I was feeling nostalgic because of D-Day and even though I have seen it before I watched
"The Best Years of Our Lives" on Pluto TV. I think it was Pluto.
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-best-years-of-our-lives-1946
Trailer here:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036868/
It won NINE Academy Awards.
Younger viewers may be shocked at how the Vets do not use kind words toward their former enemies, but war is war. It's not a place for nice language and so I think the film is very realistic in that regard.
Younger viewers will also be offended that a very few Black people in the film are in the background only, no lines, but this was made in 1946 and truly, mostly the only roles for Black folks in White films were as servants. It was a terrible reality, but it was reality. The fact that the producers and director even remembered to include them as extras in 1946 was rather unique for the period.
I think in 1946 director Wm. Wyler was pretty gutsy to have a handicapped person in a major role, to have characters wondering aloud if their adult daughter knows about sex, and for showing mental illness (PTSD inferences) to audiences! How did this get past the censors in 1946?
Wonderful film, great acting,
gorgeous musical score. I just love Fredric March. After you watch this, go watch Fredric March in
"Inherit the Wind" and you won't even think you're seeing the same man! He was THAT GOOD.