James Stewart’s Surprising Grievances With ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
James Stewart cherished his role in 'It’s a Wonderful Life,' but he harbored two major complaints: he blamed Donna Reed for the film’s initial flop and was outraged by the later colorized version.
Few holiday traditions feel as timeless as gathering around to watch Frank Capra’s classic, It ’s a Wonderful Life. The film has become a staple in American homes every December, but its journey to beloved status was anything but smooth. James Stewart, who starred as George Bailey, held the movie close to his heart—yet he never shied away from sharing the two things that truly bothered him about it.
From Box Office Flop to Holiday Icon
It’s hard to believe now, but when It’s a Wonderful Life first hit theaters, it was a major disappointment. The film didn’t just underperform; it was such a financial disaster that it contributed to the downfall of Liberty Films, the studio behind it. For nearly twenty years, the movie faded into obscurity, rarely mentioned or watched. Everything changed in 1974, when a copyright lapse allowed TV stations to air it freely. Suddenly, it was everywhere, and its reputation as a must-see Christmas movie was born.
Stewart’s Deep Affection—and His First Grievance
Despite the rocky start, Stewart always spoke fondly of the project.
“It’s my favorite film,”
he once told Michael Munn.
“The whole thing was done, not from a book, not from a play, not from an actual happening or anything, but just an idea. And idea that nobody is born to be a failure. As simple as that. I liked that idea.”
While the story was actually inspired by Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story The Greatest Gift, Stewart’s admiration for the film’s message never wavered.
Yet, Stewart had a lingering frustration from the very beginning. He placed blame for the film’s initial failure on his co-star, Donna Reed, who played Mary Bailey. Reed was relatively unknown at the time, and Stewart reportedly felt her lack of star power hurt the movie’s chances. According to Reed’s daughter, Mary Anne Owen,
“he blamed her because she wasn’t as well-known,”
and he even refused to work with her again.
The Colorization Controversy
Years after the film’s release, Stewart found himself upset once more—this time over the decision to release a colorized version of the black-and-white classic. He was furious about the changes, feeling they stripped away the film’s original charm. Stewart famously described the new version as
“a bath of Easter egg dye,”
and was especially annoyed by the decision to dress Gloria Graham’s character, Violet, in all violet outfits.
“That is the kind of obvious visual pun that Frank Capra never would have considered,”
he complained.
Even with these frustrations, Stewart always considered It’s a Wonderful Life the highlight of his career. But he never got over his disappointment with Reed’s casting or the colorized re-release, two things that, for him, always cast a shadow over an otherwise cherished film.