Movies are a beloved tradition during the holidays. Every year, people enjoy watching Christmas favorites, from classics like The Muppet Christmas Carol and A Christmas Story to less traditional picks such as Die Hard, Batman Returns, and The Wizard of Oz. Many consider It’s A Wonderful Life essential holiday viewing, but a recent alteration to the film on Amazon Prime Video has sparked criticism, with many viewers feeling it ruins the original.
Over the holidays, some viewers noticed that a slightly shorter version of the classic 1946 film It’s a Wonderful Life is circulating. This version is missing about 22 minutes of footage, specifically a crucial scene known as the “Pottersville” sequence. In this scene, George Bailey (played by James Stewart) is shown a bleak alternate reality by his guardian angel, Clarence. This scene is vital to George’s transformation and the film’s message, and its absence has upset many fans. However, the reason for the edit isn’t as straightforward as it appears.
Fans Are Livid With Amazon For Changing It’s A Wonderful Life (But There Is Actually a Complicated Legal Reason For It)
Fans of the beloved holiday movie are upset with Amazon for changes made to the film. Many are criticizing the removal of the “Pottersville” scene, believing it was due to its religious content. Some are calling the edits disrespectful and expressing a lack of trust in streaming services, arguing that such changes strip the film of its original meaning. A few even believe the shortened version is part of a broader attempt to diminish the importance of Christmas.
The shortened version of It’s A Wonderful Life available on Amazon Prime Video actually exists due to a complex copyright issue. The film is based on a short story called “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern, which was inspired by A Christmas Carol. The pivotal “Pottersville” scene in the movie closely follows the events of “The Greatest Gift,” but with more detail.
The classic film It’s A Wonderful Life fell into the public domain in 1974 because its distributor didn’t renew the copyright. This allowed TV stations to broadcast it during the holidays without paying fees. However, copyright laws changed in the 1990s, and the rights to the original short story the film was based on, “The Greatest Gift,” were still protected. When Republic Pictures acquired the film, they used the short story’s copyright—and the copyright to the film’s music—to control how the movie was distributed. To avoid copyright issues, some versions of the film cut the “Pottersville” scene because that part closely follows the original story and is therefore under copyright protection. Essentially, this edited version allows broadcasters to show the film without paying royalties, and they’ve been doing similar edits for years.
Fans have noticed a shortened, or “butchered,” version of It’s A Wonderful Life on Amazon Prime Video, but the full movie is also available. You can find it in both black and white and colorized versions. If you want to avoid the edited version – or see the film without the important “Pottersville” scene – look for the one labeled “Abridged Edition.” This shorter version is free to watch, while the complete versions require a subscription.
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2025-12-27 06:13