Three lives altered some for the better some for the worse.

Rating: 8/10 (18 November 1999)

From William Wyler comes a true American classic motion picture. The tale of three G.I.'s returning to their hometown after serving in WWII. Each must adapt to their new lives which have been forever altered by their war time experience. The film is now over fifty years old but its story and message is just as new as when this film came out. Two of the three G.I.'s future seems somewhat secure. Frederic March as Al Stephenson an Army Sergeant returns to his family although a little changed due to the natural process of maturing regarding his children. He returns to his job in a bank and even though he is hitting the booze a little the viewer gets the feeling that he will settle down in time and because of his war experience will be a better man for it. Harold Russell himself a wounded veteran portrays Homer Parrish a Navy veteran who lost both hands during a sea battle. He will be provided for financially by a disability pension and even though his life will never be what it was before losing both hands the viewer also gets the feeling that he will make out in time. Then there is the Dana Andrews character Army Air Force Captain Fred Derry the only officer of the three. He was nothing more than an attendant at the local drug store soda fountain before his country called. He now returns to his hometown an Officer and a Gentleman and decorated war hero. Sadly that's about all he has going for him. This was the one character as I watched this film and thought `Now this guy would have been better off to have stayed in the service' Of course he probably for the purpose of the story had been forced out due to man power cutting.

I found his plight the most interesting. He looks full of confidence and intelligence in his dress uniform but when he steps out of it and dons civilian attire he resembles nothing more than a down on his luck schmuck. Perhaps no other actor during the time this film was made could have pulled that off except Dana Andrews. He gives every indication that he will be come one of many WWII veterans who returned to their hometowns and found life boring and mundane compared to the 100% life living experience of being in the military during time of war. Eventually many would wind up hanging out at the local American Legion or VFW posts knocking back the booze and reliving perhaps for many literally the best years of their lives.
The triple story line is handled very well with their paths crossing during the course of the film. Romance, marital woes even a brief questioning of America's involvement in WWII are also included in the picture. A story such as this would never have been told on the silver screen before or even during the war but it showed that films were changing in both content and depiction.