It's a Wonderful Life Quotes

George Bailey : [ on Mary being caught naked in the bushes ] This is a very interesting situation!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : Merry Christmas, movie house! Merry Christmas, Emporium! Merry Christmas, you wonderful old Building and Loan!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Clarence : Ohh, there must be some easier way for me to get my wings.

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : I know what I'm gonna do tomorrow, and the next day, and the next year, and the year after that.

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Annie : Boys and girls and music. Why do they need gin?

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : I'm shakin' the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and I'm gonna see the world. Italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the Colosseum. Then, I'm comin' back here to go to college and see what they know. And then I'm gonna build things. I'm gonna build airfields, I'm gonna build skyscrapers a hundred stories high, I'm gonna build bridges a mile long...

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : Now, you listen to me! I don't want any plastics, and I don't want any ground floors, and I don't want to get married - ever - to anyone! You understand that? I want to do what I want to do. And you're... and you're... [ runs out of words, sees her crying ]
George Bailey : Oh, Mary, Mary...
Mary : George... George... George...
George Bailey : [ kisses her intensely ] Mary... Would you?... Would you?...

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : Now, will you do something for me?
Zuzu Bailey : What?
George Bailey : Will you try and get some sleep?
Zuzu Bailey : I'm not sleepy. I want to look at my flower.
George Bailey : I know-I know, but you just go to sleep, and then you can dream about it, and it'll be a whole garden.
Zuzu Bailey : It will?
George Bailey : Uh-huh.

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
House owner : I mean Pottersville. Don't you think I know where I live? What's the matter with you? [ He proceeds toward his house. George is completely bewildered ]
George Bailey : Oh, I don't know. Either I'm off my nut, or he is... [ to Clarence ]
George Bailey : ... or you are!
Clarence : It isn't me!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Mrs. Hatch : Who is down there with you, Mary?
Mary : It's George Bailey, mother.
Mrs. Hatch : George Bailey? What does he want?
Mary : I don't know! [ to George ]
Mary : What do you want?
George Bailey : Me? Nothing! I just came in to get warm, is all.
Mary : [ pause ] He's making violent love to me, mother!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Ma Bailey : First Harry, now George. Annie, we're just two old maids now.
Annie : You speak for yourself, Miss B.

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Bert : Liver pills? We need posters of beautiful places, romantic places. Places George wants to go!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : I wish I had a million dollars... Hot dog!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Clarence : Clarence Oddbody, AS2.
George Bailey : Oddbody... Hey, what's an AS2?
Clarence : Angel, Second Class. [ the bridgekeeper, overhearing it, falls backwards in his chair ]

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Mary : I feel like a bootlegger's wife!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : [ gazing eyes with Mary ] Well, well, well.
Freddie Othello : Now, to get back to my story, see? [ in a trance, Mary hands Othello her drink, and George and Mary start dancing ]
Freddie Othello : Hey, this is MY dance!
George Bailey : Oh, why don't you stop annoying people.
Freddie Othello : Well, I'm sorr- Hey!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Mary : You look at me as if you didn't know me.
George Bailey : Well, I don't.
Mary : You pass me on the street almost every day.
George Bailey : Me? Naw, that was a little girl named Mary Hatch, that wasn't you.

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Mickey : [ Mickey walks up to a disheartened Freddie Othello, dumped by Mary Hatch ] What's the matter, Othello - jealous? Did you know there's a swimming pool under this floor? And did you know that *button* behind you causes this floor to open up? And did you further know that George Bailey is dancing right over that crack? [ Othello turns to Mickey ]
Mickey : I've got the key!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : [ the staff celebrates closing the building and loan company with only two dollars remaining, to stay in business ] Get a tray for these two great big important simoleans here.
Uncle Billy : We'll save 'em for seed.
George Bailey : A toast! A toast! A toast to Mama Dollar and to Papa Dollar, and if you want to keep this old Building and Loan in business, you better have a family real quick.
Cousin Tilly : I wish they were rabbits.

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : [ George is having his last meal at home before leaving on his cruise. His father is distraught over his leaving ] Pop, I think you're a great guy.
George Bailey : [ thinking Annie is eavesdropping ] Did you hear that, Annie?
Annie : I heard it... 'bout time one of you lunkheads said it!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Mary : [ embracing George ] Remember the night we broke the windows in this old house? This is what I wished for.
George Bailey : [ softly ] You're wonderful... wonderful.

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : Dear Father in heaven, I'm not a praying man, but if you're up there and you can hear me [ begins crying ]
George Bailey : show me the way... show me the way.

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Man at Bar : Why do you drink so much? Please go home, Mr. Bailey.
Mr. Welsh : [ sitting right beside George ] Bailey? Which Bailey?
Giuseppe Martini : This is Mr. George Bailey. [ Mr. Welsh angrily pulls George Bailey up to his face by the lapels with one hand and hits him in the face with a right hook, sending him to the floor ]
Mr. Welsh : Next time you talk to my wife like that, you'll get worse! She cried for an hour! It's not enough she teaches stupid children to read and write, you had to bawl her out!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter!
Mr. Potter : And Happy New Year to you, in jail! Why don't you go on home? They're waiting for you!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Ma Bailey : [ speaking of Mary Hatch ] Why, she lights up like a firefly whenever you are around. Besides, Sam Wainright is off in New York, and you're here in Bedford Falls...
George Bailey : And all's fair in love and war, right?
Ma Bailey : [ fixing his collar ] Well, I don't know about war...

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : Mary Hatch, why in the world did you ever marry a guy like me?
Mary : To keep from being an old maid!
George Bailey : You could have married Sam Wainright, or anybody else in town...
Mary : I didn't want to marry anybody else in town. I want my baby to look like you.
George Bailey : You didn't even have a honeymoon. I promised you... [ stops ]
George Bailey : Your what?
Mary : My baby!
George Bailey : [ stuttering ] Your, your, your, ba- Mary, you on the nest?
Mary : George Baily Lassos Stork!
George Bailey : [ still stuttering ] Lassos a stork? [ Mary nods ]
George Bailey : What're'ya... You mean you're... What is it, a boy or a girl?
Mary : [ nods enthusiasticly ] Mmmm-hmmm!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Mrs. Hatch : [ calling from upstairs ] Mary, who's down there with you?
Mary : It's George Bailey, mother!
Mrs. Hatch : Well, what does he want?
Mary : I don't know! [ to George ]
Mary : What do you want?
George Bailey : What do I want? Why, I'm just here to get warm, that's all!
Mary : [ calling up ] He's making violent love to me, mother!

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Little Mary : Is this the ear you can't hear on? [ whispering in his bad ear ]
Little Mary : George Bailey, I'll love you 'til the day I die.

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
George Bailey : Rochester? Why Rochester?

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Pa Bailey : I know it's soon to talk about it.
George Bailey : Oh, now Pop, I couldn't. I couldn't face being cooped up for the rest of my life in a shabby little office... Oh, I'm sorry Pop, I didn't mean that, but this business of nickels and dimes and spending all your life trying to figure out how to save three cents on a length of pipe... I'd go crazy. I want to do something big and something important.
Pa Bailey : You know, George, I feel that in a small way we are doing something important. Satisfying a fundamental urge. It's deep in the race for a man to want his own roof and walls and fireplace, and we're helping him get those things in our shabby little office.
George Bailey : I know, Dad. I wish I felt... But I've been hoarding pennies like a miser in order to... Most of my friends have already finished college. I just feel like if I don't get away, I'd bust.
Pa Bailey : Yes... yes... You're right son.
George Bailey : You see what I mean, don't you, Pop?
Pa Bailey : This town is no place for any man unless he's willing to crawl to Potter. You've got talent, son. I've seen it. You get yourself an education. Then get out of here.
George Bailey : Pop, you want a shock? I think you're a great guy. [ to Annie, listening through the door ]
George Bailey : Oh, did you hear that, Annie?
Annie : I heard it. About time one of you lunkheads said it.

Movie: It's a Wonderful Life