WWII Comes Home to Brood

Rating: 10/10 (25 November 2005)

There is no finer depiction of post-war middle America than this thoughtfully engrossing black and white film. The men and their families hope against hope that for the survivors the war was left overseas, but they are changed forever. Grownups will cope in their fashion and that is the hopeful message. Was there ever a finer group of old Hollywood talent put to better use? Goldwyn and Wyler's best. Savor performances of Andrews (also terrific in combat film A Walk in the Sun), Wright, March, Loy and others. It is no spoiler to say the sight of Andrews character sitting in de-activated bomber is haunting. And we know from the first scene and movie history that Harold Russell essentially played himself -- a double hand amputee.