James Stewart's Two Major Complaints About His Beloved Christmas Classic
The Hollywood legend cherished 'It's a Wonderful Life' as his favorite film, but harbored deep resentments about one co-star and a later studio decision that left him furious.
Few holiday movies hold the same timeless appeal as Frank Capra's masterpiece, yet James Stewart harbored two significant grievances about the film he considered his greatest work. Despite calling it his favorite movie, the legendary actor carried lasting frustrations that would shape his feelings about the production for decades.
The Surprising Box Office Disaster
What seems unimaginable today actually happened - this beloved Christmas staple was initially a massive commercial failure. The financial disaster was so severe it contributed to Liberty Films' collapse, marking a devastating blow to Stewart's post-war comeback. After serving as a decorated World War II veteran, the actor had high hopes for his return to Hollywood.
The movie remained largely forgotten for twenty years until a copyright mishap in 1974 changed everything. When the rights accidentally expired due to clerical oversight, television networks could broadcast it without expensive licensing fees. This mistake transformed the forgotten flop into an annual tradition watched by millions of American families.
Blaming His Leading Lady
Even before the box office catastrophe, Stewart had developed serious issues with one cast member. He held Donna Reed, who portrayed Mary Bailey, directly responsible for the film's commercial failure. Reed's daughter, Mary Anne Owen, later revealed that Stewart blamed her mother simply because she lacked star power compared to his Academy Award-winning status.
The resentment ran so deep that Stewart refused to ever work with Reed again. This harsh judgment seems particularly unfair considering Reed's talented performance, but the actor's disappointment over the movie's reception clearly clouded his perspective on his co-star's contributions.
Fury Over Colorization
Stewart's second major complaint emerged years later when studios decided to release a colorized version. The actor was absolutely livid about this decision, dismissing the updated version as "a bath of Easter egg dye." He viewed these modifications as completely unnecessary and heavy-handed.
His anger intensified over specific creative choices in the colorized edition. "Gloria Graham plays a character called Violet, so someone thought it would be cute to have all her costumes in violet," he complained. "That is the kind of obvious visual pun that Frank Capra never would have considered." Stewart saw these changes as betraying the director's original artistic vision.
Despite these two persistent complaints, Stewart maintained deep affection for the project itself. "It's my favourite film," he explained to 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."