A fine slice of post-WWII life

Rating: 9/10 (26 June 2005)

This is a real classic, sort of in the same vein as "It's a Wonderful Life", and old fashioned in the same way.
If I were putting together a film series called "Understanding Modern America" or "Best Films About What War Really Does to People", Best Years of Our Lives would definitely be part of it.
The movie follows three soldiers as they come home from the WWII -- one an older rich guy who was a grunt in the war, one a younger poor guy who was a star pilot in the war, and the third a very young soldier who lost both his hands. It is surprisingly modern for its time in the way it depicts the moral and emotional hangover that always follows war, while at the same time being very compassionate toward its main characters and really celebrating what's most beautiful and idealistic about Americans. If you can get past some rather corny acting by the younger females (Myrna Loy is, as always, outstanding as the older guy's wife), and if you'll have some patience with its sort of low-key approach to post-traumatic stress disorder, you'll find a real and thoughtful movie treasure that stays with you a long time after the movie's over.