Harold Russell

Rating: 10/10 (22 February 2005)

This is one of my very favorite WWII films. It's both optimistic and pessimistic at the same time with it's look at the past, present, and future. The character of Homer is my favorite. Harold Russell was no real actor. He had no acting experience until his hands were burned off in combat and then he used that disability to help other service men and accident victims. I think the scene that gets me most is when he's in his room alone and it's night and he's looking at all the photos on the wall of his high school career as an athlete. He was prominent in football and basketball and he was what most people consider 'whole' and now he has only hooks for hands and has to live the rest of his life that way. But although he's the character that would probably be the most likely to feel sorry for himself, he's the one that is probably the most grounded in reality. Dana Andrews' struggle to come to grips with who he was and who he is now is excellent as well. All in all this movie is Americana at it's best with the worst scenarios I suppose you could say. The music is wonderful, bittersweet and thoughtful. The casting is pretty well perfect, and it's just a darned good movie to watch for everyone.