all it's cracked up to be

Rating: 7/10 (3 June 2003)

Nothing to add, really, to the encomia of praise contained below. I had missed catching this iconic flick several times on TCM and finally caught up with it. I had feared it might be somewhat of a soap opera, but it is an exemplar of the type of film that is able to make the viewer care very deeply about the characters portrayed. The bond that is clearly shown between the three central characters - men who had not previously known each other, either at home or during the war - shows us what a powerful bonding experience fighting for one's country is. They clearly "know" each other in a way that transcends geography and class. In a certain way this movie tells us more about WWII than many of the overtly action flicks.
Another thing that this great movie brings home is the sad difference between moviemaking then and now. What we have here is clearly a powerful story about a shared national experience, with great relevance to people's lives and a strong social commentary, done up as a work of cinematic art, and Sam Goldwyn, William Wyler and all involved knew it. Compare this with the crass way that today's Hollywood churns out the dreck it calls "product", with its eyes on nothing else than the bottom line.

A note: those not familiar with the story of Harold Russell, the amputee who played Homer Parrish and went on to found AMVETS, would do well to look it up. His is a fascinating story. (And IMDB is just the place to look it up!)