Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Was Almost A Little Less Wonderful: Part II
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Analysis

Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Was Almost A Little Less Wonderful: Part II

Virginia Kruta

Months after his return from combat, actor James “Jimmy” Stewart was still adrift — unmoored in the Hollywood he had previously called home, living with fellow veteran Henry Fonda, and waiting for film offers that just weren’t coming in.

After a couple of months had gone by, director Frank Capra — who had worked with Stewart before in 1936’s “You Can’t Take It With You” — first pitched “It’s a Wonderful Life.” A meeting was set, and Capra described the story to Stewart and his agent Lew Wasserman.

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