10 Greatest Christmas Movie Villains Ever

5. Mr Potter (It's A Wonderful Life)

Home Alone Wet Bandits
United Artists

George Bailey is basically the greatest person who ever lived. Played by ultimate everyman James Stewart, the It’s A Wonderful Life protagonist is selfless, wise, and giving - but human, too, a fully-rounded character. So it’s only fitting that he clashes with one of the cruellest characters ever featured in a Christmas movie.

Mr Potter is capitalism in the form of a wizened old man. Wheelchair bound, he is no less frightening for his immobility - he will do anything he can to further consolidate his power over Bedford Falls. The driving force of the film is George’s life of regrets, but it’s Mr Potter who leads him to the brink of suicide.

As in life, the rich, powerful man gets away with everything, with the town rallying around George so that he can pay back his debt. It would be rewarding to see the man get his comeuppance, but then you could hardly end the film with George rolling his wheelchair off the Bedford Falls bridge.

It’s A Wonderful Life is best remembered for the magical elements and the astonishingly stirring ending, but Mr Potter’s reign of terror makes George all the more heroic. You know you’ve made a good villain when you’re rooting for the death of an old disabled man.

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Yorkshire-based writer of screenplays, essays, and fiction. Big fan of having a laugh. Read more of my stuff @ www.twotownsover.com (if you want!)