The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

Robert E. Sherwood (screenplay)
MacKinlay Kantor (novel)

Release Date:

3 October 1947 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

THE SCREEN'S GREATEST LOVE STORY IS THE BEST FILM THIS YEAR FROM HOLLYWOOD!

Plot:

Three WWII veterans return home to small-town America to discover that they and their families have been irreparably changed.

Plot Keywords:

Veteran | Marriage | Love | Banker | Soda Jerk

Awards:

Won 7 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Myrna Loy	...	Milly Stephenson
Fredric March	...	Al Stephenson (as Frederic March)
Dana Andrews	...	Fred Derry
Teresa Wright	...	Peggy Stephenson
Virginia Mayo	...	Marie Derry
Cathy O'Donnell	...	Wilma Cameron
Hoagy Carmichael	...	Butch Engle
Harold Russell	...	Homer Parrish
Gladys George	...	Hortense Derry
Roman Bohnen	...	Pat Derry
Ray Collins	...	Mr. Milton
Minna Gombell	...	Mrs. Parrish
Walter Baldwin	...	Mr. Parrish
Steve Cochran	...	Cliff
Dorothy Adams	...	Mrs. Cameron

Also Known As:

Glory for Me (USA) (working title)
Home Again (USA) (working title)
Samuel Goldwyn's The Best Years of Our Lives (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

172 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | West Germany:12 (f) | South Korea:15 (2002) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Argentina:13 | Australia:G | Australia:PG (alternate rating) | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #11972)

Filming Locations:

Long Beach Airport - 4101 E. Donald Douglas Drive, Long Beach, California, USA

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

To avoid awkwardness when he first met his fellow cast members, Harold Russell made a point of reaching out with his hooks and taking their hands, thus putting them at ease with his disability.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Fredric March's name is misspelled as "Frederic" March in the closing credits.

Quotes:

Al Stephenson: I've seen nothing, I should have stayed at home and found out what was really going on.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "21 Jump Street: Best Years of Your Life (#2.20)" (1988)

Refreshing To See

Very glad to see that this excellent film gets such high marks from the users of IMDB. The Best Years of Their Lives remains the finest cinematic statement about veterans returning from war that I have come across. Easily the finest performance by the often overlooked Frederick March. In fact the entire cast shines, including music legend Hoagy Carmichael who treats us all with a subtle version of his classic Lazy River. I would recommend this excellent film to anyone who loves movies.