THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES [1946 / 2020] [Warner Archive Collection] [Blu-ray] [USA Release] The Screen’s Greatest Love Story! The Most Honoured Picture of Our Time!
It is the hope that sustains the spirit of every GI: the dream of the day when he will finally return home. For three World War II veterans, the day has arrived. But for each man, the dream is about to become a nightmare.
Captain Fred Derry [Dana Andrews] is returning to a loveless marriage; Sergeant Al Stephenson [Fredric March] is a stranger to a family that has grown up without him; and young sailor Homer Parrish [Harold Russell] is tormented by the loss of his hands. Can each man find the courage to rebuild his world? Or are the best years of their lives a thing of the past?
Featuring a brilliant cast that includes Myrna Loy and Virginia Mayo, this post-war classic garnered eight Oscars®, including Best Picture. Heart-wrenching, touching and filled with emotional dynamite (The Hollywood Reporter), it remains “one of the best films about war veterans ever made” (American Movie Classics Magazine).
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1946 National Board of Review, USA: Win: NBR Award for Best Director for William Wyler. Win: NBR Award for Top Ten Films. 1946 New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Win: Best Film. Win: Best Director for William Wyler. Nominated: Best Actor for Fredric March. 1947 Academy Awards®: Win: Honorary Award for bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans through his appearance in ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.’ Win: Best Picture for Samuel Goldwyn Productions. Win: Best Actor in a Leading Role for Fredric March [Fredric March was not present at the awards ceremony. Cathy O'Donnell accepted the award on his behalf]. Win: Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Harold Russell. Win: Best Director for William Wyler. Win: Best Writing for a Screenplay for Robert E. Sherwood. Win: Best Film Editing for Daniel Mandell. Win: Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture for Hugo Friedhofer. Nominated: Best Sound Recording for Gordon Sawyer (Samuel Goldwyn SSD). 1947 Golden Globes: Win: Best Picture. Win: Special Award for Harold Russell for best non-professional acting. 1948 Bodil Awards: Win: Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film) for William Wyler (director). 1948 Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain: Win: Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera) [USA]. 1948 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival: Win: Best Director. Win: Honorable Recognition for The Screenplay for Robert E. Sherwood (writer). Nominated: Best Film for William Wyler. 1949 BAFTA Awards: Win: BAFTA Film Award for Best Film from any Source 1947 for William Wyler accepted by Jane Wyman on behalf of William Wyler]. 1989 National Film Preservation Board, USA: Win: National Film Registry for ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.’ 2007 Online Film & Television Association: Win: OFTA Film Hall of Fame for ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ Motion Picture.
FILM FACT No.2: Samuel Goldwyn was inspired to produce a film about veterans after reading an article on the 7th August, 1944, in the Time magazine about the difficulties experienced by men returning to civilian life. Goldwyn hired former war correspondent MacKinlay Kantor to write a screenplay. MacKinlay Kantor’s work was first published as a novella, “Glory for Me,” in which MacKinlay Kantor wrote in blank verse. Robert E. Sherwood then adapted the novella as a screenplay. Director William Wyler had flown combat missions over Europe in filming ‘Memphis Belle’ [1944], and worked hard to get accurate depictions of the combat veterans he had encountered. William Wyler changed the original casting that had featured a veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and sought out Harold Russell, a non-actor, to take on the exacting role of Homer Parrish. Recounting the interrelated story of three veterans right after the end of World War II, ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ began filming just over seven months after the war's end, starting on the 15th April, 1946 at a variety of locations, including the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California, Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, and the Samuel Goldwyn/Warner Hollywood Studios. ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ cinematographer Gregg Toland used deep focus photography, in which objects both close to and distant from the camera are in sharp focus. For the passage of Fred Derry's reliving a combat mission while sitting in the remains of a former bomber, William Wyler used "zoom" effects to simulate Fred Derry's subjective state.
Cast: Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Cathy O'Donnell, Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Russell, Gladys George, Roman Bohnen, Ray Collins, Minna Gombell, Walter Baldwin, Steve Cochran, Dorothy Adams, Don Beddoe, Marlene Aames, Charles Halton, Ray Teal, Howland Chamberlain, Dean White, Erskine Sanford, Michael Hall, Victor Cutler, Jimmy Ames (uncredited), Carol Andrews (uncredited), Mary Arden (uncredited), Harry Cheshire (uncredited), Sidney Clute (uncredited), Joyce Compton (uncredited), James Conaty (uncredited), Heinie Conklin (uncredited), Bert Conway (uncredited), Clancy Cooper (uncredited), Mady Correll (uncredited), Roy Darmour (uncredited), Hal K. Dawson (uncredited), Lawrence Dobkin (uncredited), Lester Dorr (uncredited), Claire Du Brey (uncredited), Tom Dugan (uncredited), Edward Earle (uncredited), Blake Edwards (uncredited), Billy Engle (uncredited), Ben Erway (uncredited), Doris June Fesetta (uncredited), Pat Flaherty (uncredited), Tennessee Ernie Ford [Nightclub / Hillbilly Singer] (uncredited), Louise Franklin (uncredited), Harry Gillette (uncredited), Dick Gordon (uncredited), Earle Hodgins (uncredited), Stuart Holmes (uncredited), Ray Hyke (uncredited), John Ince (uncredited), Teddy Infuhr (uncredited), Jackie Jackson (uncredited), Georgia Kane (uncredited), Robert Karnes (uncredited), Kenner G. Kemp (uncredited), Donald Kerr (uncredited), Gene Krupa [Musician / Drum Solo] (archive footage) (uncredited), Alyn Lockwood (uncredited), Wilbur Mack (uncredited), Susan Mann (uncredited), Thomas Martin (uncredited), Michael Mauree (uncredited), Doreen McCann (uncredited), Peggy McIntyre (uncredited), Chef Milani (uncredited), Harold Miller (uncredited), Ernesto Molinari (uncredited), William Newell (uncredited), Georgie Nokes (uncredited), William H. O'Brien (uncredited), Joe Palma (uncredited), Leo Penn (uncredited), Caleb Peterson (uncredited), Norman Phillips Jr. (uncredited), Jack Rice (uncredited), Suzanne Ridgway (uncredited), Mickey Roth (uncredited), Ruth Sanderson (uncredited), Ralph Sanford (uncredited), Noreen Sayles (uncredited), Stephen Soldi (uncredited), Bert Stevens (uncredited), John Tyrrell (uncredited), Amelita Ward (uncredited), Jan Wiley (uncredited), Marek Windheim (uncredited), Catherine Wyler (uncredited) and Judy Wyler (uncredited)
Director: William Wyler
Producers: Lester Koenig (uncredited) and Samuel Goldwyn
Screenplay: Robert E. Sherwood (screenplay) and MacKinlay Kantor (from a novel)
Composer: Hugo Friedhofer
Costumes: Irene Sharaff
Cinematography: Gregg W. Toland, A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Black-and-White)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio: English: 1.0 DTS-HD Mono Audio
English: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Subtitles: English SDH, French and Spanish [Latin]
Running Time: 170 minutes
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: RKO Radio Pictures / Warner Archive Collection
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: If you ask any true film lover what's one of their favourite films, they will probably tell you ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ [1946], and legendary director William Wyler's still endearing and heartrending masterpiece, one that continues to garner new fans and admirers young and old, and a classic that should always remain a standard during Veterans Day in America.
‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ is about three World War II servicemen: Captain Fred Derry [Dana Andrews], platoon Sergeant Al Stephenson [Fredric March], and naval petty officer Homer Parrish [Harold Russell] who returns home from the war. In their cases, it becomes the "war at home," as they struggle to adjust to civilian life and the internal conflicts with their families and friends, all of who have seemed to start moving on without them. Captain Fred Derry, a war hero, finds himself unable to get a high-paying job and has to resort to working as a soda jerk; Sergeant Al Stephenson, a bank executive, gets into trouble for giving loans to veterans, whom he thinks deserve it; and Homer Parrish, who lost both of his hands in the war, has to face his new life and fiancée.
One-by-one, we meet the families. Homer Parrish who still lives with his parents, is greeted with mixed joy and chagrin. While his mother and father are elated to see him, there are moments of awkwardness when they spy his lost hands. Homer Parrish’s fiancée, Wilma [Cathy O'Donnell], is equally glad to see him, but Wilma displays no dismay at his handicap. Nevertheless, Homer Parrish, feeling inadequate, does not return her embrace, and his face shows signs of inner torment.
Al comes home to a house full of laughter and jubilation. His wife, Milly [Myrna Loy]; daughter, Peggy [Teresa Wright]; and son, Pat [Michael Hall], are all there to welcome him. But Al is restless and uncomfortable, and he decides to go out for a night on the town. After his son has gone to bed, he brings Milly and Peggy with him, and they make a round of Boone City's night clubs and bars. In the last one, they encounter Fred, who has been unable to locate his wife, Marie [Virginia Mayo]. Homer Parrish, who needed to get out of the house, is also there, leading to an impromptu reunion of Boone City's three returning heroes. And, while everyone else dances and carouses, Fred and Peggy start a conversation that will eventually lead to romance.
Although the first hour of ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ centres on Al, the remainder focuses primarily on Fred. Homer's story is interspersed throughout. The early scenes with Al are effective in illustrating the vague sense of disquiet experienced by returning soldiers. Al has difficulty accepting that his surroundings aren't part of a dream, yet, somehow, the reality doesn't live up to the idealized mental image he had constructed during his three year absence. His children have grown, there's a distance between him and his wife, despite her attempts to bridge it, and Al has little taste for everyday work.
"Last year it was kill Japs," he remarks. "This year, it's make money." Fred and Homer are experiencing similar difficulties. Homer cannot get close to anyone; he senses their uncertainty about how to handle his disability, and it causes him to retreat into a bitter shell. Meanwhile, Fred is learning that his wife, whom he married only a few days before shipping out, is distressingly superficial. Her first loves are money and the high life; Fred is acceptable as a husband only as long as he can provide those things, but the only job he can get is a menial one at a local drug store. Plus, he cannot deny his growing feelings for Peggy.
‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ is a meticulously framed film filled with deep focus shots by legendary cinematographer Gregg Toland who likes doing long takes, whose credits include ‘Citizen Kane.’ The director, William Wyler, one of the most respected filmmakers of his era, was known around Hollywood as "90 take Wyler" because of his reputation as a perfectionist. Gregg Toland’s dedication to capturing top performances and using the best angles is much in evidence throughout ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ which features a series of sterling shots. William Wyler won his second of three Best Director Oscars for this film and the other two were for ‘Mrs. Miniver’ and ‘Ben Hur.’
‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ runs almost three hours, but it doesn't seem nearly that long. The film is so involving that there is no temptation to glance at a watch, nor a need to get a snack or take a bathroom break. In fact, when it's over, there's almost a sense of disappointment that there aren't a few scenes left hiding on the other side of the closing credits. The feeling of warmth and satisfaction that accompanies the conclusion is the hallmark of a great drama and a distinction that anyone who has seen ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ will apply to this landmark production.
THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES MUSIC TRACK LIST
AMONG MY SOUVENIRS (1927) (uncredited) (Music by Edgar Leslie) (Lyrics by Lawrence Wright) [Played on piano by Hoagy Carmichael]
TOO, TOO, TOOTSIE (Goo' Bye!) (1922) (uncredited) (Music by Dan Russo and Ernie Erdman) [Played on piano by Hoagy Carmichael]
LAZY RIVER (1931) (uncredited) (Music by Hoagy Carmichael and Sidney Arodin) [Played on piano by Hoagy Carmichael]
BEER BARREL POLKA (Roll Out the Barrel) (1927) (uncredited) (Music by Jaromir Vejvoda) [Played on piano by Hoagy Carmichael]
CHOPSTICKS (1877) (uncredited) (Music by Euphemia Allen) [Played on piano by Hoagy Carmichael and Harold Russell]
Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride) (1850) (uncredited) from "Lohengrin" (Written by Richard Wagner) [Played on piano by Hoagy Carmichael and sung by the children at the wedding]
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Blu-ray Image Quality – Warner Archive Collection presents us the film ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ with a black-and-white 1080p image with of course the standard 1.37:1 aspect ratio of that period when the film was released. With the esteemed cinematographer Gregg Toland and director William Wyler films has always exuded a bland, utilitarian, slightly washed out look that reflects the story's urban, everyman perspective. Blacks are largely lush and bold, especially the Irene Sharaff costumes, and whites are bright and crisp. Visible grain adds appropriate texture to the drama. Clarity, however, is very good; and background elements are easy to discern and close-ups exhibit marvellous details. Overall, Warner Archive Collection has given us an accurate representation of this film, and has given us a brilliant print that is free of any blemishes; it's a smooth, highly watchable presentation that outranks any previous inferior DVD disc edition.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Warner Archive Collection brings us the film ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ with just one 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio Mono experience, without any fancy bells and whistles. Ambient effects, such as train whistles, plane engines, and nightclub clamour, enhance the action without overwhelming it, while accents are crisp and distinct. A wide dynamic scale manages all the elements well, especially Hugo Friedhofer's string-laden, Oscar-winning film score, which nicely fills the room and flaunts a lovely depth of tone that tempers the nature of the film. The all-important dialogue, however, takes centre stage, and all conversations are properly prioritized and easy to comprehend from all the actors. So well done Warner Archive Collection in upgrading the audio experience to such a worth classic Hollywood film of the 1940’s.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Introduction by Virginia Mayo [2000] [480i] [1.37:1] [1:10] Here the actress Virginia Mayo, who of course appeared in the film ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES,’ and welcomes us to this brief introduction, and feels the film showed how difficult life was after the end of the Second World War and says the film was a massive box office success and deservedly won all the awards and plaudits. Virginia Mayo feels justified that the film has been preserved for future generations. We also get a plethora of clips from the film.
Special Feature: Interview with Virginia Mayo and Teresa Wright [2000] [480i] [1.37:1] [7:22] Here we get to view intercut interviews, that allows both actresses the chance to reminisce about the film ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ and various aspects of production values towards the film. Virginia Mayo talks about how she filmed ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ simultaneously with ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ and reveals the one scene of which she disapproved of and was when Danna Andrew’s turns up in a civilian suit and wish they had done a close up of her reaction when she opened the door. Virginia Mayo also praised director William Wyler for allowing her to play a serious character in the film. Teresa Wright recalls a scene she didn't like and remembers how much William Wyler enjoyed directing the film project. Teresa Wright also notes how the famous reunion scene between Myrna Loy and Fredric March mirrors William Wyler's own experience when he returned home from the Second World War. Virginia Mayo was also pleased that the actor Harold Russell changed the negative reaction of the American public towards people who lost parts of their body in the Second World War when returning home and also the courage and fortitude of the service men in the Second World War and also feels Harold Russell deserved his two Academy Awards® for his character in the film and both Virginia Mayo and Teresa Wright feel very honoured to appear in the film. It's always a treat to hear actors talk about the films in which they appear in, and though the comments here are largely superficial, they are still interesting, and make this special feature interview well worth the brief time we see Virginia Mayo and Teresa Wright.
Theatrical Trailer [1946] [480i] [1.37:1] [2:00] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.’ Here they inform us, “Through the years Great Motion Pictures have been made . . . by now Samuel Goldwyn presents . . . THE BEST THING that ever happened! His Masterful Production of the LOVE STORY OF TODAY . . . that WILL LIVE WITH YOU, through all your TOMORROWS! Acclaimed by CRITICS from COAST TO COAST!
Finally, ‘THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES’ still seems fresh today, especially despite being 170 minutes long and almost 75 years old, and at its heart, we get a lot of empathy from its characters in the film. There are also incredible performances from the entire cast, not just with Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Cathy O'Donnell, who portray their roles as the women in the men's lives with dignity, tenderness, humour, and poignancy. The engaging film combines entertainment and provocative thought in a responsible adult drama that asks a lot of questions about us as a society and tells its story about regular guys from all walks of life who served their country but who are now ignored because the war is no longer in the news. It adds up to the best film ever on the dilemma of returning veterans, and one of the few films that deserved all the awards heaped on it. The film won a total of seven Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Director for Wyler, and Best Actor for Fredric March and Harold Russell for his wonderful performance, became the first and only actor to date, to win two awards for the same character, Best Supporting Actor and an Honorary Award for "bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans." Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
