It's a Wonderful Life Scene 7 Summary

Show Me the Money

  • Mary is pregnant. Great news, right?
  • The senior angel explains that George and Mary had more kids and that George never left Bedford Falls. Potter kept putting pressure on him, though.
  • Oh, yeah, now we remember that this story is being told to Clarence to catch him up on George's life before the present time.
  • When World War II broke out, everyone supported the effort.
  • The angel explains everything that the townspeople did: joining the Red Cross, fighting in the war, etc.
  • Harry became a decorated war hero, winning the Congressional Medal of Honor for saving a transport ship full of soldiers. George served as an air warden and did various service at home.
  • After the war ends, at Christmas, they get news about Harry's Medal of Honor at the Building and Loan. George is really happy for him.
  • A bank examiner comes to see George, and George admits that they're basically broke.
  • Billy runs into Potter at his bank as he's about to deposit $8,000 to cover their customers' deposits. He tells Potter about the Medal of Honor and says George would have been a hero, too, but he couldn't go to war because of his bad ear.
  • Billy absentmindedly leaves the money on a desk, and Potter finds it. And keeps it.
  • Billy is frantic; he can't find the money anywhere.
  • At the office, George is giving Violet a loan for her to go start a new life in New York. He wishes her luck. She kisses him on the cheek, and the other people in the bank look at him weirdly before Violet wipes the lipstick stain off with a tissue.
  • Billy tracks down George and tells him about losing the money.
  • This is an epic disaster. It means bankruptcy and scandal; George could go to prison.