It Happened One Christmas

1h 49min

TV Movie

Comedy

It's Christmas Eve 1944 in the small town of Bedford Falls, New York. A despondent and suicidal Mary Bailey Hatch is praying for guidance on what to do about an incident no fault of her own which threatens her name and the community standing of her longtime family business, the Bailey Building and Loan, which she took over after the passing of her father. What Mary does not know is that most in town, including her husband George Hatch and their children, are also praying for her. All the prayers are heard by Joseph, God's gatekeeper of prayers. As there are no other angels available on such a busy day, Joseph assigns Clara Oddbody, angel second class (i.e. she has yet to receive her wings), to Mary's case, which he reluctantly does as Clara has never been assigned a case on her own in the two hundred years she's been in heaven for good reason.

Cast

Marlo Thomas

Marlo Thomas

Mary Bailey Hatch
Orson Welles

Orson Welles

Henry F. Potter
Wayne Rogers

Wayne Rogers

George Hatch
Cloris Leachman

Cloris Leachman

Clara Oddbody
Barney Martin

Barney Martin

Uncle Willie
Dick O'Neill

Dick O'Neill

Mr. Gower
Doris Roberts

Doris Roberts

Ma Bailey
Richard Dysart

Richard Dysart

Peter Bailey
Christopher Guest

Christopher Guest

Harry Bailey
Ceil Cabot

Ceil Cabot

Cousin Tillie
Rita George

Rita George

Helen Bailey
Beans Morocco

Beans Morocco

Toll Keeper
James Brodhead

James Brodhead

Bank Examiner
Jim Lovelett

Jim Lovelett

Sam Wainwright

Release date

11th Dec 1977

Status

Released

Spoken languages

English