11 Distressed Movie Characters Who Couldn't Kill Themselves To End Their Pain

3. George Bailey - It's A Wonderful Life

The most famous tragic hero in all of cinema was not only deprived of the release that his intended suicide would have given him, but he was also effectively convinced to go on living the same life that had lead him to feel suicidal in the first place. Bailey has every right to feel like his life isn't worth living, he is a selfless man trapped in a universe that never really rewards him for his good deeds, apart from to send an angel to stop him killing himself right at the last minute, and at the behest of everyone else in his life. George asks for help himself, but his reward is a crash into a tree, which seals his suicidal decision, and then as he embraces that grim decision he is basically guilt tripped into turning his back on his decision. The moral of the story is not how great George Bailey's life is, but rather how awful he would make everyone else's should he not exist. By the end of the film George Bailey's life hasn't changed: yes he has been saved from jail and financial ruin, but the villain of the piece gets off scott free and George has to go back to the life that he always felt was a betrayal of his hopes and dreams. He isn't happy, aside from his euphoric prance through the streets of his hometown, he is merely given a sugary injection and told to get on with it, without any more naughty thoughts about suicide. And to top it all off, he owes his friend $25,000.