It’s a Wonderful Life fans have expressed outrage that Amazon Prime cut a crucial scene from the beloved Christmas classic.
An abridged version of the 1946 film has been edited to leave out a scene that many consider the most important in the movie, which follows the character of businessman George Bailey as he considers taking his own life.
The scene in question, known as the ‘Pottersville scene,’ sees George wish that he had never been born before his guardian angel reminds him that he needs to earn ‘his angel wings.’
In the original version of the movie, George tells the angel that he believes he is worth more dead than alive. The angel then tells George that he does not know all he has done in his life, before showing him a version of a grim world where he never existed.
That’s when George realizes he has a wonderful life and has positively impacted his loved ones, who he is desperate to get back to as the film comes to a resolution.
But in the abridged version of the film on Prime, the moment where the angel tells George he has to earn his wings abruptly cuts to George happily running through the streets after he’s reconciled with his own life – without including what led him to his newfound acceptance.
Fans of the film have been complaining about the version of the film, arguing it leaves out the entire point of the plot.
An abridged version of It’s a Wonderful Life on Amazon Prime excludes a scene that many consider to be the most important of the beloved film, which shows George seeing what the world would be like if he had never been born
One outraged X user wrote: ‘If you want to know what’s wrong with the world, Prime Video has an “abridged” version of It’s a Wonderful Life that removes THE ENTIRE POTTERSVILLE SCENE where George sees life if he wasn’t born. That’s all that abridged. The best most crucial part of the movie. Just. Wow.’
Another said: ‘Brace yourself for the ‘Abridged’ version of It’s A Wonderful Life, which does away with the ENTIRE Pottersville/how it’d be if he was never born bit, and cuts directly to him being totally ok again for no obvious reason. This exists and is on Prime.’
A third X user wrote: ‘I can’t believe how badly Amazon butchered Its a Wonderful Life in their abridged edition! They literally cut from George asking Clarence if he had $8,000, to George running down the street back home, in celebration.’
They added: ‘If you don’t have the movie memorized, this would leave room for no other interpretation besides Clarence handing George $8,000 to solve the problem!’
Amazon Prime has clarified that the full version of the film still remains on their platform.
Moreover, it appears the version of the film was released following a copyright dispute regarding the scene, which was based on a short story.
However, this was not enough for many of the movie’s fans, who claimed the abridged version was the one easiest to find on the platform.
The 1946 film follows the character of businessman George Bailey as he considers taking his own life before he realizes the beauty in his life
One X user wrote: ‘Why do you need an ‘abridged’ version of this? The original is fine. It’s on streaming.
‘You can pause or fast-forward or stop watching if you get bored. Why does this exist?’
Another added: ‘Ok let’s make the polar express but without the train parts. And die hard but without Hans gruber.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to Amazon for comment on this story.
