Last night the American Film Institute presented the list of Top 100 Most Inspiring American Films in a three-hour television special on CBS. A jury of 1,500 film artists, critics and historians awarded the classic, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, starring James Stewart, with the honor of most inspirational movie of all time. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, SCHINDLER’S LIST, ROCKY and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON completed the top five.
100 Cheers: America’s Most Inspiring Movies counted down the list with commentary from some of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors and filmmakers, including Don Cheadle, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Kingsley, Sidney Poitier, Mickey Rooney and Steven Spielberg.
"The past few years have not been easy in America–from September 11th to the devastation of hurricanes," reminded Jean Picker Firstenberg, AFI’s Director and CEO. . .
In fact, the study finds, both young people and older people think that young people are happier than older people — when in fact research has shown the opposite. And while both older and younger adults tend to equate old age with unhappiness for other people, individuals tend to think they’ll be happier than most in their old age. 
