A Fine Touchstone and Baramoter of the Emotional Pulse of a Post World War II America!

Rating: 10/10 (20 April 2011)

AT THE END of hostilities in the Greatest Conflict in the History of the World, Hollywood found itself in an all out War Production Mode. From the beginning of American involvement (and dating to the period before our Declaration of War), the Studios had done their part in the area of "Morale Building."
OF COURSE THERE is another word for this particular; a word and practice that is widespread, universally employed by every nation in every time during all wars. In short, the practice is called "Propoganda"; which for some reason continues to take on connotative meaning of something evil. For after all, the word "Propoganda" is derived from the verb "to Propogate; which means "to breed or increase in volume of either plants & animals, or any inanimate objects or ideas."
THAT THE MOVIE Colony did its part in the War Effort truly goes without saying. But, just as the rest of the World would have to readjust itself toward a "Peacetime" Mode; so too would the Movie Studios. But before any state of "normalcy" could be achieved, the chapter about the multi-faceted Global Conflict would have to give way to a Post War, period of "Peacetime". But it is not unreasonable to portray life in transition.
OTHER THAN THE thousands of casualties accumulated during the years following December 7, 1941 to May 8, 1945 ( V E Day) and August 14, 1945 (V J Day), there was much to be considered. What of the walking wounded;being those who bore war caused physical and emotional scars, which they would have to contend with.
THE STORY OPENS up by introducing us to three returning Servicemen' all three headed home to the same town, Boone City; yet all three were strangers to each other, Each man is from a different part of town, a different station in life. The three strangers hitching a ride on board an Army Air Force transport plane are: Army Infantry Sergeant Al Stephenson (Frederick March), Army Air Corps Captain Fred Derry (Dana Andrews) and Navy Seaman First Class Homer Parrish.
IN ADDITION TO their difficulties in returning to civilian life, the hitch in the Armed Forces of World War II; for each man has experienced the unintentional effects of a sort of social engineering. While being an accidental occurrence, the unrelenting dictates of the highly regimented military life remakes each man into whatever the whatever the War Effort demanded.
HENCE, WE SEE that Al Stephenson (Frederich March) appears to be the gruff,working class, middle-aged infantry sergeant. Back in civilian life, Al returns to his role as a banker, with a wife (Myrna Loy) and two grown children (including Teresa Wright). Al lives in an exclusive hotel residence, complete with all the trappings of wealth.
WHEREAS AL STEPHENSON seemed more gruff and working class, Air Force Captain Fred Derry (Dana Andrews), the guy who appeared to have the most in rank, status,position, etc. As it turned out the fly-boy officer was from the poorest section of blue collar tenements. Adding to Fred's re-entry problems is his quickie marriage to flighty floozy, Marie (Virginia Mayo).
OUR LAST PRINCIPAL, Homer Parrish (portrayed by real life amputee veteran, Harold Russell) has to wrestle with his own inner self in coming to terms with living without his hands, and going on to marry his childhood sweetheart, Wilma (Cathy O'Donnell).
PLOT COMPLICATIONS INCLUDE Fred Derry and Peggy Stephenson (Miss Teresa Wright) falling in love. As an act of poetic justice, the very shallow, scatter-brained Marie Derry (Virginia Mayo) announces her intention to seek a divorce; as she goes stepping out with old "friend", Cliffy (Steve Cochran).
EMPLOYMENT TROUBLES, IGNORANT know it all citizens (like the jerk portrayed by Ray Teal) in the Drug Store's Lunch Counter.
AT A RUNNING time of 172 minutes, the film does not seem to be at all excessively long, nor is it ever seem padded out. Nearly 3 full hours transpire, and there appears to be a hopeful, if not exactly "happy ending."
ONE THING IS sure, and that is that after over 60 years of being out there, be it on TV or at a Revival Theatre (such as Chicago's Music Box Theatre on North Southport Avenue), THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES was, and remains one of the greatest films of all time, period!