IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE

Frank Capra’s 1946 masterpiece is as beloved as films get, but it is far more complex than its feelgood rep suggests. It’s a vision of a fractured America trying to rediscover its values, personified by a superb James Stewart. His search for meaning becomes a potent blend of comedy, romance and drama, held together by Capra with dazzling technique and emotional wallop. Simon Kinnear