The Best Years of Our Lives is an American classic, directed by William Wyler and produced by Samuel Goldwyn in 1946. The film, which won seven Oscars, shows a depth of insight about the psychological impact of war on the returning soldier that surprised and touched me. Set in a small town in post-World War II America, the movie tracks three men who have served overseas, and blends their stories upon homecoming. Each is excited that the day has finally arrived, but anxious as well. The bombadier played by Dana Andrews comments as they approach their fictitious hometown of Boone City, that they are all "...nervous out of the service."
Talented actors are featured such as Dana Andrews, Fredric March, Myrna Loy, and Teresa Wright, among others. Harold Russell, an actor who had served in the Pacific, played Homer. Russell had lost both hands during a training accident. Some of the movie's most poignant scenes occur between Homer and his childhood sweetheart, Wilma, as they struggle to adjust to his war wounds. Wilma's the brave soldier here - she never wavers in her love for Homer when he nearly gives up, unwilling to burden her with the challenges he will face in life. The three men tried to cope with the conflicts, changes, losses and awkward situations they face upon their homecoming.
I thought of my father and mother and wondered about their reunion after the war as I watched Myrna Loy's and especially Fredric March's understated and honest portrayals. Wonderful acting shines through, such as when Loy realizes that it is her husband whom she hears coming in the front door after years of separation. You can almost see it in the change in her posture — it's a profound moment.
For cinema buffs, the movie features deep-focus cinematography made popular by Orson Welles and his cinematographer in Citizen Kane. In deep-focus, the foreground, middle-ground and background are all in focus. Notice this in the famous "long hallway homecoming" shot.
I thought of my father and mother and wondered about their reunion after the war as I watched Myrna Loy's and especially Fredric March's understated and honest portrayals. Wonderful acting shines through, such as when Loy realizes that it is her husband whom she hears coming in the front door after years of separation. You can almost see it in the change in her posture — it's a profound moment.
For cinema buffs, the movie features deep-focus cinematography made popular by Orson Welles and his cinematographer in Citizen Kane. In deep-focus, the foreground, middle-ground and background are all in focus. Notice this in the famous "long hallway homecoming" shot.
The photo comes from Nell Minow's Movie Mom blog/
