Surprisingly personal film from Wyler

Rating: 10/10 (11 October 2018)

Wyler was a very good director but his films usually have a chameleon like quality where while good they feel like any number of other directors. I think this is why Wyler's stock has gone down over the year. But that is not the case here as it is very clear that a man returning home from WWII was the driving force behind this film. (Wyler served in a filmmaking unit). The film feels very authentic and in the details it rings true.
I like how screenplay did its best to represent as many types of veterans as possible. You get a pilot, infantry, and a sailor. You have struggles around PTSD, physical disability and changes in mores. You have various statuses around relationships. Far to often films like this try to reduce collective experience down to a single narrative but here the very good screenplay resist that urge.
Finally, the film is of course wonderfully acted. For my money Harold Russell gives the most engrossing performance of the film. It is not the most polished performance but it doesn't have to be. It is a raw true performance.
It all adds up to a very good film indeed.