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.
Marlo Thomas
as Mary Bailey Hatch
Orson Welles
as Henry F. Potter
Wayne Rogers
as George Hatch
Cloris Leachman
as Clara Oddbody
Barney Martin
as Uncle Willie
Karen Carlson
as Violet
Dick O'Neill
as Mr. Gower
Doris Roberts
as Ma Bailey
Richard Dysart
as Peter Bailey
Cliff Norton
as Martini
Archie Hahn
as Ernie
Christopher Guest
as Harry Bailey
