness, yet it also feels like a sadly true reflection of the world we now live in. Stewart puts us through the wringer every step of the way, but it’s precisely because Capra knows the darkness only too well that his vision of light is so enduring. Bring your hankies – you’ll need them! 

For more festive screenings and events at the IFI in December, see Christmas at the IFI.