The ultimate screen classic...a timeless masterpiece!

Rating: Null/10 (8 May 2001)

The homecoming of three war veterans leads to the reality of altered lives and the inability to communicate the horrors of war in William Wyler's inspired postwar saga, 'The Best Years of Our Lives'. A key ingredient in its huge success was the perfect casting of the leads. Dana Andrews had the role of a lifetime as a bomber pilot who cannot adjust to civilian life, confronted with the realization that his wife (Virginia Mayo) is a tramp and his job situation is hopeless. Fredric March, as a banker, and Harold Russell, as a seaman minus both hands, are followed as they attempt to reunite with their loved ones.
Under Wyler's direction, the film emerged as the most honest and unflinching look at the shattered lives of servicemen forced to rebuild their civilian lives while dependent on the help of family and friends. Winner of many Oscars, it certainly merited a nomination for Dana Andrews but he did not receive one. This fine actor was always at his best in his decent victim guise and gave a compelling portrait of a bitter man. A particularly poignant scene has him climbing up into the nose of one of the B-17s in a junkyard, reliving fleeting memories of the war that has changed his life forever.
All of the actors do outstanding work--Fredric March (Oscar winner for his role as the banker), Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Russell and Cathy O'Donnell. Seeing it is a powerfully moving experience--one of the great post-World War II films of all time.