The best Christmas films are in some way spiritually uplifting and my first choice is no exception. It’s a Wonderful Life, made in 1946 but not well known until the 1970s due to a quirk of copyright, stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a struggling local banker in the fictional township of Bedford Falls who, following in his father's footsteps, tries to help his customers rather than extort them, unlike his arch-rival in the town, Mr Potter.
As a boy and young man, George longs to escape from his roots and travel the world, but his self-sacrificing nature – taking over the bank after his father's unexpected death and allowing his pilot brother to follow his career elsewhere – means that he stays put. He marries the charming Mary (Donna Reed) and raises a family.
