Whoever wrote "All You Need Is Love" was probably watching It's a Wonderful Life at the time. Maybe they were showing it on BBC TV.
Anyway, love is ultimately what saves George Bailey. He's always been surrounded by loads of friends and family that adore him, but he loses sight of that when he's faced with possible financial ruin. After Clarence's little life-review tour, George gets his priorities back in order and runs back to the people who love him. And, we can't forget that God's love for George kicks off the whole chain of events.
There's a sweet rom-com embedded in the film, too. Mary has been head-over-heels for George from the time she was a little girl, but he doesn't really notice her until after high school. She goes off to college, and he's stuck in town, but four years later, he's still her crush. Their love overcomes a few obstacles like ex-boyfriends and financial ups and downs, but Mary sticks by him no matter what. When she was a kid, she told him she'd love him till the day she dies. She meant it.
Questions about Love
- How does Mary's love for George help him to realize that his life has actually been really valuable?
- How does George's family express their love for each other?
- Where does George get his huge capacity for love?
Chew on This
Mr. Potter's life is meaningless and empty because he lacks the ability to give or receive love.
George gives in to despair because he loves the people around him but has stopped valuing himself.