It's a Wonderful Life

CLOSE SHOT

Janie (aged eight) is seated at the piano playing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," which she practices during the remainder of this scene. There is a Christmas tree all decorated near the fireplace. At a large table Mary is busy putting cellophane bows and decorations on gift packages. At a small table Pete (aged nine) is seated with pad and pencil in the throes of composition. On the floor Tommy (aged three) is playing with a toy vacuum cleaner. We hear the SOUND of a door open and close. Mary turns and sees George enter the hall, a slight powdering of snow on his head and shoulders.

INT. HALL – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

As George comes into the house.

MARY

Hello darling.

CHILDREN

Hello Daddy, hello daddy.

MARY

(indicating tree)

How do you like it?

George sneezes violently.

MARY AND CHILDREN

Bless you!

MARY

Did you bring the wreath?

PETE

Did you bring the Christmas wreath?

GEORGE

What? What wreath?

MARY

The Merry Christmas wreath for the window.

GEORGE

(gruffly)

No. I left it at the office.

MARY

Is it snowing?

GEORGE

Yeah, just started.

MARY

Where's your coat and hat?

GEORGE

Left them at the office.

Mary stares at him, aware that something unusual has happened.

MARY

What's the matter?

GEORGE

(bitterly)

Nothing's the matter. Everything's all right.

INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

George slumps into an armchair and lifts Tommy onto his lap. Mary is helping Pete decorate the Christmas tree.

MARY

Go on, Pete, you're a big boy. you can put the star up. Way up at the top. That's it. Fill in that little bare spot right there. That's it.

(to George)

Isn't it wonderful about Harry? We're famous, George. I'll bet I had fifty calls today about the parade, the banquet. Your mother's so excited, she...

During this scene, George has been sitting in the chair, hugging Tommy to him, and crying quietly. Mary realizes that something is seriously wrong, and breaks off. Janie is thumping away at the piano.

GEORGE

Must she keep playing that?

JANIE

(hurt)

I have to practice for the party tonight, Daddy.

PETE

Mommy says we can stay up till midnight and sing Christmas carols.

TOMMY

Can you sing, Daddy?

MARY

(to George)

Better hurry and shave. The families will be here soon.

GEORGE

(rising from chair)

Families! I don't want the families over here!

Mary leads him out toward the kitchen.

MARY

Come on out in the kitchen with me while I finish dinner.

They exit with Tommy hanging onto George's coat-tails, and pulling at him. CAMERA PANS WITH them.

TOMMY
Excuse me... excuse me...

INT. HALL – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

As they go toward kitchen.

MARY

Have a hectic day?

GEORGE

(bitterly)

Oh, yeah, another big red letter day for the Baileys.

PETE

Daddy, the Browns next door have a new car. You should see it.

GEORGE

(turns on him)

Well, what's the matter with our car? Isn't it good enough for you?

PETE

Yes, Daddy.

TOMMY

(tugging at coat)

Excuse me, excuse me...

INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

They come through the door.

GEORGE

(annoyed)

Excuse you for what?

TOMMY

I burped!

MARY

All right, darling, you're excused. Now go upstairs and see what little Zuzu wants.

Tommy leaves, and Mary turns to the stove.

GEORGE

Zuzu! What's the matter with Zuzu?

MARY

Oh, she's got a cold. She's in bed. Caught it coming home from school. They gave her a flower for a prize and she didn't want to crush it so she didn't button up her coat.

GEORGE

What is it, a sore throat or what?

MARY

Just a cold. The doctor says it's nothing serious.

GEORGE

The doctor? Was the doctor here?

MARY

Yes, I called him right away. He says it's nothing to worry about.

GEORGE

Is she running a temperature? What is it?

MARY

Just a teensie one – ninety-nine, six. She'll be all right.

George paces about the kitchen, worried.

GEORGE

Gosh, it's this old house. I don't know why we don't all have pneumonia. This drafty old barn! Might as well be living in a refrigerator. Why did we have to live here in the first place and stay around this measly, crummy old town?

MARY

(worried)

George, what's wrong?

GEORGE

Wrong? Everything's wrong! You call this a happy family? Why did we have to have all these kids?

PETE

(coming in)

Dad, how do you spell "frankincense"?

GEORGE

(shouts)

I don't know. Ask your mother.

George goes toward doorway.

MARY

Where're you going?

GEORGE

Going up to see Zuzu.

We hear his footsteps as he leaves. Mary looks after him, puzzled and concerned, then comes over to Pete.

PETE

He told me to write a play for tonight.

MARY

F-R-A-N-K-I-N...

INT. HALL – NIGHT

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT – GEORGE STARTS UP THE STAIRS

The knob on the banister comes off in his hand, and for a moment he has an impulse to hurl it into the living room. Then, he replaces the knob, and goes on up the stairs.

INT. ZUZU'S BEDROOM – NIGHT

FULL SHOT

The SOUND of Janie at the piano can be heard, the same monotonous rhythm over and over. Zuzu (aged six) is sitting up in her bed, the lamp burning beside her. She is holding her prize flower. George tiptoes in. Then, as he sees she's awake, he comes over, sitting on the edge of her bed.

ZUZU
Hi, Daddy.

GEORGE

Well, what happened to you?

ZUZU

I won a flower.

She starts to get out of bed.

GEORGE

Wait now. Where do you think you're going?

ZUZU

Want to give my flower a drink.

GEORGE

All right, all right. Here, give Daddy the flower. I'll give it a drink.

She shakes her head and presses the flower to her. A few petals fall off. She picks them up.

ZUZU

Look, Daddy... paste it.

GEORGE

Yeah, all right. Now, I'll paste this together.

She hands him the fallen petals and the flower. He turns his back to Zuzu, pretending to be tinkering with the flower. He sticks the fallen petals in his watch pocket, rearranges the flower, and then turns back to Zuzu.

GEORGE

There it is, good as new.

ZUZU

Give the flower a drink.

George puts the flower in a glass of water on the table beside her bed.

GEORGE

Now, will you do something for me?

CLOSEUP – GEORGE AND ZUZU

They whisper.

ZUZU

What?

GEORGE

Will you try to get some sleep?

ZUZU

I'm not sleepy. I want to look at my flower.

GEORGE

I know – I know, but you just go to sleep, and then you can dream about it, and it'll be a whole garden.

ZUZU

It will?

GEORGE

Uh-huh.

She closes her eyes and relaxes on the bed. George pulls the covers over her. He bends down and his lips touch a tendril of the child's hair. Then he gets up and tiptoes out of the room.

INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

Janie is still pounding with grim determination at the piano. Pete is seated at the table writing. Tommy is playing with his toy vacuum cleaner. The telephone rings.

JANIE AND PETE

Telephone.

INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

Mary comes in and picks up the phone.

MARY

I'll get it.

(on phone)

Hello. Yes, this is Mrs. Bailey.

George enters shot, and stands listening to her.

MARY (CONT'D)

Oh, thank you, Mrs. Welch. I'm sure she'll be all right. The doctor says that she ought to be out of bed in time to have her Christmas dinner.

GEORGE

Is that Zuzu's teacher?

MARY

(hand over receiver)

Yes.

GEORGE

Let me speak to her.

He snatches the phone from Mary.

GEORGE (CONT'D)

(on phone)

Hello. Hello, Mrs. Welch? This is George Bailey. I'm Zuzu's father. Say, what kind of a teacher are you anyway? What do you mean sending her home like that, half-naked? Do you realize she'll probably end up with pneumonia on account of you?

MARY

(shocked)

George!

She puts a restraining hand on his arm. He shakes it off. She cannot know that George's tirade against Mrs. Welch is really a tirade against the world, against life itself, against God. Over the phone we hear Mrs. Welch's voice sputtering with protest.

GEORGE

Is this the sort of thing we pay taxes for – to have teachers like you? Silly, stupid, careless people who send our kids home without any clothes on? You know, maybe my kids aren't the best-dressed kids; maybe they don't have any decent clothes...

Mary succeeds in wresting the phone from George's hand.

GEORGE (CONT'D)

Aw, that stupid...

Mary speaks quickly in to the phone.

MARY

Hello, Mrs. Welch. I want to apologize... hello... hello...

(to George)

She's hung up.

GEORGE

(savagely)

I'll hang her up!

But the telephone is suddenly alive with a powerful male voice calling:

MR. WELCH'S VOICE

Now, who do you think you are?

George hears this and grabs the receiver from Mary.

GEORGE

(to Mary)

Wait a minute.

(on phone)

Hello? Who is this? Oh, Mr. Welch? Okay, that's fine, Mr. Welch. Gives me a chance to tell you what I really think of your wife.

Mary once more tries to take the phone from him.

MARY

George...

GEORGE

(raving at her)

Will you get out and let me handle this?

(into phone – shouting)

Hello? Hello? What? Oh, you will, huh? Okay, Mr. Welch, any time you think you're man enough... Hello? Any...

But before he can think of an insult to top Welch's, we hear a click on the phone.

GEORGE

Oh...

He hangs up the receiver, and turns toward the living room. His face is flushed and wet.

PETE

Daddy, how do you spell "Hallelujah"?

GEORGE

(shouts)

How should I know? What do you think I am, a dictionary?

He yells at Tommy, noisily playing with his vacuum cleaner.

GEORGE (CONT'D)

Tommy, stop that! Stop it!

Janie is still practicing at the piano, monotonously.

GEORGE (CONT'D)

(savagely)

Janie, haven't you learned that silly tune yet? You've played it over and over again. Now stop it! Stop it!

INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

The room has suddenly become ominously quiet, the only SOUND being George's labored breathing. George goes over to a corner of the room where his workshop is set up – a drawing table, several models of modern buildings, bridges, etc. Savagely he kicks over the models, picks up some books and hurls them into the corner. Mary and the children watch, horrified. George looks around and sees them staring at him as if he were some unknown wild animal. The three children are crying.

GEORGE
(gasping for breath)

I'm sorry, Mary, Janie. I'm sorry. I didn't mean... you go on and practice. Pete, I owe you an apology, too. I'm sorry. What do you want to know?

PETE

(holding back his tears)

Nothing, Daddy.

Mary and the children stare at him, stunned by his furious outburst. There is silence in the room.

GEORGE

What's the matter with everybody? Janie, go on. I told you to practice.

(shouts)

Now, go on, play!

Janie breaks into sobs.

JANIE

Oh, Daddy...

MARY

(in an outburst)

George, why must you torture the children? Why don't you...

The sight of Mary and the children suffering is too much for George.

GEORGE

Mary...

He looks around him, then quickly goes out the front door of the house. Mary goes to the phone, picks it up.

MARY

Bedford, two-four-seven, please.

PETE

Is Daddy in trouble?

JANIE

Shall I pray for him?

MARY

Yes, Janie, pray very hard.

TOMMY

Me, too?

MARY

You too, Tommy.

(on phone)

Hello, Uncle Billy?

WIPE TO:

INT. POTTER'S OFFICE IN BANK – NIGHT – 8:00 P.M.

MEDIUM CLOSEUP

Potter is seated at his desk, his goon beside him. He is signing some papers. George is seated in a chair before the desk, without a hat or coat, covered lightly with snow.

GEORGE

I'm in trouble, Mr. Potter. I need help. Through some sort of an accident my company's short in their accounts. The bank examiner's up there today. I've got to raise eight thousand dollars immediately.

POTTER

(casually)

Oh, so that's what the reporters wanted to talk to you about?

GEORGE

(incredulous)

The reporters?

POTTER

Yes. They called me up from your Building and Loan. Oh, there's a man over there from the D.A.'s office, too. He's looking for you.

GEORGE

(desperate)

Please help me, Mr. Potter. Help me, won't you please? Can't you see what it means to my family? I'll pay you any sort of a bonus on the loan... any interest. If you still want the Building and Loan, why I...

POTTER

(interrupting)

George, could it possibly be there's a slight discrepancy in the books?

GEORGE

No, sir. There's nothing wrong with the books. I've just misplaced eight thousand dollars. I can't find it anywhere.

POTTER

(looking up)

You misplaced eight thousand dollars?

GEORGE

Yes, sir.

POTTER

Have you notified the police?

GEORGE

No, sir. I didn't want the publicity. Harry's homecoming tomorrow...

POTTER

(snorts)

They're going to believe that one. What've you been doing, George? Playing the market with the company's money?

GEORGE

No, sir. No, sir. I haven't.

POTTER

What is it – a woman, then? You know, it's all over town that you've been giving money to Violet Bick.

GEORGE

(incredulous)

What?

POTTER

Not that it makes any difference to me, but why did you come to me? Why don't you go to Sam Wainwright and ask him for the money?

GEORGE

I can't get hold of him. He's in Europe.

POTTER

Well, what about all your other friends?

GEORGE

They don't have that kind of money, Mr. Potter. You know that. You're the only one in town that can help me.

POTTER

I see. I've suddenly become quite important. What kind of security would I have, George? Have you got any stocks?

GEORGE

(shaking his head)

No, sir.

POTTER

Bonds? Real estate? Collateral of any kind?

GEORGE

(pulls out policy)

I have some life insurance, a fifteen thousand dollar policy.

POTTER

Yes... how much is your equity in it?

GEORGE

Five hundred dollars.

POTTER

(sarcastically)

Look at you. You used to be so cocky! You were going to go out and conquer the world! You once called me a warped, frustrated old man. What are you but a warped, frustrated young man? A miserable little clerk crawling in here on your hands and knees and begging for help. No securities – no stocks – no bonds – nothing but a miserable little five hundred dollar equity in a life insurance policy. You're worth more dead than alive. Why don't you go to the riff-raff you love so much and ask them to let you have eight thousand dollar? You know why? Because they'd run you out of town on a rail...But I'll tell you what I'm going to do for you, George. Since the state examiner is still here, as a stockholder of the Building and Loan, I'm going to swear out a warrant for your arrest. Misappropriation of funds – manipulation – malfeasance...

George turns and starts out of the office as Potter picks up the phone and dials.

POTTER (CONT'D)

All right, George, go ahead. You can't hide in a little town like this.

George is out of the door by now.

CAMERA MOVES CLOSER to Potter.

POTTER (CONT'D)

(on phone)

Bill? This is Potter.

EXT. MAIN STREET BEDFORD FALLS – NIGHT

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT