Five films to lift your spirits amid coronavirus outbreak, from Paddington to It’s a Wonderful Life
- Here’s our pick of five heart-warming films to keep your coronavirus worries at bay
- Whether it’s a Frank Capra classic, Gene Kelly dancing or the adventures of a bungling Peruvian bear in London, these films are sure to put a smile on your face
With the cinemas shut and the world on lockdown, here are five films that are guaranteed to bring you joy in these dark times.
1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Frank Capra’s ode to the enduring power of goodness has, rather famously, been known to wrong-foot viewers, but there are dark waters roiling beneath that exuberant title.
Based on the short story The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern, it stars Jimmy Stewart as local hero George Bailey, who finds himself contemplating suicide one Christmas with everything in his life spiralling out of control.
As he stands on a bridge about to jump, fate sends him a guardian angel (second class) in the avuncular form of Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers), and George begins to understand his worth to his friends, family and the Bedford Falls townspeople. This includes Bert the cop (Ward Bond) and Ernie the cab driver (Frank Faylen), said to be the inspiration for the beloved Sesame Street characters.
After a punishing two hours, the Christmas party pay-off is all the sweeter. Besides, only films which acknowledge pain can be truly joyful.