Sep 13

Jennifer Hoewe, "Enjoyment Is Breaking News: How We Became Less Informed and More Divided (and How to Fix It)" (MIT Press, 2026)

Why we crave enjoyment from news, how our news use divides us, and what we can do to create better news and more informed citizens. TikTok. Short-form reels. Late-night TV monologues. Podcasts. The way news is delivered has changed dramatically and so has the way we consume it. N ... Show More

52m 14s

Sep 8

Claudia Verhoeven, "Love and Terror: The Helter-Skelter History of the Manson Murders" (Verso, 2026)

Love and Terror, The Helter Skelter History of the Manson Murders (Verso, 2026) is the most recent addition to the hundreds of books and films devoted to the killings committed by Charlie Manson’s followers in Los Angeles in August 1969. What is different about this work is that ... Show More

1h 5m

Sep 8

Lucas L. Johnson II, "Remembering Roots: How an American Classic Transformed the World" (Broadleaf Books, 2026)

As we approach the 50th anniversaries of Alex Haley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Roots (1976) and its landmark television adaptation (1977), journalist and storyteller Lucas L. Johnson II reflects on the enduring legacy of Haley’s work through the voices of those it continues t ... Show More

44m 26s

Dec 2025

Michael Newton, "It's a Wonderful Life" (British Film Institute, 2023)

Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life is one of the best-loved films of Classical Hollywood cinema, a story of despair and redemption in the aftermath of war that is one of the central movies of the 1940s, and a key text in America's understanding of itself. This is a film that rem ... Show More

1h 2m

Dec 2023

Novara FM: It’s A Wonderful Life w/ James Butler

Released in 1946, Frank Capra’s fable of Christmas despair in small town America has become – rather improbably – a staple of festive television. Starring Jimmy Stewart as virtuous everyman George Bailey, It’s A Wonderful Life is not just a feelgood tale of moral redemption, but ... Show More

1h 11m

Dec 2021

It’s A Wonderful Premiere

Festive favourite 'It’s a Wonderful Life' originated as a short story transcribed into Christmas cards by its author Philip Van Doren Stern. But it received disappointing box office returns following its premiere on 20th December, 1946 - and was not considered ‘a classic’ for dec ... Show More

11m 50s

Dec 2020

It's a Wonderful Life

In December 1946, the classic Christmas film "It's a Wonderful Life" had its premiere in Hollywood. Starring Jimmy Stewart, the movie's message of hope and redemption is loved by millions. Simon Watts talks to former child star, Karolyn Grimes, who played six-year-old Zuzu Bailey ... Show More

10m 22s

Dec 2020

Film special

<p>We hear from eye-witnesses to some classic moments in cinema history – from It’s a Wonderful Life to Satyajit Ray’s Apu trilogy via Studio Ghibli, the Sound of Music and Charlie Chaplin’s Great Dictator.</p><p>Plus, film critic Helen O’Hara tells us about the history of Christ ... Show More

50m 2s

Dec 2023

It's a Wonderful Life Part 2

There are dozens of great holiday movies out there but none has a greater emotional punch for Steve and John than Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. As far as The Cine-Files are concerned, this one is the GOAT. If you haven't seen this incredible film you can buy or stream it r ... Show More

2h 49m

Dec 2022

It's A Wonderful Life

In episode six of A Cinematic Christmas Journey, Peter Billingsley and Nick Schenk are discussing It's A Wonderful Life. They discuss the legendary and brave career of Jimmy Stewart, the error that led to this movie's rise to popularity, and more as they go through the central th ... Show More

41m 23s

May 2013

The Great Gatsby

A new film of the great American novel premieres at the Cannes film festival this week. Hear from two people with close links to its author F Scott Fitzgerald.(Image: F.Scott Fitzgerald. Credit: Associated Press)

9m 2s

Michael Newton, "It's a Wonderful Life" ...