The Best Years of Our Lives - The Oscar Project Part XIX

By November of 1946, World War II had been over for about a year. In high school I was told about how this was some of the best times that America ever had. Little is ever mentioned about the toll that the war took on the soldiers returning from home. That conversation is left for the Vietnam War and now the Gulf Wars. “The Best Years of Our Lives” is an in depth study of how problems associated with war affected people after World War II and really shows a darker side to that time period that is glossed over in most history books.

The film focuses on the lives of three different characters. Each of them is suffering from effects brought on by their time served in the war. Al, an older gentleman, becomes an alcoholic, Fred, who cannot find a decent job and suffers from flashbacks, and Homer, who has lost both of his hands. Over the course of the film each of the characters are brought to their lowest point before being raised back up again. The film also takes the time to show the audience how family members react to their problems. The three stories intermingle throughout the movie before we are treated to a happy ending were everyone has either gotten over their problems or have accepted them as part of who they are. The ending is a little bit too happy and probably wouldn’t fit in with the cinema of today, but the journey to the happy ending felt earned, so it doesn’t take away too much from the film.

From an acting standpoint the film is solid. Dana Andrews carries the meat of the dramatic portion of the film and he does a very good job of portraying someone who has been deeply affected by the war. Fredric March puts in a solid performance as the alcoholic but it is not to remarkable. The most impressive performance came from Harold Russell, who actually has no hands in real life, since this was his first try at acting. He was able to convey a lot of emotion using his expressions that many actors can never get to. It is a complement to director William Wyler that he gambled here and won. Wyler also created some very intimate settings with the set. I really felt thrust into the lives of these characters when compared to some of the more open sets that previous movies have had.

It was great to see the negative effects of World War II depicted on screen, yet also sad to see that the problems that exist after a war have been around for so long and it seems as if a true support system just can’t be found to avoid these issues. There are several better pictures available that show the after effects of war, but if you want something a little lighter than today’s fare, this would be a good choice. It gets 3.5 out of 5 stars.