looks like we'll have to send someone down – a lot of people are asking for help for a man named george bailey.
that's why i came to see you, sir. it's that clock-maker's turn again.
because, you know, sir, he's got the i.q. of a rabbit.
poor george.  sit down.
if you're going to help a man, you want to know something about him, don't you?
well, keep your eyes open. see the town?
oh, i forgot. you haven't got your wings yet. now look, i'll help you out. concentrate. begin to see something?
if you ever get your wings, you'll see all by yourself.
that's your problem, george bailey.
that's him when he was twelve, back in 1919. something happens here you'll have to remember later on.
george saved his brother's life that day. but he caught a bad cold which infected his left ear. cost him his hearing in that ear. it was weeks before he could return to his after- school job at old man gower's drugstore.
that's henry f. potter, the richest and meanest man in the county.
i want you to take a good look at that face.
george bailey.
that's the kid.
not a soul.
well, wait and see.
that's right. not only that, but he gave his school money to his brother harry, and sent him to college. harry became a football star – made second team all american.
george got four years older, waiting for harry to come back and take over the building and loan.
now, you've probably already guessed that george never leaves bedford falls.
mary had her baby, a boy.
then she had another one – a girl.
day after day she worked away remaking the old granville house into a home.
night after night george came back late from the office. potter was bearing down hard.
then came a war.
ma bailey and mrs. hatch joined the red cross and sewed.
mary had two more babies, but still found time to run the u.s.o.
sam wainwright made a fortune in plastic hoods for planes.
potter became head of the draft board.
gower and uncle billy sold war bonds.
bert the cop was wounded in north africa. got the silver star.
ernie, the taxi driver, parachuted into france.
marty helped capture the remagen bridge.
harry.  harry bailey topped them all. a navy flier, he shot down fifteen planes.
two of them as they were about to crash into a transport full of soldiers.
george? four-f on account of his ear, george fought the battle of bedford falls.
air raid warden.
paper drives.
scrap drives.
rubber drives.
like everybody else, on v-e day he wept and prayed.
on v-j day he wept and prayed again.
yes, sir.
this morning, day before christmas, about ten a.m. bedford falls time.