The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

 Second viewing, and first with original audio; previously viewed on or a little after March 28, 1984.

Three men returning from service in World War II and their troubles adapting to civilian life. Homer lost both hands and is afraid to propose to his girlfriend; Al works in a bank; Fred has no particular skills and can only get a lowly job; Peggy, Al's daughter, falls in love with Fred, who is already married.

This is a highly regarded movie, but some elements of its narrative are not very believable. Fred does not come across as an unemployable guy, and Al's alcoholism seems an artifical contrivance with no dramatic purpose. Peggy is not a very convincing character either. Formally, this is an absolute masterpiece. The script may have the flaws I pointed out but formally it is a very interesting proposition. And I suppose there are few films as well filmed. The Mr. Mollett sequence is doubtlessly the most interesting in the entire movie; he is the only character who tells the historical truth about the U.S. involvement in World War II and is severely punished for it, in a spectacularly realistic scene where a glass case is smashed. All in all, this film is a fun watch, a drama with a very well-concealed self-parodic twist.

Rating: 66 (unchanged)