A favourite fable

Rating: Null/10 (24 August 2009)

How does one begin to describe this piece of work. We have the Airforce bomber Fred Derry,infantryman Sergeant Al Stephenson and sailor Homer Parrish returning home to Boon Town.They fly home on a stopping flight into peace time.They bond and in the cab ride home they all talk about meeting at Butch's at sometime.Homer has lost his hands in naval service and is naturally anxious about how his family and especially his child sweetheart will react-Homer meets his family and Velma his girlfriend rushes to him with a look of love and feeling that is difficult to describe -he in return cannot hug her.Fred returns To his parents to see where his new barely known bride is (married quickly before the start of the war)He senses that something is not right when they tell him she moved out.Al returns to his wife and family where he initially meets his son and daughter and then his wife -- there reunion as they see each other is a time stop moment.William Wyler is a genius filmmaker and this film is probably his best.There are scenes that you look forward to seeing again and again.Fred telling his wife all the money has been spent and that will stay in, the reunion with Al Homer and Fred at Butches.Peggy putting Fred to bed , making him breakfast and dropping him back home in the morning ( Agaain a moment of tension as he cannot get into his apartment a second time and turns back towards Peggy as if a romance will start between them and the door is opened and he is all of a sudden let in )These incredibly strong moments happen again and again through this film.It is so difficult to single out the actors individually but one can try. Frederic March is subtle /large and you believe he was in the infantry and had learnt a few dirty tricks, Talk about a fully rounded portrayal! For me he has great moments throughout this film his firmly telling his daughter Peggy off when she says she has fallen in love - his drunk and hungover scenes which are subtle and beautifully graded , of course his speech at works dinner where his integrity and strength are on show , his threat to Fred and for me just one little moment where he opens his eyes to Fred just as the taxicab drives off! Wow.Dana Andrews gives a career best performance -- He has pride and will not take his soda jerk job and then has to.He has a nobility and you seem him start to fall in genuine love -- at one point Al knocks him out of his reverie and Dana Andrews makes you see this -- it is so real.Harold Russell as Homer Parrish is natural and restrained , the love around him is tangible and when he finally lets Velma 'in' the tears well up in the viewer --this might sound schmaltzy but it isn't at any moment.Teresa Wright as Peggy is strong,sensitive and discreet and you could see why she would attract Fred's attention and Cathy O'Donnell's Velma doesn't seem to be acting at all -- her love for Homer is beautiful to behold! William Wyler's direction is faultless and how he draws out the truth from these actors is a near miracle-Gregg Tollands photography has unforgettable effects in the story telling -- for example --Homer and Al are talking and Fred makes a very important phone call -- even though Al and Homer are central -- you cannot take your eyes off Fred making that call and leaving-- GENIUS