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It Happened One Christmas

1977 · 1h 50m · 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.

Where to watch It Happened One Christmas

It Happened One Christmas is available to rent or buy from Fandango At Home.

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Cast

• 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

Details

Director

Donald Wrye

Released

December 11, 1977

Runtime

1h 50m

Genres

TV Movie, Comedy

Studio

Universal Television

Status

Released

TMDB score

4.7 / 10 from 12 votes