The Best Years of Our Lives

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The Best Years of Our Lives

1946

2h 52m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

98%

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97 Reviews

93%

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10,000+ Ratings

Fred, Al and Homer are three World War II veterans facing difficulties as they re-enter civilian life. Fred (Dana Andrews) is a war hero who, unable to compete with more highly skilled workers, has to return to his low-wage soda jerk job. Bank executive Al (Fredric March) gets into trouble for offering favorable loans to veterans. After losing both hands in the war, Homer (Harold Russell) returns to his loving fiancée, but must struggle to adjust.

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Critics Consensus

An engrossing look at the triumphs and travails of war veterans, The Best Years of Our Lives is concerned specifically with the aftermath of World War II, but its messages speak to the overall American experience.

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Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

03/22/2024

5/5

By the time [the three servicemen] are saying goodbye to each other, all I was thinking about was how I hope they reunite... and being elated that they do.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

07/28/2022

It's too schematic and it drags on after you get the points. However, episodes and details stand out and help to compensate for the soggy plot strands, and there's something absorbing about the banality of its large-scale good intentions.

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Marjory Adams

Boston Globe

04/14/2021

The Best Years Of Our Lives is an eloquent tribute to returned veterans [and] a magnificent, brilliant contribution to motion pictures as an art.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 25

4/4

This enduring classic remains perhaps the best film ever made about the hardships endured by soldiers returning home from war.

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Mark Johnson

Awards Daily

06/08/2023

Perhaps no film detailed the struggles of our heroes returning home from battle as well. Its groundbreakingly authentic views were bolstered by Harold Russell’s visceral and tender-hearted performance.

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Edwin F. Melvin

Christian Science Monitor

08/16/2022

On the surface, the tale seems easy-going and loosely knit. But it is compounded of an abundance of illuminating detail. The characters are of more than one dimension.

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Ashley T.

@ashvsfilm 6d

Poignant and uplifting but also emotional. Impactful story told about veterans coming home right after ww2. Still relevant to veterans to this day. Highly recommend. Bring tissues.

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Craig W.

@CJWolfe27 Dec 27

This is one of the better movies ever made, it is fantastic

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Barbara R

Nov 18

This movie is nearly 80 years old and has aged SOOO well! Each of the veterans has a great story-young love, impetuous love, mature love and even though I've seen it twice in six months, I'm still bawling like a baby. You will care about each and every one of them, promise! My other favorite of all time is "Its a Wonderful Life". So if you love that, this is a poignant touching movie!

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mark g

@Mark_Alan_G. Nov 12

As close to perfection as any movie ever and the definitive post-WWII film. Tremendous performances by an incredible cast. So many films before it were so wrapped up in the heroism of veterans, but none before this focussed on the difficult transition so many of these proud heroes faced. In this movie, three different veterans face three different and difficult post-war transitions. In the end there is optimism, but by no means are their outcomes glorious.

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Perry B

@Louiswin Aug 31

The Best Years of Our Lives tells the story of three men returning from World War II, each struggling to adjust to life back home. Resuming normalcy isn’t as simple as they’d hoped, but the film handles their journeys with honesty and heart. One scene between Homer and Wilma later in the movie is especially touching—truly one of the sweetest moments ever put on film. A beautiful, emotional classic. It truly deserved to win the Oscar for Best Picture released in 1946.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 7

Success in 2 hours and 52 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fantastic cast and crew members!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! William Wyler is the director and starring Fredric March as Al Stephenson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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William Wyler

Director

Fredric March

Al Stephenson

Myrna Loy

Milly Stephenson

Dana Andrews

Fred Derry

Teresa Wright

Peggy Stephenson

Virginia Mayo

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Synopsis

Fred, Al and Homer are three World War II veterans facing difficulties as they re-enter civilian life. Fred (Dana Andrews) is a war hero who, unable to compete with more highly skilled workers, has to return to his low-wage soda jerk job. Bank executive Al (Fredric March) gets into trouble for offering favorable loans to veterans. After losing both hands in the war, Homer (Harold Russell) returns to his loving fiancée, but must struggle to adjust.

Director: William Wyler
Producer: Samuel Goldwyn
Screenwriter: MacKinlay Kantor, Robert E. Sherwood
Distributor: RKO Radio Pictures
Production Co: Samuel Goldwyn Company
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 21, 1946, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2012
Runtime: 2h 52m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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