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I love "It's a Wonderful Life" and the end always seems to get me in the gut, but when one goes even just an inch past the surface in analyzing it, one is forced to realize that the movie fails to be a truly inspirational film because it relies too much on George Bailey's life being perfect to begin with. He had an extraordinarily beautiful wife who was completely devoted to him (she was an old maid in the alternate reality. An old maid!), plenty of fine children, a nice house, a good if struggling business, and friends all over town. Maybe he missed out on trips to Paris and being an architect, but so what?

The movie could have depicted true sacrifice. George's life in present day could have really sucked (no beautiful wife or kids, no friends all over town, etc.), but he could have been shown how his sacrifice benefited others. Then, at the end, George goes back to his little hovel, alone, knowing that he made a difference. Sure, it wouldn't have had the Disney ending, but it would have been a truer tale of "Christ's teachings being put into action by a Believer."