The Best Years of Our Lives

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The Best Years of Our Lives

Released Nov 21, 1946

2h 52m

Drama

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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

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.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 22, 2024

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

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.

Jul 28, 2022

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Marjory Adams

Boston Globe

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

Apr 14, 2021

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Mark Johnson

Awards Daily

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.

Jun 8, 2023

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Edwin F. Melvin

Christian Science Monitor

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.

Aug 16, 2022

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Dilys Powell

Sunday Times (UK)

It has something to say to a dozen other publics... What I regret is that Sherwood, Wyler and Goldwyn should have preferred to say it in such naïve, really such rock-bottom terms.

Aug 8, 2022

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Stephen C

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

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

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Emma F

“The Best Years of Our Lives” is a 1946 film about three veterans struggling to adjust to civilian life after WWII. The film won seven Academy Awards.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/07/25

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Peter G

One of the few older best picture Oscar winners that still holds up significantly today. It demonstrates much of the best work that I have yet seen that director Wyler accomplished as a filmmaker & the performances & dialogue have an immediacy that grabbed my attention straight away. The very first scene between March, Andrews, & Russell had a believability in the characters interaction that was rare in those days & for the most part this carried through the entire film. My primary criticism was the background music which, being fairly typical in films at the time, often detracted from the genuine atmosphere of the rest of the film. The issues presented were done with more realism & imagination than I have yet seen in films of its type for 1946.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/13/24

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Gertrude F

A simple yet great portrayal of three lives. Pieces of time from three ordinary lives. But it's the realness of these three characters, that make the film so gut-wrenchingly emotional.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/21/24

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Christian K

I'm just assuming hundreds, if not thousands, of movies just like this came out in the mid to late 40s. War weary soldiers return home and struggle to assimilate. I enjoyed the relationship between the 3 soldiers mostly; the relationship, career, and family struggles the endure fail to resonate at all for me.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

06/14/24

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Buddy F

Heartbreaking beautiful film about life in America after WWII.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/18/24

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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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