In 1947, the Oscar for Best Picture went to The Best Years of Our Lives. All in all, it received 8 Oscar nominations and won 7 of those. The film was released just one year after the end of World War II, and it follows three veterans as they return from battle and reintegrate into their families and their public lives.
While slightly dated (no one curses and sex is only alluded to) this is a fantastic film that never once attempts to justify or condemn war, instead it just unfolds all the ramifications that result from one. And it does so amazingly. It is unflinching in showing not only the adoration of those who serve in battle, but the animosity that many have for the elevated adoration soldiers receive. The inner workings of relationships and marriages are spread bare in a manner typically not shown in films of this period.
All three primary characters are continually on the run not only from what they experienced in war but also from the evolution and growth of their families and friends during their absence. The conflicting duality of both things leads each of them to an agonizing stage of loneliness, despite being surrounded by familiarity. The film also does an exemplary job of demonstrating that compensation and suffering are shared experiences not only for those in the military but also for those who remained behind.
Frederic March, Dana Andrews, and Harold Russell (a real-life double amputee) are all wonderful as the returning veterans, but the film is carried equally by Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, and Cathie O’Donnell. Despite being almost 3 hours long, there is not a wasted moment of screen time. Of the 22 films I’ve viewed this year to date, this one is among my favorites.
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