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Frank Capra

Director

Frank Capra

Born May 18, 1897 in Bisacquino, Sicilia, ItaliaDied September 3, 199160 films

Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was a Sicilian-born American film director and a creative force behind a number of films of the 1930s and 1940s, including It Happened One Night (1934), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), You Can't Take It With You (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Meet John Doe (1941), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946). His films often deal with rags-to-riches stories wich has led film historians such as Ian Freer to consider him the "American Dream personified".

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The best way into Frank Capra's work
It's a Wonderful Life posterFirst watchIt's a Wonderful Life19468.3George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
It Happened One Night poster7.8It Happened One Night1934Mr. Smith Goes to Washington poster7.8Mr. Smith Goes to Washington1939Arsenic and Old Lace poster7.6Arsenic and Old Lace1944You Can't Take It with You poster7.5You Can't Take It with You1938Mr. Deeds Goes to Town poster7.5Mr. Deeds Goes to Town1936Meet John Doe poster7.3Meet John Doe1941Lost Horizon poster6.9Lost Horizon1937Pocketful of Miracles poster7.3Pocketful of Miracles1961

Filmography

60 films as director
  1. 2000Why We Fight: World War II: The Battle of China / War Comes to AmericaDirector
  2. 1964Rendezvous in SpaceDirector
  3. 1961Pocketful of MiraclesDirector
  4. 1959A Hole in the HeadDirector
  5. 1957The Strange Case of the Cosmic RaysDirector
  6. 1957Hemo the MagnificentDirector
  7. 1956Our Mr. SunDirector
  8. 1952The Fallbrook StoryDirector
  9. 1951Here Comes the GroomDirector
  10. 1950Riding HighDirector
  11. 1948State of the UnionDirector
  12. 1946It's a Wonderful LifeDirector
  13. 1945Here Is GermanyDirector
  14. 1945Know Your Enemy: JapanDirector
  15. 1945War Comes to AmericaDirector
  16. 1945Two Down and One to GoDirector
  17. 1945Your Job in GermanyDirector
  18. 1945Our Job in JapanDirector
  19. 1944G.I. JournalDirector
  20. 1944Why We Fight: The Battle of ChinaDirector
  21. 1944Arsenic and Old LaceDirector
  22. 1944Attack! The Battle for New BritainDirector
  23. 1944Tunisian VictoryDirector
  24. 1944Attack in the PacificDirector
  25. 1943Why We Fight: The Battle of RussiaDirector
  26. 1943Why We Fight: The Battle of BritainDirector
  27. 1943Why We Fight: Divide and ConquerDirector
  28. 1943Why We Fight: The Nazis StrikeDirector
  29. 1942Why We Fight: Prelude to WarDirector
  30. 1941Meet John DoeDirector
  31. 1939Mr. Smith Goes to WashingtonDirector
  32. 1938You Can't Take It with YouDirector
  33. 1937Lost HorizonDirector
  34. 1936Mr. Deeds Goes to TownDirector
  35. 1934Broadway BillDirector
  36. 1934It Happened One NightDirector
  37. 1933Lady for a DayDirector
  38. 1933The Bitter Tea of General YenDirector
  39. 1932American MadnessDirector
  40. 1932ForbiddenDirector
  41. 1931Platinum BlondeDirector
  42. 1931The Miracle WomanDirector
  43. 1931DirigibleDirector
  44. 1930Rain or ShineDirector
  45. 1930Ladies of LeisureDirector
  46. 1929FlightDirector
  47. 1929The Donovan AffairDirector
  48. 1929The Younger GenerationDirector
  49. 1928SubmarineDirector
  50. 1928The Power of the PressDirector
  51. 1928Say It with SablesDirector
  52. 1928The Way of the StrongDirector
  53. 1928The Matinee IdolDirector
  54. 1928So This Is LoveDirector
  55. 1928That Certain ThingDirector
  56. 1927For the Love of MikeDirector
  57. 1927Long PantsDirector
  58. 1926The Strong ManDirector
  59. 1922Fulta Fisher's Boarding HouseDirector
  60. 1921The Italian Warship LibiaDirector