The story of three servicemen from World War II returning to civilian life.

Rating: 5/10 (17 May 2005)

I watched this movie again last night and wondered how it can possibly be in the 250 top films on the IMDb.
It has a stellar cast but a labored delivery of the plot-line, particularly with the Stephenson and Derry Families, who are adjusting to civilian life after the return from World War II of their soldier husbands.
Myrna Loy as Milly Stephenson hardly has any role at all in this nearly three hour movie. Her role could have easily been written out as she has precious few motherly or wifely duties, other than to take away intoxicating drinks from her lush husband.
Frederic March as Al Stephenson is wooden as a drunk and not an authority figure for his family at all. In only one scene does he prove that he isn't a wimp and that occurs when he tells his daughter to mind her own business and get out of Fred Derry's love life.
Teresa Wright as Peggy, the Stephenson's daughter, is talented and polished in all of her scenes, and is one of the few reasons for watching the movie at all though her scene at the end is contrived.
Dana Andrews as Fred Derry appears to want to run away from reality in every scene he is in. One can understand why his wife played by Virginia Mayo has so many affairs.
Harold Russell is THE reason for watching this movie and deserves the two Oscars he won for playing the role of Homer Parrish, who lost his hands in the war and uses prosthetic 'hooks' remarkably well.
When you watch this movie and think about it, the title could have been "The Worst Years of Our Lives" and nobody would have known the difference.