400th post - A Classic Movie

The Best Years of Our Lives - (1946) This is one of those legendary movies that you hear about long before you see them.  As classics so often are it is not only a movie of its time but of all time as well.  The issues it touches on are every bit as topical now as then.

Three veterans return to the small town where they live at the end of World War II. One a banker, one a former soda jerk and one a sailor who has lost both his hands in the war.  Each of them face problems trying to return to civilian life after years away in war zones.  Al (Frederic March) returns to a family that has grown up and learned to adapt to a different way of life than he left behind.  His wife Milly (Myrna Loy) and daughter Peggy (Teresa Wright) are smart competent women but they aren't the woman and little girl he left behind.  Al's return to his job at the local bank presents problems as well because his understanding of what's important have changed.  Meanwhile Fred (Dana Andrews) knows he wants no part of his old job as a soda jerk.  The problem is that he has no experience and no education.  His wife married him after they met at his training base and isn't happy that her officer husband is now her unemployed husband.  Finally there's Homer, the sailor who lost his hands.  In their place are two sets of hooks.  Homer is used to them but his family and his girl struggle with the change in him.

The actor who played Homer, Harold Russell, is worth an essay all on his own.  Born in Canada Russell had moved to the States as a child.  When the war broke out he enlisted and while working on an Army training film (of all things) an explosive damaged his hands so badly they had to be amputated.  The hooks you see in the movie are his in real life.  Russell brings an honest, natural style to his role.  Director William Wyler wanted that untrained naturalness and was furious when producer Samuel Goldwyn sent Russell off for acting lessons prior to the start of filming.  Russell is the only actor to win two Academy Awards for the same role. The Academy was sure that a virtual amateur couldn't win in the Best Supporting category.  They gave Russell a special Oscar for his inspiration to returning veterans and then he promptly turned around and won the other award as well (He beat out Charles Coburn, William DeMarest, Claude Rains and Clifton Webb).

The movie touches on such contemporary issues as Post Traumatic Shock Disorder, re-entry issues, the economy after a major economic change and more.  The performances are excellent walking the line between some very serious subjects while never descending into something too dark.  Wyler is a great director whose name isn't as well known today as it once was.  The movie picked up a handful of Oscars (Best Picture, Director, Lead Actor, Supporting Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Dramatic Score and Film Editing) and was a huge critical and box office hit.  Great story, great cast, great director.

I'm glad I've finally gotten the chance to see this movie.  It more than lived up to its reputation.

Rating - **** Recommended