The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

• Year: 1946
• Released: 29 May 1947
• Country: United States
• Adwords: Won 7 Oscars. 21 wins & 4 nominations total
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036868/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_best_years_of_our_lives
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-best-years-of-our-lives
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English
• MPA Rating: Approved
• Genre: Drama, Romance, War
• Runtime: 170 min
• Writer: Robert E. Sherwood, MacKinlay Kantor
• Director: William Wyler
• Cast: Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Fredric March
• Keywords: world war ii, black and white, war veteran, post traumatic stress disorder, rehabilitation,

	8.1/10
	93/100

The Best Years of Our Lives Storyline

At the end of World War II, a soldier, a sailor and an airman return to their home town of Boone City and must re-adjust to the society they had left several years before. Al Stephenson was a banker before joining up. He is older than your average war veteran and gets home to find that his children have grown up and faces the difficult task of re-establishing an intimate relationship with his loving wife. At work, Al is promoted but now finds it difficult to be the hardhearted banker he seemingly once was. Fred Derry was an Air Force Officer and Bombardier but realizes on his return that he has no marketable skills and finds himself in his old job at the pharmacy working as a soda jerk. He also finds that he had married in haste and that his wife, whom he’d only known for a few weeks when they married during his flight training, isn’t quite as enamored with him now that he’s out of uniform. Lastly, there is Homer Parrish who lost both of his hands in a shipboard fire. He’s become quite adept at using the prosthetics the Navy has provided him but resents the pity he sees in others eyes. He had hoped to marry his childhood sweetheart but is no longer sure he can burden her with his own physical limitations. All three men become fast friends and with Fred Derry’s marriage falling apart, he finds himself falling in love with Al’s daughter, Peggy. In the end, all three finds ways to move forward with their lives.

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The Best Years of Our Lives Movie Reviews

My vote for best American film of all-time

Wow. I have a ton of reviews and never got around to reviewing one of my very favorite films. While I know you can’t really say which movie is best, I really can’t think of another film off the top of my head that is better. I can easily see how it made the top 250 and think it would probably be rated a lot higher if it had come out recently–as the 250 is very much skewed towards newer films.

I think the biggest reason I love the film is the casting. While Frederic March and Dana Andrews were genuine stars at the time, they were not huge names like Gable, Stewart or Grant. I love these three actors but think the film benefited from March (who was no longer the handsome matinée idol he’d been in the 30s) and Andrews (who played an “everyman”-type guy in most of his films). Plus, the genius of casting Harold Russell as the third returning serviceman cannot be minimized. While I hate movies that patronize the handicapped (I have a deaf daughter and cringe at patronizing), Russell’s performance was anything but and was amazingly honest and powerful–earning him a very well-deserved special Oscar for his performance, not his disability. The family and friends of these men also worked out so very well. I just can’t say enough positive about it.

And, of course, the choice of actors and the type performance they gave was due in large part to William Wyler–my vote as the greatest director ever. Why he is not recognized as every bit the genius that Fellini, Bergman, Hitchcock, Kurosawa or Kubrick were, I don’t know (actually, I think he was far better than all these directors with the exception of Kurosawa, but that’s a discussion for another place). If you don’t believe me about his genius, do an IMDb search on the films he made–no other director comes close in the sheer number of great films. Plus, watch the film at least two or three times and you’ll notice all the fantastic scenes–wonderful camera shots (like the ones in the nosecone of the airplane) or scenes involving real people (such as the one with Harold Russell with his fiancé as she tucks him into bed–I am fighting off tears now just thinking about it).

This film also has an unbelievable script–pure, real and captivating throughout! A film about returning war vets could have been trite or jingoistic, but this one maintains it dignity and humanity throughout. I challenge you to watch this and not be impressed. Unless you are a member or Al-Qaeda or a 100% America-hater, you will be hooked. And this means that French or British or Italians or those of any other nationality should be able to find so much to love and appreciate from this film than transcends nations.

An amazing movie

I love movies, old and new, and I just love The Best Years of Our Lives. While It’s a Wonderful Life is my personal favourite movie of the year 1946, The Best Years of Our Loves is an amazing,timeless movie and a more than worthy Best Picture.

First of all, the film looks exquisite. The costumes, lighting and settings are beautiful and don’t date the film in any way, and not only are the shots in The Best Years of Our Lives adeptly composed but they enhance the mood to very moving effect.

I love the score too, it is very poignant-sounding and stays true to all the other film scores of that time, however it doesn’t feel too overly romantic or mushy. The script is thoughtfully written, the story is always well paced, engaging and never fails to touch me, the characters are well defined and William Wyler’s direction is immaculate.

The acting is superb. Myrna Loy and Teresa Wright are lovely actresses and manage to do a lot with their roles, Harold Russell and Cathy O’Donnell are wonderful and I don’t think I have ever seen Dana Andrews this good. Fredric March also gives one of the best performances of his career.

In conclusion, amazing. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Wanted to Hate It…Couldn’t Help But Love It

I disagree with those who only went so far as to call “The Best Years of Our Lives” one of the best movies about returning servicemen. I believe it is one of the best movies ever made, period. It alternates with “Casablanca” for my all-time favorite movie, depending on which one I have seen most recently.

The best compliment I can pay to this movie is that I hold it in such high regard despite having gone into my first viewing wanting to hate it. How dare this film win the best picture Oscar over my favorite movie (at the time) “It’s a Wonderful Life,” went my thinking. But when I saw “Best Years,” I was blown away and I understood.

“Best Years” has an unbelievable number of scenes that bring a tear to the eye or a lump to the throat, with only a couple of those being the result of sadness, and with most being caused by beautiful depictions of love, loyalty, pride, patriotism, or the overcoming of personal adversity. I only need to hear the opening strains of the Homer and Wilma theme music before the bedroom scene to start losing it.

What I enjoy most about the plot is how steadfast all of the lead women are, each in their own unique way. I know Harold Russell and Fredric March won the Oscars– and they were great– but for me, Dana Andrews as Fred and the wonderful Teresa Wright as Peggy are the standouts. I find Fred’s statement that Peggy should be put into mass production to be very apt.

One final aspect of the movie that fascinates me is how it can be such a perfect time-capsule of 1940s America, yet still not feel dated in terms of its human interactions.

I am on the clock, waiting for my next opportunity to enjoy this complete and utter masterpiece!