What Makes "The Best Years of Our Lives" Great?

One of the most influential filmmakers of the classic Hollywood era, William Wyler's 1946 Best Picture winner still holds up to this day. This is thanks to the film's terrific ensemble that helps craft an honest and human story.

The film follows three veterans from different branches of the military who meet on their flight home to their small hometown after WW2. After arriving home and returning to their friends and family, the three soon struggle in different areas of adjusting to life at home.

Released just a year after WW2 had ended, the film's story presents itself as a fascinating time capsule that still holds meaning today. After the war, all the constant parades and reunions were an easy distraction from the challenges that faced these veterans and the country. Fred Derry, a bombardier in the Army Air Corp hopes to land a respectful and well-paying job, but the post-war job market is so crowded that he is forced to return to his position before the war as a soda jerk. His wife whom he married before his deployment is frustrated at this lack of success. At the same time, Fred is struggling with PTSD in the form of nightmares from his time overseas. Al Stephenson, an older family man who was an army sergeant is given a promotion at the bank he worked at, but his time in the war has left him winded, and he soon turns to alcohol. He also begins using his new position to help fellow veterans secure loans. Homer Parrish, a sailor in the navy who lost both his arms becomes frustrated at how people look at him differently due to this despite being quite functional with his metal hooks. He also wonders if his lover Wilma will still want him and thinks she might be better off without him.

All of these struggles that the characters deal with are each given the time and honesty they deserve. William Wyler served in the Army Air Corps making documentaries, so it's no surprise that this was the film he wanted to make after returning from the war. It's this level of authenticity that Whyler brings to the film that makes it work. The three central performances of Fredric March, Dana Andrews, and Harold Russel also bring great life into the film. Russel especially stands out as the disabled Homer. Russel was a real WW2 veteran who had lost his hands and had no acting experience prior to the film. Whyler cast him after seeing him in the short army film Diary of a Sergent, and it was a decision that paid off beautifully. You can tell that the material hit home for Russel and you'd be surprised watching him that he had no professional experience as a film actor. The scene where Homer takes off his metal hooks for Wilma and shows how helpless he is without them is the most powerful scene in the film, and Russel helps elevate it.

The film doesn't present an easy fix to any of the problems that the three men face either. By the end of the film, not everything has been resolved and it's clear there are still going to be challenges for them. But the film still ends on a hopeful note that as long as they surround themselves with people who love them, they'll be able to get through it.

The Best Years of Our Lives has lost hardly any of its impact. This is thanks to three great performances and a level of realism that keeps it grounded and focused.