The Best Years of Our Lives

A really good movie which garnered many well deserved awards, including Best Picture. The story is well written, telling of a difficult time in post-war America from the perspective of three returning servicemen reuniting with their families. The acting is wonderful. Harold Russell, who was from North Sydney, Nova Scotia, is the only person in history to have won 2 Oscars for the same role, as well as having the shortest film career for an Oscar recipient (3 movies). This classic is well worth finding and watching. I give it a 9 (superb) out of 10. [Post-War Drama]

‘Best Years...’ is a classic post-WW2 drama that focuses on the social issues surrounding American soldiers returning home after being off to war for multiple years. When one thinks of that era, most think about the baby-boomer generation, the affluent futures to come, and the rise of the new American superpower that came out almost intact as Europe and Asia were busy rebuilding for many years to come. However, it wasn’t all roses and sunshine for these soldiers. They had to become re-acquainted with the civilized world and get their lives back in order, after spending years off-seas fighting Nazis in Europe and Japs in the Pacific.

This film concerns three such soldiers, including an Army Sergeant Al (Fredric March), Air Force Officer Fred (Dana Andrews), and a warship sailor Homer (Harold Russell), who return home excited but also afraid of what they will find. The three have interesting circumstances, which I won’t detail to avoid spoilers. Al had been away from his wife and kids. Fred had his wife, and Homer had a fiancée and family. They return to their families with battle scars, both mental and physical, but with hopes of overcoming with a helping hand from their families, friends, and the public. They soon realize what was a joyous dream come true soon becomes a nightmare for each for different reasons. The stories are compelling and an insightful window into the era. The acting is spectacular and genuine by the entire cast. Director William Wyler is meticulous in his attention to detail, depicting each scene and issue sincerely. Cinematography is done right to reflect the realism. Some issues covered are difficult to tackle, but it’s masterfully done. Even after 78 years, ‘Best Years...’ stands the test of time.

Would I recommend this? A resounding yes. It’s a must-watch. The film is under 3 hours long, but you never feel it. I agree with IMDB listing it as one of the top 250 movies of all time. I would put it somewhere inside the top 100. It won 7 Oscars including Best Picture in 1947, and I rarely say this, but it’s well-deserved (although I prefer Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life”).

One of the first movies that tackles the problem faced by many war veterans returning home and encountering trouble reintegrating into society. PTSD before it became a household term.

Beautiful (if a tad simple to modern sensibilities) exploration of post-war integration for returning soldiers. It's remarkable as a historical document, to see the attitudes of the time, but of course the struggle never ends so it retains its modern relevance. Part of me wishes Wyler had focused more on the women, as all four were often more interesting than the men (especially Loy and Wright, who are forever two of my favorite actresses of the era.) I appreciated Wyler's direction the most during a few layered sequences, where the deep focus cinematography really paid off. (A phone call gets made at one point while Home triumphantly plays the piano and it's devastating.)

This must of been the perfect movie for the time and place when it came out. It's still a good movie today. Some great performances, especially Harold Russell. The story is well written. It's a bit melodramatic and long.

It’s an ok movie. Keeps your attention over the three hour running time and it doesn’t really get boring. But there are no stand out moments either.

Not sure why it is held in such esteem though. There are plenty of movies from this time that are superior. A number of which are also directed by Wyler.

It’s ok but i was expecting a little better.

6/10

Nothing really happens in the almost 3 hours that this is long. It’s not boring per se, but there’s nothing memorable or special about this.