| “The Best Years Of Our Lives” (1946) — movie review |
| Today’s review is for the post-World War II ensemble drama “The Best Years Of Our Lives”, directed by William Wyler and starring Fredric March as Al Stephenson, the middle-aged banker returning home to a world that no longer fits him; Dana Andrews as Fred Derry, the decorated bombardier struggling to find work, purpose, and stability; and Harold Russell as Homer Parrish, the young sailor who lost both hands in the war and must now face the fear of being a burden to those he loves. Supporting roles include Myrna Loy as Milly Stephenson, the emotional ballast of the Stephenson family; Teresa Wright as Peggy, whose clarity and compassion cut through the post-war fog; Virginia Mayo as Marie, Fred’s mismatched wife whose expectations collide with reality; and Cathy O’Donnell as Wilma Cameron, Homer’s childhood / high school sweetheart / fiancée and ultimately, bride. Together, they form a cross-section of American veterans and families trying to rebuild their lives after the upheaval of World War II. |
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| Background: This is my first viewing of this film. This is another of those dozen or so films which was BOTH the Best Picture Oscar winner and the highest grossing film of the year it came out. Released in 1946, “The Best Years Of Our Lives” was both a critical and commercial triumph. It received eight Academy Award nominations and won seven competitive Oscars — including Best Picture, Best Director (Wyler), Best Actor (March), and Best Supporting Actor (Russell), plus an honorary Oscar for Russell’s real-life courage and contribution to the film. Historically, it stands as one of Hollywood’s most significant post-war works: a film that confronted the emotional, economic, and physical challenges faced by returning veterans with honesty and empathy. It remains a landmark in American cinema for its realism, its social conscience, and its refusal to sugarcoat the difficulties of reintegration. |
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| Plot: The story follows three veterans — Al, Fred, and Homer — who meet on a transport plane returning to their shared hometown of Boone City. Al, a sergeant turned banker, comes home to a loving family but finds himself alienated from the routines of civilian life and uneasy with the moral compromises of his profession. Fred, a decorated officer, discovers that his wartime heroism carries no weight in the job market and that his impulsive wartime marriage to Marie is already cracking under the strain of poverty and incompatible expectations. Homer, once a star athlete, now faces the daily challenges of life with prosthetic hooks, convinced that his fiancée Wilma deserves better than a lifetime of care-taking. The film weaves their stories together as each man struggles — quietly, painfully, and sometimes angrily — to reclaim a sense of identity. The narrative builds toward a series of reckonings: Al’s confrontation with the ethics of banking, Fred’s collapse and renewal, and Homer’s acceptance of Wilma’s unwavering love. The film ends with a wedding, a moment of hope that feels earned rather than sentimental. |
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| So, is this movie any good? How’s the acting? The filming / FX? Any problems? And, did I enjoy the film? Short answers: Yes; superb; grounded and intimate; a few; absolutely. |
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| Any good? Yes. “The Best Years Of Our Lives” is one of the most honest and humane films ever made about veterans returning from war. It avoids melodrama and instead focuses on the small, everyday struggles that define reintegration — the awkward silences, the job frustrations, the shifting family dynamics, and the quiet moments of despair. The film’s strength lies in its sincerity: it treats its characters with dignity and refuses to offer easy answers. It’s a long film, but it earns every minute. |
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| Acting: The acting is uniformly excellent. Fredric March gives a layered performance as Al — weary, humorous, frustrated, and deeply human. Dana Andrews is outstanding as Fred, capturing the quiet desperation of a man who once mattered and now feels invisible. Harold Russell, a non-professional actor and real veteran, delivers a performance of remarkable authenticity; his scenes with Wilma are some of the most moving in the film. Myrna Loy and Teresa Wright bring warmth and intelligence to their roles, grounding the emotional arcs of the men. Virginia Mayo is memorable as Marie, playing her with just enough charm and selfishness to make the marriage believable. The ensemble works because every character feels real / lived-in. |
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| Filming / FX: Wyler’s direction is subtle and confident. The cinematography by Gregg Toland uses deep focus to keep multiple emotional threads alive within a single frame — a technique that gives the film a sense of realism and complexity. The production design captures both the comfort and the claustrophobia of post-war American life. There are no “effects” in the modern sense, but the film’s visual language — the long takes, the careful blocking, the attention to physical detail — creates an immersive world. The score is understated, allowing the performances to carry the emotional weight. |
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| Problems: A few. The film’s length may feel slow to modern viewers, particularly in the middle act. Some of the dialogue leans toward speech-making, though it fits the era. Marie’s character is a bit one-note, serving more as a foil than a fully developed person. And while the film is admirably frank about the challenges veterans face, it still wraps things up more neatly than real life often really does (or allows). There are two points which “bothered” me during the viewing: 1) March’s character has a discussion about “the next war” with his high school age son. The son says the next war won’t last more than a few minutes because the world will exchange nuclear weapons with rockets and that’s the end of it. This struck me because the U.S. dropped the bomb in 1945, the movie was released in 1946 and the next country (USSR) to have a nuke wasn’t until 1949! And no country had ICBMs, although some had rockets with a range of a few hundred miles. It struck me as quite a prediction. And, 2) March’s character says they’ve been married TWENTY years, but their oldest child (Peggy) is a qualified nurse / dietician working full time in a hospital. This would have made her age 20-21 at the youngest and probably 22-24, if she had a two year degree (possible) and a year’s training before getting hired full-time. Having a child out of wedlock would have been quite a scandal in those days. None of these issues undermine the film’s overall impact. |
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| Did I enjoy the film? Absolutely. “The Best Years Of Our Lives” is powerful without being manipulative, emotional without being sentimental, and honest without being bleak. The characters feel real, their struggles feel real, and the film’s compassion feels earned. It’s a story about resilience, love, and the quiet courage required to rebuild a life. I found it deeply moving. |
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| Final Recommendation: Very highly recommended. “The Best Years Of Our Lives” is a landmark of American cinema — historically significant for its Academy Awards, its portrayal of veterans, and its influence on post-war storytelling. It strikes me as one of the most humane and emotionally resonant films ever made about the aftermath of war. Watch it for the performances, the craftsmanship, and the timeless reminder that coming home from war is often the hardest battle of all. |
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| Click here (7 March) to see the posts of prior years. I started this blog in late 2009. Daily posting began in late January 2011. Not all of the days in the early years (2009-2010) will have posts. |
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Kevin Barrett's Blog 
Three Came Home
Posted in General Comments, Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, tagged Al Stephenson, Best Actor (March), Best Director (Wyler), Best Picture Oscar, Best Supporting Actor (Russell), Boone City, Cathy O'Donnell, Dana Andrews, Fred Derry, Fredric March, General Comments, Gregg Toland, Harold Russell, Highest Gross Attendance, Homer Parrish, Marie Derry, Milly Stephenson, Movie Reviews, Myrna Loy, Peggy Stephenson, Reviews, Teresa Wright, The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946) — movie review, Very Highly Recommended Movie, Virginia Mayo, Wilma Cameron, World War II on March 7, 2026| Leave a Comment »
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