It's a Wonderful Life with Mary Owen and TCM's Alicia Malone

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Doors Open: 5:00pm  |  Caroling: 5:30pm  |  Discussion with Mary Owen: 6:00pm  |  Movie: 6:30pm

 

Celebrate the holiday season with Frank Capra’s beloved 1946 classic, starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, and Lionel Barrymore. Before the movie, enjoy festive pre-show caroling by students from Statement Arts, accompanied by our Robert Morton "Wonder" Organ, and a special interview with Mary Owen, daughter of Donna Reed, hosted by TCM's Alicia Malone. Directed by Frank Capra and written by Francis Goodrich, Albert Hackett, and Frank Capra, the movie runs 2 hours, 10 minutes and will be screened on DCP.

 

This screening is part of our Wonder Organ for a Wonderful Life fundraising campaign—an ongoing effort to make our Robert Morton "Wonder" Organ sing for the holidays! Thanks to dozens of long-time and first-time supporters, we raised over $30,000 to allow our friends at the New York Theatre Organ Society (NYTOS) to restore several pipes so the organ can accompany our pre-show caroling with Statement Arts.

 

It's a Wonderful Life also continues the Movies at the Palace Season of Community, celebrating 95 years serving the community of Washington Heights. To learn more about our 2025 season, click here. 

 

Please note: The Season of Community is a different series than Movies at the Palace with Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is not scheduled to be at this screening.

 

 

Alicia Malone

Alicia Malone is a host on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and the host of TCM Imports, showcasing cinematic treasures from around the world each Sunday. 

 

Malone is an authority on classic, independent, and foreign films, and is passionate about supporting women in film. As an author, Malone’s three books – Backwards and in Heels, The Female Gaze, and Girls on Film: Lessons From a Life of Watching Women in Movies – explore the accomplishments and obstacles women have faced throughout cinema’s history. She has also given two TEDx talks on the subject.

Malone’s dedication to film history and supporting women filmmakers saw her named one of LA Weekly’s People of 2019, and one of 100 #WorthyWomen of 2016. She can also be seen on the Criterion Channel and as the host of Focus Features' ‘Reel Destinations’ series. Malone is on the board of directors of The Strand Theatre, a historic movie house in Rockland, Maine.

 

She also has two recent book releases: TCM Imports: Timeless Favorites and Hidden Gems of World Cinema, guide to an absorbing a curated selection of cinema from around the world; and Film Fashion Icons, a colorful deck of style inspiration from classic hollywood.

 

Previously, Malone was the host of FilmStruck, TCM’s streaming service for movie lovers, and was the host and creator of Fandango’s series ‘Indie Movie Guide.’ Malone began her television career two decades ago in her native Australia, working behind the scenes as a writer, producer, and editor for movie-centric television shows. Her expertise in film saw her transition to host, interviewer, and film critic for television, radio, print, and online. In 2011, Malone moved to Los Angeles, and since then has appeared as a film expert on a variety of television channels and programs, including CNN’s ‘The Movies’ documentary series, MSNBC, Access Hollywood, E!, Entertainment Tonight, MTV, and ABC’s 2019 ‘Live from the Red Carpet’ Oscar pre-show.

 

In high school, Malone was voted “Most Likely to See Her Name Up in Lights.”  She campaigned hard for that title because she thought it would look good in her future biography.

 

 

United Palace History  

The ornate United Palace opened in 1930 as the Loew's 175th Street Theatre, a deluxe movie theater and vaudeville house, the last of the five Wonder Theaters in New York City and New Jersey. Its first act as a movie theater ended in April 1969 with a screening of 2001: A Space Odyssey. 

 

With a groundswell of community support and our good friend, patron, and neighbor Lin-Manuel Miranda, movies returned to the United Palace in 2013. Since then, we have screened over 100 feature films, from world premieres (In the Heights, Halftime, and Rebecca as part of the Tribeca Festival) to all-time classics (It's A Wonderful Life), and community favorites (Mad Hot Ballroom). 

 

Our goal is to have the cinematic experience come alive for audiences too used to watching movies on their phones or TVs. 

 

One of our highest compliments came from Robert DeNiro who, speaking before a 50th anniversary screening of The Godfather, described watching a movie at the United Palace as: “The moviegoing experience doesn't get any better.”