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The Best Years of Our Lives

Play trailer Poster for The Best Years of Our Lives 1946 2h 52m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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97% Tomatometer 106 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Fred, Al and Homer are three World War II veterans facing difficulties as they re-enter civilian life. Fred (Dana Andrews) is a war hero who, unable to compete with more highly skilled workers, has to return to his low-wage soda jerk job. Bank executive Al (Fredric March) gets into trouble for offering favorable loans to veterans. After losing both hands in the war, Homer (Harold Russell) returns to his loving fiancée, but must struggle to adjust.
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The Best Years of Our Lives

The Best Years of Our Lives

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Critics Consensus

An engrossing look at the triumphs and travails of war veterans, The Best Years of Our Lives is concerned specifically with the aftermath of World War II, but its messages speak to the overall American experience.

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Critics Reviews

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Paul Jones Atlanta Journal-Constitution Feb 3, 2026
It is warm and human, almost to the extent of being documentary. Go to Full Review Roly Young Globe and Mail Feb 3, 2026
Best Years is a long picture that never hurries itself, goes into a great deal of extraneous detail, but never allows your interest to lag. Go to Full Review Manny Farber The New Republic Feb 3, 2026
This is one of those rare films in which a pose or a gesture stands out so significantly that you feel that the cameraman had as much to do with the story as the director and writer. Go to Full Review Carson Timar ClapperCast May 16, 2026
The Best Years of Our Lives is exceptional. Deeply emotional and daring, this is one of the overlooked greats of American Cinema. Go to Full Review Buffalo News Staff Buffalo News Feb 3, 2026
Problems of the returning war veteran are depicted sympathetically and intelligently. Go to Full Review Mercury Staff The Mercury (Australia) Feb 3, 2026
4/4
Harold Russell's work is superb and will gain the sympathy of any audience. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Curtis M @RT24102748 Mar 12, 2026 The Best Years of Our Lives affected me in the most unexpected way. This film felt deeply human and far exceeded my expectations. With its daunting three-hour runtime, I worried I might lose interest, but it held my full attention throughout—even moving me to tears… more than once. See more Kenneth G. @schmicky Feb 12, 2026 It’s not like watching actors in the movie. It’s like watching real people going through heartwarming times See more Phil H. @PapercutsAndJumpcuts Feb 8, 2026 The Best Years of Our Lives starts where war movies usually end… & shows what victory actually leaves behind. The film trusts small moments - jobs, marriages, bar conversations - more than speeches, & that’s why it hits. Harold Russell quietly walks away with the movie because reality always beats acting, and he’s as real as it gets, both onscreen and IRL. It’s not nostalgia so much as a reckoning with what survival actually costs. A beautiful film. See more Ashley T. @ashvsfilm Jan 22, 2026 Poignant and uplifting but also emotional. Impactful story told about veterans coming home right after ww2. Still relevant to veterans to this day. Highly recommend. Bring tissues. See more Craig W. @CJWolfe27 Dec 27, 2025 This is one of the better movies ever made, it is fantastic See more Barbara R @RT26258622 Nov 18, 2025 This movie is nearly 80 years old and has aged SOOO well! Each of the veterans has a great story-young love, impetuous love, mature love and even though I've seen it twice in six months, I'm still bawling like a baby. You will care about each and every one of them, promise! My other favorite of all time is "Its a Wonderful Life". So if you love that, this is a poignant touching movie! See more Read all reviews
The Best Years of Our Lives

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Cast & Crew

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William Wyler

Director

Fredric March

Al Stephenson

Myrna Loy

Milly Stephenson

Dana Andrews

Fred Derry

Teresa Wright

Peggy Stephenson

Virginia Mayo

Marie Derry

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The Best Years of Our Lives

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) "The Best Years of Our Lives" stars Dana Andrews and Virginia Mayo as Fred and Marie Derry. Director William Wyler shows off his motor scooter skills while on location filming the drama "The Best Years of Our Lives." "The Best Years of Our Lives" stars Teresa Wright as Peggy Stephenson and Dana Andrews as war veteran Fred Derry. "The Best Years of Our Lives" stars (l to r) Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Frederic March, Hoagy Carmichael and Harold Russell. "The Best Years of Our Lives" features Harold Russell and Hoagy Carmichael. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Fred, Al and Homer are three World War II veterans facing difficulties as they re-enter civilian life. Fred (Dana Andrews) is a war hero who, unable to compete with more highly skilled workers, has to return to his low-wage soda jerk job. Bank executive Al (Fredric March) gets into trouble for offering favorable loans to veterans. After losing both hands in the war, Homer (Harold Russell) returns to his loving fiancée, but must struggle to adjust.
Director
William Wyler
Producer
Samuel Goldwyn
Screenwriter
MacKinlay Kantor, Robert E. Sherwood
Distributor
RKO Radio Pictures
Production Co
Samuel Goldwyn Company
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 21, 1946, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2012
Runtime
2h 52m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)
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