The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946) Samuel Goldwyn Productions/RKO Radio Pictures Director: William Wyler Producer: Samuel Goldwyn Cast: Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Harold Russell, Virginia Mayo. Awards ceremony: -19th Academy Awards: March 13, 1947. Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California. Other films nominated for Best Motion Picture this year: -Henry V. -It's A Wonderful Life. -The Razor's Edge. -The Yearling. Plot summary: Three army veterans returning from war duty find that life as they once knew it has changed irrevocably for each of them. Each man has difficulty adapting to their post-war lives with regards to jobs and relationships. Al Stephenson (FREDRIC MARCH) comes home to his wife (MYRNA LOY) and their two grown-up children. The daughter Peggy takes an instant liking to one of her father's army buddies Fred Derry (DANA ANDREWS) but Fred is married to a somewhat unloving wife played by VIRGINIA MAYO. When she decides to end their marriage Fred tries to get involved with Peggy but her father warns Fred to keep his distance. The third veteran is naval seaman Homer (HAROLD RUSSELL) who returns with them and is handicapped with having lost both of his hands which are replaced with hooks. He feels that his girlfriend Wilma (CATHY O'DONNELL) should look for another man who can take care of her on account of his disability but she sticks with him and they eventually get married. Standout scene: Al and Fred face-to-face over the table in the bar scene where Al lays it out that Fred is not to engage with his daughter in a romantic relationship. The two friends get serious and you can really feel the tension jumping out of the screen as the two face off. Honorable mentions for Homer and Wilma's scene in the bedroom when Homer demonstrates to her the routine he has to go through each night in order to dress and undress himself is touching and we really feel for Homer's predicament. Also, Homer's gun practice in the garage when he becomes frustrated with the kids outside in the yard and smashes his fists through the window. Facts: -The 19th Academy Awards. -Nominated for 8 Academy Awards, it won 7: Best Film, Best Director (William Wyler), Best Actor (Fredric March), Best Supporting Actor (Harold Russell), Film Editing, Adapted Screenplay, Original Song. -William Wyler also directed MRS. MINIVER and BEN-HUR - two films that also won the Best Picture Oscar. -The second Best Picture appearance from Myrna Loy (she was also in THE GREAT ZIEGFELD), and the second Best Picture appearance from Teresa Wright (she was also in MRS. MINIVER). Personal opinion: Whew! I wrote a lot of notes for this one over the course of reviewing it for this project so here goes: At a whopping 2¾ hours in length the stories pertaining to each of the three principal characters are over-stretched and could have been much tighter but some loose editing makes the film feel like it drags at times despite maintaining some quality at the same time. The film was certainly above average but certainly no classic. How this film won the Best Film award over Frank Capra's IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE is anybody's guess? Harold Russell also won Best Supporting Actor for this film, but in all fairness even though I acknowledge that Russell's performance was very good and he draws a lot of sympathy from the viewer... like his character in the movie says, "I don't want anyone to pity me". So I won't. Lionel Barrymore was more deserving of the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for this year for IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (and yet he didn't even get a nomination? Go figure! One of the most famous film characters in the history of movies and good ol' Mr. Potter didn't even get on the short list!) Myrna Loy receiving top billing is also a mystery when there are at least FIVE characters more important to the story being told. Favourite line from the movie was when Teresa Wright just came straight out with "I'm going to break that marriage up!" Whoah! For me, the beautiful-as-always Teresa Wright was the best performance in the film. I liked the aerial footage seen in the first 10 minutes of the plane flying with the three protagonists talking with each other. That was a good visual. That little brat in the drug store messing about with the toy airplane and being a right little shit needed sorting out too! Good - but not great. Did it deserve the Oscar? NO. Not with It's A Wonderful Life being up for the same award, a film which most film fans would agree was superior and is still remembered and loved to this day. 5½/10

Review date: 20 February 2025