Fans of the classic film "It’s a Wonderful Life" expressed outrage over a modified version available on Amazon Prime Video, which lacks a crucial sequence. This shorter rendition of the beloved 1946 movie, featuring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, has drawn criticism for omitting significant emotional content, prompting accusations of being “butchered.”
On Christmas Day, the New York Post highlighted viewer dissatisfaction, with many taking to social media to voice their discontent, labeling the cut version as “an abomination” and “sacrilege.” In response to the backlash, a search for the film revealed several options, including a clearly marked "abridged" version, described as having a "condensed ending" while still containing the essence of the original story.
This alteration is tied to the film's copyright history, having entered the public domain due to a failure to renew its copyright in 1974. This lapse allowed widespread airing of the film without royalties, contributing to its status as a holiday staple. The Post clarified that the shortened version's existence is not a result of Amazon's editing but rather the legal circumstances surrounding the film.