Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey is one of the best performances in cinema history. Frank Capras 1946 film Its A Wonderful Life is a Christmas Carol type narrative, where a guardian angel shows suicidal businessman George all the lives he has touched and encourages him to keep living one fateful Christmas Eve. Ultimately, Georges family and friends band around him to bring him back from the brink. Its a classic. Its a must-watch every Christmas. Its un-remake-able. The reasons are the same as they often are the original film is perfect. How could anyone do it better? Sure, it could add colour, but that would hardly make up for the fact that someone else would have to play George Bailey (and they already did that to the original version and it didn't work). There are plenty of talented actors about, but no one could top that performance. Not even Chris Pratt. Its best left alone, then. Even the idea of a belated sequel, which did the rounds a few years ago, seems fated to fail in matching up to the original. Theres already been one remake 1977 TV version, It Happened One Christmas lets hope theres never another.
