Discovering James Stewart

Part of the Series: Discovering Film

James Stewart achieved stardom for his portrayal of the ordinary man who battles against the throes of adversity as highlighted in two of his most loved films, Mr Smith Goes to Washington and It's a Wonderful Life. Stewart was to work with Hollywood's finest directors including John Ford, Frank Capra, and Alfred Hitchcock and appear in films that are now engraved with the true meaning of classic such as The Philadelphia Story (his only Academy Award), Destry Rides Again, The Rope, Rear Window and Vertigo.

One of the first Hollywood actors to be called for service in World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, flying twenty missions over Germany. Stewart's contribution to his country and to cinema earned him prestigious awards, including lifetime achievement citations from the Cannes Film Festival and the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts In It's a Wonderful Life, his own favourite film. It has become one of the world's truly classic films for Christmas.