It's a Wonderful Life

While the above thoughts are passing through George's head, his attention is caught by a picture on the wall near the dresser:

INSERT: PICTURE ON THE WALL

It is the sketch of George lassoing the moon that we first saw in Mary's living room. The lettering reads: "George Lassos The Moon."

GEORGE'S VOICE

What is it you want, Mary? You want the moon? If you do, just say the word; I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down for you.

Mary is now awake, and starts singing their theme song:

MARY

(singing)

Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight, won't you come out tonight, won't you come out tonight.

George crosses over and sits on the edge of the bed.

GEORGE

Hi.

MARY

Hi.

GEORGE

Mary Hatch, why in the world did you ever marry a guy like me?

MARY

To keep from being an old maid.

GEORGE

You could have married Sam Wainwright or anybody else in town.

MARY

I didn't want to marry anybody else in town. I want my baby to look like you.

GEORGE

You didn't even have a honeymoon. I promised you...

(does a double take)

... Your what?

MARY

My baby.

GEORGE

(incredulously)

You mean... Mary, you on the nest?

MARY

George Bailey lassos stork.

GEORGE

Lassos the stork! You mean you... What is it, a boy or a girl?

Mary nods her head happily.

FADE OUT

FADE IN:

MONTAGE SEQUENCE

Over the following SERIES OF SHOTS we hear the voices of Joseph and Clarence in Heaven.

EXT. MAIN STREET BEDFORD FALLS – NIGHT

MEDIUM SHOT

George is crossing the street, heading for the offices of the Building and Loan.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Now, you've probably already guessed that George never leaves Bedford Falls.

CLARENCE'S VOICE

No!

INT. HOSPITAL – DAY

CLOSE SHOT – NURSE HOLDING NEWBORN BABY

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Mary had her baby, a boy.

INT. SITTING ROOM – DAY

CLOSE SHOT

Mary sitting on the floor playing with a baby. A little boy is in a playpen nearby.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Then she had another one – a girl.

INT. GRANVILLE HOUSE – DAY

CLOSE SHOTS

Mary is busy hanging wallpaper and painting the old place.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Day after day she worked away remaking the old Granville house into a home.

INT. GRANVILLE HOUSE – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

George has just come into the hall. He is obviously tired and discouraged as he starts up the stairs. The knob on the banister comes off in his hand.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Night after night George came back late from the office. Potter was bearing down hard.

WIPE TO:

EXT. RECRUITING GROUNDS – DAY

MEDIUM LONG SHOT

A group of men, obviously just drafted, marching along in a camp.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Then came a war.

INT. RED CROSS WORKROOM – DAY

CLOSE SHOT

Mrs. Bailey and other women in Red Cross uniforms busily sewing, etc.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Ma Bailey and Mrs. Hatch joined the Red Cross and sewed.

EXT. TRAIN IN RAILROAD STATION – DAY

CLOSE SHOT

Mary, with portable U.S.O. pushcart, is serving coffee and doughnuts to men leaning from the train.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Mary had two more babies, but still found time to run the U.S.O.

INT. FACTORY – DAY

CLOSE SHOT

Sam Wainwright showing set of blueprints to two Army officers.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Sam Wainwright made a fortune in plastic hoods for planes.

INT. FACTORY – DAY

CLOSE SHOT

Potter is wheeled in toward a long table around which several men are seated.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Potter became head of the draft board.

POTTER

(reading from papers)

One-A... One-A... One-A...

EXT. STREET IN BEDFORD FALLS – DAY

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT

Gower and Uncle Billy are conducting a bond rally from the top of an Army tank.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Gower and Uncle Billy sold war bonds.

EXT. BATTLEFIELD – NIGHT

MEDIUM CLOSEUP

Bert, in uniform, moving cautiously with fixed bayonet. Smoke and flashes of gunfire in background.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Bert the cop was wounded in North Africa. Got the Silver Star.

EXT. SKY – DAY

LONG SHOT

Hundreds of planes, flying overhead, with parachutes dropping from them.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Ernie, the taxi driver, parachuted into France.

EXT. REMAGEN BRIDGE OVER THE RHINE – DAY

CLOSE SHOT

Marty in the foreground, beckoning to soldiers to come on.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Marty helped capture the Remagen Bridge.

INT. READY ROOM ON AIRCRAFT CARRIER – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

Harry is fastening the helmet of his flying clothes. He waves as he exits through the door.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Harry... Harry Bailey topped them all. A Navy flier, he shot down fifteen planes.

EXT. OCEAN FROM DECK OF CARRIER – NIGHT

LONG SHOT

A flaming plane crashes into the sea.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

... two of them as they were about to crash into a transport full of soldiers.

CLARENCE'S VOICE

Yes, but George...

INT. RATION OFFICE – DAY

CLOSE SHOT

George, behind the counter, is trying to quiet a crowd of people all clamoring for more ration points.

GEORGE

George? Four-F on account of his ear, George fought the battle of Bedford Falls.

George shouts.

GEORGE

Hold on... hold on... hold on now. Don't you know there's a war on?

EXT. STRET – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

George, in the uniform of an air raid warden, is patrolling his beat.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Air raid Warden...

EXT. HOUSE – NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT

Man beside lighted window pulls down the shade as George blows his whistle.

EXT. STREET – DAY

CLOSE SHOT

George is helping load his old car with scrap paper.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

... paper drives...

EXT. DUMP – DAY

CLOSE SHOT

Wheelbarrow full of junk being dumped onto pile.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

... Scrap drives...

EXT. STREET – DAY

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT – CHILDREN WHEELING OLD TIRES

JOSEPH'S VOICE

... Rubber drives...

INT. CHURCH – DAY

MEDIUM SHOT – PEOPLE PRAYING IN CHURCH

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Like everybody else, on V-E Day he wept and prayed.

EXT. CHURCH – ANOTHER ANGLE

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT – PEOPLE ENTERING CHURCH

JOSEPH'S VOICE

On V-J Day he wept and prayed again.

FRANKLIN'S VOICE

Joseph, now show him what happened today.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

Yes, sir.

EXT. BEDFORD FALLS STREET – WINTER – DAY

George is walking along the sidewalk reading a newspaper. It is a raw, gusty day, and his overcoat and muffler flap in the breeze. Draped around one arm is a large Christmas wreath. Under his other arm are several more copies of the paper.

JOSEPH'S VOICE

This morning, day before Christmas, about ten A.M. Bedford Falls time...

George comes to where Ernie, the taxi driver, is standing on the sidewalk.

GEORGE

(holding out paper)

Hi, Ernie, look at that.

INSERT: NEWSPAPER

The front page of the paper, the Bedford Falls Sentinel. The headline reads: "PRESIDENT DECORATES HARRY BAILEY – LOCAL BOY WINS CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR". The subhead tells of a plan for a giant jubilee and parade, to be followed by a banquet, in honor of Commander Harry Bailey, U.S.N. on his way home from Washington after receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor. There's a large picture of President Truman pinning the coveted medal on Harry's bosom, in the midst of dignitaries; a picture of the transport which Harry saved. Practically the whole front page is devoted to the story.

CLOSE SHOT – GEORGE AND ERNIE

ERNIE

(kidding)

Gonna snow again.

GEORGE

(outraged)

What do you mean – it's gonna snow again? Look at the headlines.

ERNIE

I know – I know – I know. I think it's marvelous.

Gower comes running across the street from his drugstore and joins them.

GEORGE

(reading)

Commander Harry Bailey. Mr. Gower, look at this – the

second page.

(gives them papers)

Now look, this is for you. This is for you, this is for you.

(as he leaves)

See you again.

EXT. STREET – DAY

MEDIUM LONG SHOT

Uncle Billy is walking along the street, humming happily to himself. He sees some men decorating the Court House with banners and bunting – there is a huge sign reading: "Welcome Home Harry Bailey"

UNCLE BILLY

(calls out)

Be sure you spell the name right.

INT. OUTER OFFICE BUILDING AND LOAN – DAY

FULL SHOT

The offices are unchanged, still small-time and old-fashioned. The same office force, albeit a few years older: Cousin Tilly and Cousin Eustace. Seated on a chair is a middle-aged man with a brief case. The outer door opens and George enters:

GEORGE

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Cousin Tilly and Cousin Eustace are talking on the phone.

COUSIN EUSTACE

George! George! It's Harry now on long distance from Washington!

GEORGE

Harry! What do you know about that?

COUSIN EUSTACE

He reversed the charges. It's okay, isn't it?

GEORGE

What do you mean it's okay? For a hero?

(takes the phone)

Harry! Oh, you old seven kinds of a son of a gun. Congratulations! How's Mother standing it?... She did? What do you know...

(to Eustace)

Mother had lunch with the President's wife!

COUSIN TILLY

Wait till Martha hears about this.

COUSIN EUSTACE

What did they have to eat?

GEORGE

(on phone)

What did they have to eat? Harry, you should see what they're cooking up in the town for you... Oh, are they?

(to Eustace)

The Navy's going to fly Mother home this afternoon.

COUSIN EUSTACE

In a plane?

GEORGE

What? Uncle Billy?

(to Eustace)

Has Uncle Billy come in yet?

COUSIN TILLY

No, he stopped at the bank first.

GEORGE

(on phone)

He's not here right now, Harry.

Cousin Eustace has turned away from George and caught a glimpse of the man waiting in the chair. This is Carter, the bank examiner, come for his annual audit of the books of the Building and Loan.

GEORGE (CONT'D)

(on phone)

But look...

COUSIN EUSTACE

(interrupting)

George...

GEORGE

(on phone)

... now tell me about it.

COUSIN EUSTACE

(interrupting)

... George, that man's here again.

GEORGE

What man?

COUSIN EUSTACE

(nervously)

Bank... bank examiner.

GEORGE

Oh...

(on phone)

Talk to Eustace a minute, will you. I'll be right back.

He gives the phone to Eustace, puts down his wreath and goes over to Carter.

CLOSE SHOT – GEORGE AND CARTER