Breaking & Entering: Why is it A Wonderful Life?

When teaching the Big Ideas Weekend Screenwriting Intensive in cities around the country, my goal was to help up-and-coming writers make the single most important decision of their careers: “What to write next?” Through advance assignments, industry insights, and interactive exercises, I guided them to discover the intersection of compelling, pitchable concepts, their Screenwriting Strengths, and the themes that speak to them.

The industry is concept-driven; your idea helps get you through the door. Identifying your strengths enables you to choose genres that rely on those skills to succeed, elevating your writing. But most powerful is grasping your Personal Thematic. Even on a subconscious level, this theme resonates with you. Theme can propel your writing process, help your script connect with people in the industry, and ensure your story finds an audience.

I ask students to list their three “Forever Films,” favorites that they could (and do) watch time and again. While answers vary widely, even in one person’s choices, It’s a Wonderful Life made the list – sometimes for more than one person in these small, intimate groups.

Directed and produced by the legendary Frank Capra, how did this movie – considered a box office failure when it was released in 1946 despite the star power of Jimmy Stewart – come to be regarded as one of the greatest and most inspirational films of all time?

It began as a short story entitled "The Greatest Gift". Rejected by publishers, its author, Philip Van Doren Stern, sent copies to 200 family members and friends for Christmas. Eventually, it came to the attention of RKO, and Capra was determined to get it made. Premiering in December 1946, the reviews were mixed, many dismissing it for its sentimentality, and it lost money at the box office.

Nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor, it lost out at the Academy Awards^© to The Best Years of Our Lives, a moving drama tapped into the national zeitgeist of the challenges faced by soldiers returning from WWII. The films topped the box office and swept the awards – though many of today’s audiences may never have watched this classic.

It took three decades for It’s a Wonderful Life to become a beloved classic and perennial Christmas favorite, along with a lapsed copyright, allowing it to be broadcast for free beginning in the 1970s. Years of annual television airings are the reason we know the story today. But why do we love it so?

With so many students including this film on their lists – an old black and white movie with an unconventional storyline featuring a suicidal protagonist and a would-be guardian angel – I had to ask why is this film relatable, even with audiences who are unfamiliar with most films made before they were born?

Why is It’s a Wonderful Life such a popular choice?

The powerful draw of the movie is in its message. 

The plot centers on George Bailey, who dreams of escaping his small town of Bedford Falls for big adventures and significant accomplishments, but stays out of obligation to family, friends and community. Suddenly, through no fault of his own, his business is doomed to fail. Despondent, he plans to commit suicide, when Clarence, an angel who has yet to earn his wings, arrives. When George says, “I wish I’d never been born,” the angel grants his wish. George witnesses the dark alternate reality that would have existed without him. He realizes that what he believed was an insignificant life played an essential role in the lives of others and for the entire town. He was not there to save his brother’s life as a child, so his brother never become a war hero who saved the lives of hundreds of men. George begs the angel to let him live again and his world is restored. In the end, family and friends rally to save his business and George recognizes the true richness and success of his life. 

The theme that resonates is simple yet profound: You are important. You are special. You matter. Even if your life hasn’t gone as planned – if you have not acquired great wealth, power, or status, traveled far and wide, or achieved your goals and dreams –  you are a success in ways you may not even realize. Without you, the world would not be the same.

Who wouldn’t want to hear this message? Who can’t relate to the feeling that life hasn’t gone just as we imagined? If feels good to be reminded that, regardless of external measures of success, you are important, you are special, you matter.

This uplifting and relatable message reaches a universal audience. It reassures us that other people feel that way too – that it’s OK to have these feelings, that things might not be as bleak as they seem, and that they can get better.

Theme propelled It’s a Wonderful Life to become iconic.

Both Capra and Stewart declared it their favorite film of their prolific, distinguished careers. Capra described it theme as "the individual's belief in himself." Self-belief can enable us to endure the most trying times and surmount great obstacles.

It’s a Wonderful Life may have begun as a short story that couldn’t find a publisher, but it became more than a favorite Christmas movie. It’s theme uplifts anyone who has ever struggled and doubted themselves – a deeply satisfying message.

“No man is a failure who has friends,” the inscription in the book Clarence gives George, underscoring that the people who love us are more important than accomplishments.

George’s war hero brother, Harry toasts him as "the richest man in town".

Numerous notable filmmakers list the film among their favorites. Writer-producer-directors Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz named their production company Bedford Falls. Steven Spielberg once said of the film: "It's a Wonderful Life shows that every human being on this Earth matters – and that's a very powerful message.”

Theme creates stories that have a lasting impact on audiences. 

You’ve probably never consciously thought about the theme of It’s a Wonderful Life, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t move you.

By definition, theme is “An idea that recurs in or pervades a work of art or literature.”

When writers are asked what their story is about, they often describe plot – what happens. But what your story is about at its heart – what it says – that’s theme.

Many aspiring writers struggle to articulate theme – an abstract concept that I’ve compared in past columns to the peanut butter inside a Reese’s and the slow-simmered sauce beneath the toppings of a great pizza. Yet we instinctively understand it.

Remember Aesop’s Fables?

Aesop lived in Greece during the 5^th Century BCE. Despite being a slave, he created more than 600 fables, each had a “moral” – the lesson conveyed through the story. It is believed he earned his freedom through storytelling and went on to become an advisor to a king. A dramatic testament to about the power of storytelling!

Fables have endured for 2500 years because their morals provide useful and universal life lessons. Even if you think you don’t understand theme, you likely recognize these fables and their messages:

The Tortoise and the Hare…                                              

Slow and steady wins the race. Never give up.

The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing…

Appearances can be deceiving. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

The Fox and The Grapes…

It is easy to disparage what you cannot obtain – the origin of “sour grapes.”

The Lion and the Mouse…

No act of kindness, however small, is wasted.

Many of these ancient fables sparked familiar idioms, such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf. We all understand what it means to “cry wolf.”

Ah-ha – you do understand theme!

Themes are adages – universal truths rarely debated. “Yes, money can buy happiness,” argued no one ever.

Each story has one predominate theme: the single, most important idea it strives to convey.

Themes are messages about life and how it should be lived:

“Love is more important than money.”

“Just be yourself.”

“There’s no place like home.”

Theme is what an artist communicates to an audience: This is what I believe matters in life.” It reflects your experience of the human condition – even if your characters aren’t human. (See Aesop!) Theme is what the hero learns along their journey.

Theme is not plot; it is meaning. It is what you, the writer, believe your audience needs to hear.

You can’t create stories that move audiences until you explore what moves you.

When you identify the strong central ideas that inform you as an individual – shaping your artistic vision – you can choose stories that explore them. You’ll be writing something uniquely yours that can also resonates with an audience. 

This awareness transforms your writing process. The work feels meaningful. Writing becomes fulfilling. You’re less likely to experience writer’s block. Sitting down to write is easier. You’re driven to finish. Your passion shines through on the page.

This self-knowledge is a crucial step in moving from writing what you think will sell, or imitating writers you admire, to developing your own unique voice. That is what agents, managers, and executives are searching for – a writer with a voice.

The A-List writers who do Q&A sessions for my online seminar, Screenwriting Elevated, never hesitate when I ask about the themes that drive their work. You can read their answers here and judge for yourself based on their careers. 

Understanding your story’s message is invaluable at every stage – from conceiving and shaping the idea, through writing and rewriting, to marketing it with loglines, querying, and pitching.

Being able to articulate your theme significantly boosts attention for your scripts. 

I’ve found that clearly and succinctly expressing theme – whether in a studio pitch meeting or when attracting talent, is an especially powerful tool.

I once emailed an A-List director about a spec I was preparing to take out as a producer. It was late on a Friday afternoon – bad timing – but I received a positive response within an hour. Beyond his unfailingly politeness and our longstanding relationship, I believe it was because my query explained why the script might interest him.

I included genre and tone, a logline that conveyed the concept and hook, and added one more paragraph that began, “At its heart, this is a story about…”

By articulating the theme, I told him why the script was worth his time.

Take a moment – but not longer – to list your three “Forever Films” – the stories you return to again and again. They’re your comfort food. Consider their themes. Chances are, when you identify them, you’ll find they resonate deeply with. These are messages you believe in, that you need and want to hear which is why you’re eager to experience them repeatedly. I love stories that are about great change is possible, thus my list might include Groundhog Day, Jerry Maguire, or The Shawshank Redemption.

What always surprises my students is that no matter how different their Forever Films appear – in genre, era, or style – they often explore strikingly similar themes. Try the Personal Thematic Exercise on your own or with your writers’ group. You can download it here.

Still struggling to find your theme? Here are my top three helpful hints to gaining this essential insight, elevating your writing, and boosting your career.

Share in the comments – I’d love to heat your Forever Films and the theme that speaks to you most deeply.