The Best Years of Our Lives Reviews and Ratings


  • Yelverton
    November 13, 2009
    Yelverton
    Great movie about post WWII America.
  • PoofyPuff1000
    November 11, 2009
    PoofyPuff1000
    Perfect movie for Veterans Day.
  • ristrawn
    September 4, 2009
    ristrawn
    good & funny... great toast - make sure you're sober enough to do this...
  • SageSlowdive
    August 24, 2009
    SageSlowdive
    A heartbreaking, yet wonderful film about 3 World War II veterens and the world around them when they come home.
  • jscottcorley
    July 1, 2009
    jscottcorley
    Truly groundbreaking film about reconciling life while coping with the trauma of war. Somehow the film manages to not be heavy-handed. March is fantastic. Recommended for everyone.
  • notspam555
    May 30, 2009
    notspam555
    What needed to be said as the USA faced the postwar future.
  • RThornhill
    April 29, 2009
    RThornhill
    well deserving multi-oscar winner.
  • Timschel7
    April 22, 2009
    Timschel7
    This is an outstanding film. as relavant today as when it first came out
  • Bertn60
    April 5, 2009
    Bertn60
    The oldest movie on my list will never be dated.There will always be war,and men who come home from war.Four stars, it also won a bunch of Oscars.
  • malacaynomuerto
    February 13, 2009
    malacaynomuerto
    Tres historias sobre la posguerra de 3 hombres que han participado activamente en ella y al regresar a la "normalidad" se dan cuenta que el mundo los ha dejado rezagados
  • threefolddado
    January 21, 2009
    threefolddado
    Recommended by Mark.
  • Ghw12158
    January 12, 2009
    Ghw12158
    amazing cast story direction
  • yomisso
    December 30, 2008
    yomisso
    this is a great snapshot of what our military men had to deal with when they came back from wwii.
  • holmennnguy
    December 29, 2008
    holmennnguy
    What a remarkable film! Even with a near 3 hour running time, The Best Years Of Our Lives manages to keep your attention the entire way through! Going into it I thought it was going to be really boring, but I was proven wrong. Every single actor did a terrific job. My favorite pa...( read more)rt was at the beginning when the veterans were coming home for the first time. Even to this day this film has lost no impact. Overall a marvelous film!
  • dcrees
    December 22, 2008
    dcrees
    Three military men who don't know each other meet when they are trying to get home. They all live in the same home town. The film shows their struggles in trying to incorporate themselves back into the regular world - a place that they don't seem to fit in anymore. It reminded...( read more) me of when Frodo says that went through it all to save the Shire, but not for him. It's painful, and sad, but probably the most American movie I've ever seen. It's amazing to think that 60 years later, so much is still the same.
  • hypathio7
    November 19, 2008
    hypathio7
    Another social issue movie of the 40's. A topic that continues to be an issue in society since, returning vets adjusting to home life. One performer stands out exceptionally- Harold Russel! He was not an actor, but a real vet, and you can tell his performance is pure truth. E...( read more)ven from WWII it was hard for the three main characters, as played by March, Andrews, and Russell, to overcome the inner conflict that has formed within each one. It's a battle with one's self having seen the things a soldier sees and remembering more innocent times, plus not knowing the reactions of those who stayed home. This movie ends romantically, the main characters find a way to adjust to civilian life without quite so much trouble as vets from later wars perhaps faced. But some strong forces that need overcome are portrayed. Awe inspiring.
  • spencerstilwell
    October 16, 2008
    spencerstilwell
    Honest post-WWII movie.
  • Ingrid85
    October 13, 2008
    Ingrid85
    Wyler making yet another honest masterpiece
  • ifitz
    October 10, 2008
    ifitz
    I LOVED THIS MOVIE! It didn't feel like it was three hours long! It so deserved best picture! It was so good! I loved the story, loved the music, loved the actors, loved it all! It wasn't perfect but it was pretty close! Very, very, very, well done... and now I am ranting! I can'...( read more)t belive they got an actual vetran who lost his hands to do this! He deserved his oscar! And funny! And modern: "Mom, Dad... I am gonna break-up that marriage!" and no protest! SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!
  • kenstachnik
    October 8, 2008
    kenstachnik
    Very good, very long, and very much a melodrama.
  • PvtCaboose91
    September 15, 2008
    PvtCaboose91
    "You know, I had a dream. I dreamt I was home. I've had that same dream hundreds of times before. This time, I wanted to find out if it's really true. Am I really home?"


    William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives is a landmark post-WWII production. The collec

    ...( read more)tive Hollywood wisdom in 1945 was to halt the creation of movies with wartime themes. The movie-going public had just endured a steady 3-year diet of them - escapist combat movies, realistic thrillers, and melodramas concerning conditions on the Home Front were among the variety of war-related productions shoved through the distribution pipeline of Hollywood studios. Probably the most famous WWII-themed film welcomed during the early 1940s was the absolutely remarkable and truly unforgettable Casablanca. With quality such as this being exposed to the global public, there's little wonder why studios felt intimidated by the concept of producing more movies concerning the war-torn worldwide conditions. This prevailing attitude made producer Samuel Goldwyn and director William Wyler's commitment to the novel Glory for Me a commercial long shot.

    Little did the studio or the production team realise that their cinematic rendering of MacKinlay Kantor's successful novel would capture the heart of the nation. Just as Casablanca struck a profound emotional nerve, many veterans saw The Best Years of Our Lives as a potent and poignant reflection of their post-war personal lives. The film is as meaningful, resonant and emotionally powerful today as it was over 6 decades ago. This alone is a tribute to its sheer greatness. It's a melancholy, intelligent, involving and admirably unsentimental masterpiece that set the crucial tone for films to follow in its wake. Wyler was determined to compose a statement that realistically portrayed the changed temperament of society. Consequently, he challenged both customary visual and storytelling conventions in this audacious accomplishment, overflowing with laudable cinematic merit.

    The story is concentrates on the irretrievably altered lives of three World War II veterans. The war has reached its conclusion, and the soldiers are ready to return home. For years combat on the battlefield was all the soldiers knew. They looked forward to seeing their families again and settling into society. The survivors headed home - some carried physical scars such as amputated limbs, but all carried profound mental damage. They returned with the similar basic dream in mind of putting the war behind them and getting back to life as usual, but the reality was different. For those whose primary ability was handling a weapon, employment prospects were scant. Wives and children of survivors had become strangers. Marriages, occasionally initiated on an impulse prior to the man heading overseas, foundered. The Best Years of Our Lives exercises these factors (and others) to create a multi-faceted narrative. Even though the film's social significance has weakened, its dramatic power and bearing hasn't lessened.

    Sergeant Al Stephenson (March), Air Force Captain Fred Derry (Andrews) and Navy grunt Homer Parrish (Russell) are three World War II veterans keen to return to their family and friends. The mixed reactions of the homecoming are perfectly captured: the nervousness and anticipation, the anxiety and excitement. They're all uncertain about the future that lies ahead.
    Al returns to an influential and healthy-paying banking position. He returns to a family who are happy to have him back. He had forever dreamed of his homecoming over his 3-year war campaign, but the reality transpires somewhat differently. There's a noticeable distance between Al and his wife, and, despite their best efforts, they are unable to bridge it. Al soon begins to question the morality of the economic system that is refusing to help the very veterans who fought to keep the nation together.
    Fred returns to a marriage that he hurriedly walked into before being shipped off. His wife Marie (Dayo) is ostensibly not quite as enamoured with him now that he's out of uniform. Fred finds himself unable to hold down a steady job, instead returning his old job as a soda jerk at the local pharmacy. Soon he finds new romance in Al's daughter Peggy (Wright).
    The central two threads of the narrative concern Al and Fred, with another story concerning Homer in between. Homer returns to his family and high school sweetheart Wilma (O'Donnell). During the war Homer lost his hands and now has hooks as a replacement. Those around him find it difficult to adapt to his disability, leaving Homer dissatisfied in his heart. He's additionally unsure about Wilma's feelings towards him. Are they feelings of true love or sheer pity?

    Director William Wyler was known as a perfectionist when it came to directing movies. Wyler sometimes used up to 20 or 30 takes just for one scene to ensure he received the best possible performances from his cast. The man knows how to direct. His dedication to perfectionism shines like the rising sun early in the morning. Every facet of the film is totally involving. From the meticulous sets, marvellous locations and the authentic, uncompromising snapshot of 1940s society - faults are too scarce to count.

    The Best Years of Our Lives is a beautifully-framed movie filled with deep long shots and long takes. The cinematography was courtesy of Gregg Toland, whose credits also include Citizen Kane. Every shot is artistic and magnificent. It evinces an artistic tenacity as it moves from one sterling shot to the other. Wyler was recognised for his efforts and was rightfully awarded a Best Director Oscar. But Wyler's terrific direction wasn't the only recipient at the Oscars. Other Oscar wins included Best Film Editing, Best Writing, Best Music and a few more for the actors. The sound was additionally nominated, but didn't win. Actor Harold Russell won an honorary Oscar for "bringing hope and courage to fellow veterans". In real life, Russell was an amputee who had lost his arms and was forced to use hooks as a replacement. Russell also won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, making him the only person in history to win two Oscars for the same performance. The film also captured top honours at the British Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the New York Film Critics Circle Awards. Beloved by critics and audience alike, The Best Years of Our Lives was not only awarded with rave reviews but it also became the biggest box office success since Gone with the Wind.

    When it comes to the acting department, there isn't a fault to be found. Myrna Loy received top billing as she was a massive box office draw in her era. Her performance is strong, solid and remarkable; giving her character just the right dosage of sardonic wit.
    Veteran actor Fredric March places forth an outstanding performance as a man trying to get his life back together. He's strong, passionate and is wholly credible as a concerned father and a survivor of the war. March received an Oscar, and rightfully so. His long speech before a dinner party will forever remain memorable.
    Dana Andrews is believable and likeable as Fred. He gives his character the right amount of charm and good looks.
    Harold Russell, as I mentioned before, was given two Oscars for his performance. As an actual double amputee, he knew how a family reacts to a disability such as this. His work is credible and amazing here. In the scene where he confronts his fear that his girlfriend can no longer love him due to his disability, he's utterly heartbreaking.
    Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Cathy O'Donnell are the central women of the cast. Just like the males, faults are limited.

    Overall, The Best Years of Our Lives is a sincere, morose character study of the difficulty of social re-adjustment for war veterans. The film runs at a whopping 170 minutes, yet it never feels that long. For its nearly 3-hour duration, this masterpiece is involving and compelling. However it must be said that at 170 minutes, some facets of the story are stretched out a little too excessively.
    Technically, the film is very straightforward. No hyperboles, no glitter, so sweeping manipulation. There is never any need. The camera is plonked in front of characters that seem like real people with realistic problems. The lives, emotions and feelings of the characters are revealed with a sobering ring of truth. The final potent line in particular is a perfect way to conclude the proceedings. As Fred finds his new love, he embraces her and delivers a romantic kiss.

    "You know what it'll be like, don't you Peggy? It may take years to get anywhere. We'll have no money. No decent place to live. We'll have to work, get kicked around."
  • svmainus
    September 6, 2008
    svmainus
    Post War - World War II - returning Vets re-adjusting to their family and daily lives. All star cast and one of my favorite classic tear-jerkers of all time.
  • alexroy69
    August 30, 2008
    alexroy69
    Un film de 1946 d'une durée de 172 minutes sur le retour au foyer de trois combattants de la Seconde Guerre et leur réhabilitation difficile. Ce qui s'annonçait d'une lourdeur insoutenable s'est finalement avéré captivant et agréable. On s'abîme dans l'univers du film dès les pre...( read more)mières minutes, le charisme des acteurs et la fluidité des dialogues aidant. On ne peut s'empêcher de partager la nervosité des protagonistes et de se demander ce qui va bien leur arriver, si tout va bien aller pour eux et à quoi va ressembler la suite de leur vie après cette épreuve affligeante.

    La bonne nouvelle, c'est que Wyler ne s'est pas contenté de simplement présenter des personnages au destin pathétique et aux vies détruites par les souvenirs de la guerre. En fait, ce n'est pas du tout le point ici. Le ton n'est pas tant dramatique que terre à terre. Chacun des personnages s'en sort comme il peut avec ce qu'il a et s'efforce de résoudre ses problèmes particuliers. Comme il avait le nez planté dans son sujet, Wyler a sans doute pu capturer avec plus de nuances les divers problèmes des soldats qui reviennent dans un monde changé avec peu ou pas de ressources.

    Il s'agit d'un grand film, superbement réalisé, avec un souci du détail visuel et psychologique qui lui permet de traverser les années sans prendre une ride et de s'imposer en vibrant témoignage d'une époque compliquée et souffrante pour bien des gens. Se doit de figurer à toute collection de classiques qui se respecte.
  • mjgildea
    August 23, 2008
    mjgildea
    The Best Years of Our Lives is an extremely long but well-constructed and well put together movie. It chronicles the struggles of American servicemen coming home from WWII from all imaginable angles. Great and solid performances all around from Frederic March, Dana Andrews, Myrna...( read more) Loy and the rest of the cast. Any scene that takes place on the inside of an airplane in this movie is stunning (namely the sunrise scene towards the beginning). I'll admit I wasn't in the best of moods when I watched this but I was turned around by the end.
  • lizzardb72688
    August 18, 2008
    lizzardb72688
    This film was pretty ahead of its time actually, and the humor actually made it more relatable to even today's audiences. The film takes place after War World II and follows the lives of three war veterans who meet on their way home. I think this film could easily be adapted to...( read more) modern day experiences but will not live up to the acting in this movie unless you can find another Harold Russell...
  • placeinthesun455
    August 11, 2008
    placeinthesun455
    an honest and enduring slice of suburban post-war American life. three solid hours of real people enduring real problems in real ways - that's probably what I enjoyed most about this film. the writing and the acting are both so dynamically poignant that you feel you're watching...( read more) a story about people you know in your own life, maybe even a little of yourself. nothing's overly withdrawn or cinematic, it's just great human drama with all that goes along with it. there's very little not to enjoy and appreciate about this superbly-made American classic.
  • lgrds
    August 9, 2008
    lgrds
    Oscar for Fredric March!
  • catbox9
    June 28, 2008
    catbox9
    The Best Years of Our Lives tells the story of three World War II veterans returning home and attempting to adjust to civilian life. They all have various sorts of difficulties and wonder if the best years of their lives are behind them. As someone born more than forty years afte...( read more)r the war ended, I found it somewhat difficult to relate to the actors' problems. Despite that flaw, the plot was well-paced and rather interesting so the film was still enjoyable.

    The film features an ensemble cast and everyone does a reasonably good job. Of the ensemble, Fredric March and Dana Andrews seem to be the two principle actors in the film. They both did a pretty good job and March was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance. I felt that Andrews actually had a larger role and was better, but March is probably more famous so that's why he won. The film also has Harold Russell who portrays a sailor who has returned home from war without any hands. Russell himself did not have hands and was not a professional actor. He delivers quite an impressive performance in a supporting role and deservedly won Best Supporting Actor. In fact, he won an honorary Academy Award for this performance as well because the Academy thought he had not shot at winning the actual award and wanted to honor him somehow. He remains the only actor to win two Oscars for the same performance and is one of just two non-professional actors ever to win an Oscar for acting. The film also has Teresa Wright, Myrna Loy, and Cathy O'Donnell all of whom deliver good performances.

    Overall, this film is a pretty good one. As previously mentioned, the film seems somewhat dated in the sense that it is a feel-good post-War film and the War has long since passed. While any old movie is going to be at least somewhat dated, this felt a little more so than average. It's not all that bad, but worth noting - twice in fact. The story is rather uplifting and the ending is a happy one. It's a good movie and worth a watch for those that have three hours to spare.

    83/100
    B-

    UP NEXT: Das Boot.
  • Trequel
    June 23, 2008
    Trequel
    The Best Years of Our Lives is a smart and complex drama that simply astounds. This is partly due to the fact that the acting is believable, as is the script. This made the film easy to sit through, considering its long run time. The filmwork isn't anything special, but that does...( read more)n't really change the way the film looks overall. Trust me, this film is too good to miss.
  • codyfranklin2
    June 1, 2008
    codyfranklin2
    Great film about how WWII vets adapt to home life after the war. Very realistic and timeless with top notch acting. I highly recommend this movie.
  • rubystevens
    May 27, 2008
    rubystevens
    a bit sentimental but still great and remarkably honest portrait of the problems faced by returning veterans of ww2. i wish teresa wright had made more films. beautifully directed by william wyler
  • 01MovieMan
    May 26, 2008
    01MovieMan
    This is a good movie
  • adfill7
    May 18, 2008
    adfill7
    A touching classic film.
  • colette951
    April 22, 2008
    colette951
    A classic! If you have not seen this you better go rent it! Shows how our soldiers feel when they come home from war in WWII. Has a lot of patriotism we can apply in our country today!
  • munro82
    March 29, 2008
    munro82
    The Best Years of Our Lives is a monumental cinematic achievement that leads you on a profound emotional journey through the many shades of humanity.

    The decimation inflicted upon homes and families during WW2 was a harrowing reminder of the destructive nature of humanity, bor...( read more)n from prejudices that continue to infect our planet, inciting intolerance and conflict.

    This idea is poignantly encapsulated by Dana Andrews, Frederick March and Harold Russell; three physically and emotionally scarred veterans, who have endured the horrors of the battlefield and their joyous homecoming has now faded into a painful struggle to reintegrate into a society that has progressed beyond them.

    These three characters are traumatised by war and further afflicted by their own personal circumstances. Andrews' Fred Derry is plagued by nightmares and trapped in a loveless marriage that starves him of the comfort and support he desperately desires. March's Al Stephenson feels like a stranger in his own home. His children have grown almost beyond recognition and his wife has adapted to life without him. Finally, Russell's Homer Parish is consumed by bitterness and self-loathing after losing his hands in combat. He feels inadequate and despises the pity cast upon him, so he isolates himself from his family and friends.

    This establishes the emotional platform, from which the movie soars into the stratosphere of American cinema, fuelled by inspired performances from the three principle actors that tangibly express the torment of their characters and vividly reflect the wounded world of the time; all a result of the darker aspects of human nature.

    However, the resounding message is one of hope and the movie transcends the darkness through a heartfelt exhibition of humanity's capacity for compassion, symbolised by Teresa Wright, Myrna Loy and Cathy O'Donnell, who offer the distressed soldiers kindness and understanding.

    They are the shining light of the movie, leading humanity to redemption and their performances, brimming with wholesome charm, wonderfully complement the male leads, forming a triumphant union of strength and tenderness that proves 'The Best Years of Our Lives' are still to come.
  • MrKurtz
    March 6, 2008
    MrKurtz
    Wyler shows his skill by perfectly blending drama and comedy in this portrait of three ww2 veterans. All characters are wonderfully drawn and multidimensional, the humor is subtle, the problems it touches realistic, and nothing is simply black and white. Alas, although it's a mas...( read more)terpiece of cinematography, it's also a lengthy film (3 hours), and focusing on problems specific to post-war America, making it hard to relate to for most viewers, and maybe just a bit boring.
  • toejambaseball24
    March 6, 2008
    toejambaseball24
    Even though I was forced to watch this for a class, and I fast-forwarded through a lot of it because it's so long and I only had a limited time in the library movie room...I actually really dug it. There is some pretty raw drama in this old flick, and some memorable performances....( read more) I'm sure it deserved its best picture for its year.
  • louisacarolyn
    March 2, 2008
    louisacarolyn
    This film gets 2nd place behind It's a Wonderful Life for being full of capitalist, idealist, & patriotic propoganda.
  • shokwave1
    February 9, 2008
    shokwave1
    Real, exceptional, heart warming and well acted. Harold Russell's performance is incredibly important.
  • crayolaart
    February 4, 2008
    crayolaart
    Great attention-holder!

Summary

The Best Years of Our Lives Summary