<P> Bosley Crowther, writing for The New York Times, complimented some of the actors, including Stewart and Reed, but concluded that "the weakness of this picture, from this reviewer's point of view, is the sentimentality of it--its illusory concept of life . Mr. Capra's nice people are charming, his small town is a quite beguiling place and his pattern for solving problems is most optimistic and facile . But somehow they all resemble theatrical attitudes rather than average realities ." </P> <P> The film, which went into general release on January 7, 1947, placed 26th ($3.3 million) in box office revenues for 1947 (out of more than 400 features released), one place ahead of another Christmas film, Miracle on 34th Street . The film was supposed to be released in January 1947, but was moved up to December 1946 to make it eligible for the 1946 Academy Awards . This move was seen as worse for the film, as 1947 did not have quite the stiff competition as 1946 . If it had entered the 1947 Awards, its biggest competition would have been Miracle on 34th Street . The number one grossing movie of 1947, The Best Years of Our Lives, made $11.5 million . </P> <P> The film recorded a loss of $525,000 at the box office for RKO . </P> <P> On May 26, 1947, the FBI issued a memo stating, "With regard to the picture' It's a Wonderful Life,' (redacted) stated in substance that the film represented rather obvious attempts to discredit bankers by casting Lionel Barrymore as a' scrooge - type' so that he would be the most hated man in the picture . This, according to these sources, is a common trick used by Communists . (In) addition, (redacted) stated that, in his opinion, this picture deliberately maligned the upper class, attempting to show the people who had money were mean and despicable characters ." </P>

Ok google cast of it's a wonderful life