MOVIE · 1946

The Best Years of Our Lives

DramaRomanceWar172 min

Three World War II veterans return home expecting relief and find that civilian life has changed without them. Fredric March is Al Stephenson, back to a family that has grown up in his absence; Dana Andrews’ Fred Derry comes home to a troubled marriage and a job market that no longer matches his wartime rank. Their paths cross with young sailor Homer Parrish, a former athlete now trying to face friends, family, and his own future after losing both hands. William Wyler’s film follows the uneasy readjustment from military life to kitchens, bedrooms, bars, and offices, where the war still shapes every conversation.