The Best Years of Our Lives (film)
"The Best Years of Our Lives" is a 1946 film that explores the challenges faced by three World War II veterans as they return to their hometown of Boone City after the war. The film features notable talents from Hollywood's Golden Age, including producer Samuel Goldwyn, director William Wyler, and screenwriter Robert E. Sherwood. The narrative revolves around Al Stephenson, a bank officer struggling to advocate for veterans, Fred Derry, who faces difficulties in finding meaningful employment, and Homer Parrish, a Navy veteran adapting to life after losing his arms during the war.
The movie addresses the often-overlooked struggles of veterans adjusting to civilian life, contrary to the prevailing cultural narrative of a smooth reintegration into postwar prosperity. It poignantly captures the personal triumphs of the characters as they navigate their respective challenges, ultimately showcasing themes of resilience and love. With its rich storytelling and character development, "The Best Years of Our Lives" serves as a significant commentary on the complexities of veteran reintegration and remains impactful in American cinema history.
The Best Years of Our Lives (film)
Identification Feature film about three World War II veterans returning home to the same town and adjusting to civilian life after the war
Director William Wyler (1902-1981)
Date Released on November 21, 1946
During the mid-1940’s, when 16 million Americans were readjusting to civilian life following service in World War II, The Best Years of Our Lives was the quintessential Hollywood film on the topic. It was a major box-office success and won seven Academy Awards, including best picture and best director.
The Best Years of Our Lives brought together some of Hollywood’s greatest talents from the 1940’s. Producer Samuel Goldwyn was known for quality productions that were also profitable. Director William Wyler was a perfectionist who elicited award-winning performances. Cinematographer Gregg Toland was known for his innovative deep-focus camerawork in Citizen Kane (1941). Screenwriter Robert E. Sherwood was a celebrated playwright and former speechwriter for President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The film begins with three veterans returning to their hometown, Boone City, somewhere in the Midwest. The eldest is Al Stephenson (played by Fredric March), an Army sergeant who quickly resumes his position in banking but is troubled by the bank’s reluctance to grant loans to veterans. Fred Derry (Dana Andrews), the highest ranking of the three, served as an Army Air Forces captain but cannot find a job better than soda jerk in a drugstore. Homer Parrish (Harold Russell) is a Navy veteran who lost both forearms in a shipboard explosion and now uses prosthetic metal hooks for hands. In the end, each overcomes his problems. Al stands up to his superiors at the bank; Fred finds a job converting wartime scrap into construction material for new houses; and Homer discovers that his girlfriend, Wilma (Cathy O’Donnell), still genuinely loves him.
Impact
Although American popular culture typically regards World War II as the “good war,” from which victorious veterans readjusted painlessly into postwar affluence, The Best Years of Our Lives presents a different pattern, albeit one with a Hollywood happy ending. Readjustment for veterans of any war—good or otherwise—is difficult, and the film succeeds in presenting this subject.
Bibliography
Beidler, Philip D. “Remembering The Best Years of Our Lives.” Virginia Quarterly Review 72, no. 4 (1996): 589-604.
Gerber, David A. “Heroes and Misfits: The Troubled Social Reintegration of Disabled Veterans in The Best Years of Our Lives.” American Quarterly 46, no. 4 (1994): 545-574.
Hoppenstand, Gary, Floyd Barrows, and Erik Lunde. “Bringing the War Home: William Wyler and World War II.” Film and History 27, nos. 1-4 (1997): 108-118.