Directed and produced by Frank Capra, It’s a Wonderful Life is a family-drama fantasy film based on Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story “The Greatest Gift.” Released in theaters on December 20, 1946, it follows George Bailey, a man on the verge of suicide on Christmas Eve, who is shown by a guardian angel what his hometown of Bedford Falls would have become had he never been born. Long considered a box-office disappointment on first release, the film has since become one of the most-watched holiday classics on American television.
Quick Facts
| Film | It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) |
| Director | Frank Capra |
| Composer | Dimitri Tiomkin |
| Studio | Liberty Films / RKO Radio Pictures |
| Genre | Drama, Fantasy, Family |
| Release Date | December 20, 1946 (United States) |
| Runtime | 130 minutes |
| Where to Watch | Streaming rental (Apple TV, Prime Video) and annual NBC broadcast each December |
Who Composed the It’s a Wonderful Life Score?
Dimitri Tiomkin composed and conducted the original orchestral score. Tiomkin, a Ukrainian-born composer who became one of Hollywood’s most in-demand film composers of the 1940s and 50s, is best known for his later Western scores, including Duel in the Sun, Red River, High Noon, The Big Sky, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Rio Bravo, and Last Train from Gun Hill.
For It’s a Wonderful Life, Tiomkin built the film’s recurring main theme around “Buffalo Gals,” a 19th-century American folk song that George and Mary sing together on their walk home — a melody that recurs throughout the score as the emotional signature of their relationship. Despite the score’s lasting popularity, it was not among the film’s five 1947 Academy Award nominations (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for James Stewart, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound Recording); the film did not win any of those five, taking home only a competing Class II Scientific/Technical Award for its artificial-snow process.
Public Domain History and the NBC Tradition
Part of why It’s a Wonderful Life became a Christmas institution has nothing to do with its quality and everything to do with a paperwork mistake. A clerical error at the copyright holder meant the film’s copyright was not renewed in 1974, sending it into the public domain. For nearly two decades, any television station could air it for free, and many did, often multiple times each holiday season, which is how the once-underperforming film built its massive modern audience. In 1993, Republic Pictures (which had acquired the underlying rights) successfully reasserted control by enforcing its copyrights on the original story and on Dimitri Tiomkin’s score, both of which had never lapsed. Since then, U.S. broadcast rights have belonged to NBC, which airs the film annually each December.
It’s a Wonderful Life Soundtrack List
The score has been released on CD twice: a limited 2014 edition from Kritzerland (KR 20028-2) and a remastered 75th-anniversary edition from La-La Land Records in November 2021. Both use largely the same program of score cues plus alternate/bonus tracks, listed below.
| # | Track |
|---|---|
| 1 | Main Title / Heaven |
| 2 | Ski Run |
| 3 | Death Telegram |
| 4 | Gower’s Deliverance |
| 5 | George and Dad |
| 6 | Father’s Death |
| 7 | Love Sequence |
| 8 | Wedding Cigars |
| 9 | George Lassoes Stork |
| 10 | Dilemma |
| 11 | Bank Crisis |
| 12 | Search for Money |
| 13 | Potter’s Threat |
| 14 | Dankgebet / This Is the Army, Mr. Jones |
| 15 | Uncle Billy’s Blunder |
| 16 | Clarence’s Arrival |
| 17 | George Is Unborn |
| 18 | Haunted House |
| 19 | Pottersville Cemetery |
| 20 | Wrong Mary Hatch / The Prayer |
| 21 | A Wonderful Life (original finale) |
| 22 | Auld Lang Syne / End Title |
| 23 | Bonus: It’s a Wonderful Life (vocal) |
| 24 | Bonus: Wedding March / Big Band |
| 25 | Bonus: Father’s Death (alternate) |
| 26 | Bonus: Haunted House (alternate take) |
| 27 | Bonus: Pottersville Cemetery (without chorus) |
| 28 | Bonus: Auld Lang Syne (extended take) |
Cast
- James Stewart as George Bailey
- Donna Reed as Mary Hatch Bailey
- Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Henry F. Potter
- Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy Bailey
- Henry Travers as Clarence Odbody
Where to Stream
The score is available digitally via the 2021 La-La Land Records reissue on Apple Music and on Spotify. The film itself can be rented or purchased on Apple TV, Prime Video, and other digital platforms, and it airs on NBC every December as part of its long-running holiday broadcast tradition.
Related reading: Movie Soundtracks | Apple TV+ | Streaming Hub
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the score for It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)?
Dimitri Tiomkin composed and conducted the original orchestral score, built around the folk song “Buffalo Gals” as its recurring main theme.
Is the It’s a Wonderful Life soundtrack based on a real song?
Yes. Tiomkin wove “Buffalo Gals,” a 19th-century American folk tune, into the score as George and Mary’s musical motif.
Did It’s a Wonderful Life win any Oscars for its music?
No. The film earned five Academy Award nominations in 1947 (Picture, Director, Actor, Film Editing, and Sound Recording) but none for its score, and it did not win any competitive Oscar.
Is It’s a Wonderful Life in the public domain?
It was between 1974 and 1993 due to a copyright-renewal error, which is why it aired so frequently on TV. Republic Pictures reasserted rights in 1993 through the underlying story and score copyrights, and NBC has held exclusive U.S. broadcast rights since.
Where can I listen to or watch It’s a Wonderful Life?
The score streams on Apple Music and Spotify via the 2021 La-La Land Records reissue. The film can be rented on Apple TV and Prime Video, and NBC broadcasts it annually each December.