It’s A Wonderful Life lapsed into the public domain. Any channel could show it (or stuff it in the schedule) for no money.
In the Clinton error, lapsed copyrights were restored.
It was made by Frank Capra who had a number of films with characters going through highs and lows (and being driven to the brink of suicide). His technique may be considered naive or ham fisted but he was a credible filmmaker (and even made instructional films for the US military during WWII).
Meet John Doe
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
Lost Horizon...
Hollywood has remade each one of those films (and I think only Lost Horizon carries it’s original copyright).
Meet John Doe. It rings with truth even today.