Viewers are furious after Amazon Prime removed ‘the most important scene’ from It’s A Wonderful Life

It’s a Wonderful Life fans have expressed outrage that Amazon Prime cut a crucial scene from the beloved Christmas classic.

A shortened version of the 1946 film has been edited to omit a scene many consider the most important in the film, which follows businessman George Bailey’s character as he contemplates taking his own life.

The scene in question, known as the ‘Pottersville scene’, sees George wishing he had never been born before his guardian angel reminds him to earn ‘his angel wings’.

In the original version of the film, George tells the angel that he believes he is worth more dead than alive. The angel then tells George that he doesn’t know everything he’s done in his life before showing him a version of a grim world where he never existed.

It is then that George realizes that he has a wonderful life and has had a positive impact on his loved ones that he is desperate to return to as the film reaches a resolution.

But in the abbreviated version of the film about Prime, the moment when the angel tells George to earn his wings suddenly cuts to George happily running through the streets, having come to terms with his own life – not including, what led him to his newfound acceptance.

Fans of the film have complained about the film version, claiming that it misses the whole point of the plot.

One outraged X user wrote: ‘If you want to know what’s wrong with the world, Prime Video has a “shortened” version of It’s a Wonderful Life that removes the ENTIRE POTTERSVILLE SCENE where George sees life if he didn’t stay born. That’s all in a nutshell. The best and most crucial part of the film. Just. Wow.’

Another said: ‘Get ready for the ‘abridged’ version of It’s A Wonderful Life which does away with ALL of Pottersville/what it would be like if he was never born bit and cuts straight to him being all right again for no apparent 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 version! They literally cut from George asking Clarence if he had $8,000 to George running down the street at home to celebrate.’

They added: ‘If you don’t have the movie memorized, this wouldn’t leave room for any other interpretation than 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.

Also, it seems that the film version was released after a copyright dispute regarding the scene, which was based on a short story.

However, this was not enough for many of the film’s fans, who claimed that the shortened version was the easiest to find on the platform.

An X user wrote: ‘Why do you need a ‘shortened’ 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 do the polar express but without the train parts. And die hard, but without His pits.’

DailyMail.com has contacted Amazon for comment on this story.