My vote for best American film of all-time

Rating: 10/10 (11 July 2006)

Wow. I have a ton of reviews and never got around to reviewing one of my very favorite films. While I know you can't really say which movie is best, I really can't think of another film off the top of my head that is better. I can easily see how it made the top 250 and think it would probably be rated a lot higher if it had come out recently--as the 250 is very much skewed towards newer films.
I think the biggest reason I love the film is the casting. While Frederic March and Dana Andrews were genuine stars at the time, they were not huge names like Gable, Stewart or Grant. I love these three actors but think the film benefited from March (who was no longer the handsome matinée idol he'd been in the 30s) and Andrews (who played an "everyman"-type guy in most of his films). Plus, the genius of casting Harold Russell as the third returning serviceman cannot be minimized. While I hate movies that patronize the handicapped (I have a deaf daughter and cringe at patronizing), Russell's performance was anything but and was amazingly honest and powerful--earning him a very well-deserved special Oscar for his performance, not his disability. The family and friends of these men also worked out so very well. I just can't say enough positive about it.
And, of course, the choice of actors and the type performance they gave was due in large part to William Wyler--my vote as the greatest director ever. Why he is not recognized as every bit the genius that Fellini, Bergman, Hitchcock, Kurosawa or Kubrick were, I don't know (actually, I think he was far better than all these directors with the exception of Kurosawa, but that's a discussion for another place). If you don't believe me about his genius, do an IMDb search on the films he made--no other director comes close in the sheer number of great films. Plus, watch the film at least two or three times and you'll notice all the fantastic scenes--wonderful camera shots (like the ones in the nosecone of the airplane) or scenes involving real people (such as the one with Harold Russell with his fiancé as she tucks him into bed--I am fighting off tears now just thinking about it).
This film also has an unbelievable script--pure, real and captivating throughout! A film about returning war vets could have been trite or jingoistic, but this one maintains it dignity and humanity throughout. I challenge you to watch this and not be impressed. Unless you are a member or Al-Qaeda or a 100% America-hater, you will be hooked. And this means that French or British or Italians or those of any other nationality should be able to find so much to love and appreciate from this film than transcends nations.