Returning Home

#37—The Best Years of Our Lives

I have heard that it is very hard for career criminals to settle themselves back into normal life. Prison is all that they know and for some, life outside of that prison is to chaotic that they will do anything to get themselves back into the system. I have also heard the same for returning soldiers from war. If not from PTSD or life without a ‘mission’, soldiers sometimes have a difficult time letting go of what they just came home from. In 1946 an American Film Institute 100 Years…100 Movies film took a look at this very subject from the aspect of returning World War II veterans with The Best Years of Our Lives.

Three servicemen have come home to their small town in middle America. Fred Derry (Dana Andrews Laura) was a decorated bombardier during the war and wants to build on that type of prestige in his civil life. Derry wants desperately to leave his previous life of working at the local drug store behind and make a fresh start. Army sergeant Al Stephenson (Fredric March A Star is Born) is returning to a life a little more luxurious because before the war Al was a banker and loved family man. However, Al must deal with a bit of a drinking problem. Though the one soldier returning home that has the most to adjust to is Homer Parrish (Harold Russell), a Navy sailor that lost his hands when the aircraft carrier he was serving on sank. Homer must get past his insecurities about his hands so that he may marry the love of his life.

In a way I found this film very ironic since nothing has really changed about soldiers coming home from war and how the coupe with being home. Now I can say that the American people have treated them a little better now than the American people depicted in this film, but it is still eye opening on how hard things can be for soldiers out of war. I believe that this is the best thing about this film, just the performances be the three leading men.

There is really no ‘greatest performance’ from this film, but I can say that each of the three leads to sell their struggle very well. Stephenson is the least effected but his return home. He is returning to a lavish lifestyle anyway, but apparently his drinking has become worse. Stephenson does show how hard his character tries to cover his anguish by drinking. Andrews, I think, does a wonderful job getting the audience to see the determination that his character has to change his life. Derry is stuck in a circle of disappointment that he will do anything to change it. Derry wants to be respected the way he was respected in the Army. Though much of my respect goes to Harold Russell who really lost his hands in World War II. The natural acting he has in the film is what really sells the movie. Not a Humphrey Bogart by any stretch, but Russell is able to make this character charming and strong-willed.

Not much to say on the direction part has there was nothing really spectacular with that aspect of the film, but I do have to show some honor to director William Wyler (Ben-Hur) and his bold statement about how we treated our returning World War II vets. Though most were welcomed back as heroes, we still need to be reminded that there were a lot of people that disagreed with the war (like always) and mistreated the returning soldiers. They were blamed for the loss of lives and many were worried about jobs that could be potentially lost to the returning veterans. Wyler took a stand and tried to show that we didn’t need to treat our heroes this way.

Even though I thought that the 3 hours length was a tad too long, I did enjoy the film. The Best Years of Our Lives is a good look into Post-World War II America and the difficulties everyone faced during this time, not just the soldiers returning home. With great leading men and a respectful supporting cast, The Best Years of Our Lives is a film has its own place among film history, just maybe a little lower on this list.

The Verdict: Worth Your Time. Should Be Lower on List.