When World War II breaks out, Harry goes off and fights nobly, earning a Congressional Medal of Honor. In a strategic move, Potter offers George a handsome salary to come work as his assistant, but George rejects his offer, determined to work for the greater good instead. George has taken over a large portion of land which has allowed many low-income families to enjoy quality homes and get out from under the thumb of the profit-mongering Potter. Years pass and we see George and Mary helping families of little means purchase homes, while their friends are becoming wealthy and living in New York. She even purchases the house for them to renovate and inhabit. Since they never get to go on a honeymoon, Mary makes up an old abandoned home for their honeymoon suite. On their way to their honeymoon, there is a bank run and they must sacrifice all of their wedding money to the people of the town in order to keep the Building and Loan open. George goes to see her and they fall in love and marry. At the same time, Mary, a young girl who is in love with George, has returned from college. Again, George must put his dreams aside for his brother’s wellbeing. George is excited for Harry’s return because Harry is meant to take over the Building and Loan, but Harry arrives to Bedford Falls having already secured a job in a nearby town. He gives his college money to his brother, Harry, who goes on to become a second-team All-American football player. George's dream of traveling and going to college is dashed, but he agrees to save his father’s business. Potter is prevented from dissolving Bailey Building and Loan on one condition: that George stay on and run the company. The day before he is set to leave for his journey overseas, George's father dies and Potter, the richest man in town, wants to dissolve Bailey Building and Loan, the family company. Years later, we see a fully grown George Bailey, a man determined to explore the world.
George prevents the delivery and saves another life. Gower has accidentally put poison in the pills. When he's asked to deliver a prescription for a kid in town, he sees that Mr. In the course of the rescue, George loses hearing in his left ear. We see George at 12 save his brother Harry when he falls into a river in the winter. To begin, they show Clarence moments from George's life to prepare him. They decide to assign a second-tier angel, Clarence, to George, in order to help him not lose hope.
Up in heaven, angels discuss the plight of George Bailey, a pillar of the town community who is contemplating suicide. It’s A Wonderful Life begins on Christmas Eve in a small town in upstate New York called Bedford Falls.