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The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) - Full Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2022-11-25 08:55:01
Edited:
2024-09-24 18:59:53
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Okay this one was so sweet and tender and felt real and special. Also, 3 love stories?! Sign me up!! I felt connected to each character in some way and I am sure that is why it is so beloved. Thanks for being patient with me this week and last, lots more coming before the week is over!

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[Full Reaction] The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

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Mike LL

The Best Years of Our Lives is free for Amazon Prime members right now. Also free to watch on the Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/the.-best.-years.-of.-our.-lives.-1946.1080p.-blu-ray.-h-264.-aac But no English Language subtitles Also free to watch on YouTube. Just do a search! But there are 5 to 10 second ad breaks where you would have to pause Cassies video, and YouTube has very wonky subtitles Yes! What a holiday present!

Caomhan84

I'm usually not open online like this, but this movie is special to me because not many movies make me cry. But this movie does.... every single time. I have cerebral palsy, I use a wheelchair. Homer's reluctance to let Wilma in until he's sure she FULLY accepts him... It may seem harsh to the viewer, but it resonates with me hugely. We spend years building castles around ourselves, in order to protect ourselves from being hurt (because we've typically been hurt many times). For Wilma to say "I can do that," and "I love you," is just so, so meaningful. The film is 76 years old but it's got one of the best endings in cinema history, partly because of this. She literally did not care that he had lost his hands. And let me tell you from long experience... Finding a person like that is not easy. It really isn't. Also, It's hard to watch this movie and not fall in love a little bit with Peggy. She's amazing as well. 😊

Björn Karlsson

If you (Cassie) wanna feel connected to characters in a love story, well then I know a perfect film 🥰😇 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_Me_Love_(film)

Dryfesands

Fantastic Movie. Very much looking forward to see Cassie react to it. It's a well known bit of Cinema history trivia, but it's worth repeating because it's amazing. Harold Russell who played Homer Parrish was *not* a professional actor, being a genuine double amputee Serviceman who lost his hands in an explosives accident. The view of the organisers of the 1947 Academy Award Organisers was, despite his nomination for Best Supporting Actor he didn't have much chance of winning. So they gave him a special Oscar during the ceremony for his role and it's importance in highlighting the situation of disabled vets. Russell then upset the form book anyway and won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar outright (as I think he deserved to anyway, he's superb in the film). Thus he is the *only* person in Academy Award history to win two Oscars for the same performance. Which is neat. Dana Andrews (Fred) was a superb actor who, who waged a very gritty battle in his real life with his own alcoholism. He starred in one of my favourite horror movies of all time "Night of the Demon" (called "Curse of the Demon" in the USA). It's a wonderfully spooky and atmospheric little movie in the classic black and white horror tradition which has, in my opinion, one of the best villains in all of cinema history. Well worth checking out!

Henry Graham

A truly groundbreaking Hollywood production, that still feels startling in how authentic and progressive it is. As a veteran himself who had suffered hearing loss from the war, Wyler knew that veterans who saw his film would be aware of “any potential Hollywood-style evasion or falseness,” so he became obsessed with making the most realistic film possible. Shooting in cramped apartments, encouraging his actresses to buy their own wardrobe from department stores, avoiding glossy lighting, and casting a real disabled man as one of his key characters - every choice he made was driven by a desire to reflect the experience of ordinary Americans in the immediate aftermath of World War II. Very few images of disability were presented in American media at that time, so to present Harold Russell in the way he did was a genuine revelation for many viewers. What I find so moving about this performance is that Russell shows us his mundane reality and how he goes about performing tasks that most of us do without thinking about, and Wyler never presents him as a victim - he is the equal of the movie stars alongside him, and in fact he is the very heart of the movie. This film is a masterpiece. An extraordinary example of how the Hollywood studio system, at its best, could speak to and for an entire nation.

Tim Raths

Harold Russell, the actor who played Homer had never starred in a movie before actually lost both of his hands in WWII. He won the Best Supporting Actor award at the Oscars and was also given a special Honorary Award as well. He’s the only actor to win two Oscars for the same movie.

Caomhan84

And yeah, we knew that you'd love the wedding at the end. That was honestly half the reason why I personally wanted you to see this. 😂 I'm so glad you enjoyed it.

Bubba Fett

Wyler is responsible for many great wwii films. During the war, bomber crews in the 8th and 15th air forces suffered terrible losses and he filmed a documentary about the Memphis belle first crew to complete their 25 missions (not to be confused with the 90s film about the same plane, which is also great). He and his camera men even flew on missions for combat footage (some of whom were actually shot down). Much of this later was turned into a spectacular documentary and tribute to him and the air crews called the cold blue on HBO. Spielberg put out a series about william wyler, john ford and other combat filmmakers on Netflix called five came back. Fords work and combat footage captured during the battle of midway (both movies about this battle are also good watches) was what Lucas used to design his space battles in Star wars.

OneManReactionFaction

During my undergrad, I had several film analysis classes that we had in an actual movie theater across from campus (I went to Ohio State). One of the classes was pre and post World War II film analysis. This was one of the films we watched and analyzed (Casablanca and Blackboard Jungle among others). I had never seen it up to that point but I really liked it and got to watch it multiple times.

Doubting Thomas

I've watched this movie so many times I've lost count! Love Dana Andrews and Teresa Wright falling in 💘. Once again I must mention The Peanut Butter Falcon, another movie that's sure to be a favorite once you get around to it❣️

Mr Trick

Cassie, I think it’s kind of lucky that you’ve avoided so many of these older films up until now. It’s an almost bottomless well of classics, Many of them full of the kind of heart and romance that you love.

Carol_White

I liked it in spite of myself, but I kept thinking how much better it would have been without the endless, cloying, sentimental soundtrack. They were afraid to be raw. But that's Hays Code cinema for you.

Stick Figure Studios
>>96292913

Love Dana Andrews... particularly in LAURA (one of my favorite films), ZERO HOUR, STATE FAIR and THE OX-BOW INCIDENT.

Stick Figure Studios

A true classic. Emotional and, for its time, very restrained and realistic (as returning veteran William Wyler intended it). Terrific cast giving great performances. Lovely score. Handsome but not ostentatious cinematography by the great Gregg Toland. A worthy recipient of the Best Picture Oscar it received. Glad you enjoyed it. Knew you would.

Colin Gutierrez

I know it's still three months off but has Carly seen Groundhog Day? Because if she hasn't I think you should watch it with her, maybe even live stream it. :)

Zane From Canada

Two of my great-uncles served in WWII. Jimmy was a tail gunner and Tommy was an infantryman who fought at Omaha Beach. They served for the entire war and lived to come home. They weren't the same afterwards. When they came back, they got on their motorcycles and just disappeared. They were gone for years. Both men died before I was born. I've just heard stories from my family about them. I refer to Uncle Jimmy and Uncle Tommy as "The Most Interesting People I've Never Met." To me, I think this movie illustrates how it may have been for them when they came back from the war. 🥲

Mike LL
>>96292913

It is a shame that Dana Andrews, Fred, never got any major acting awards or nominations. And he was the real star of the picture, being in the first shot and the last. For Fredric March, Al, this was his fourth of five Best Actor nominations, and his second Best Actor win. His first Best Actor win was for, believe it or not, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932). Harold Russell, Homer, his story is amazing. He was featured in a military documentary, Diary Of A Sergeant, you can find it on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp1E5smfSDI about his learning how to use his harness. Director William Wyler saw it and changed the story of The Best Years of Our Lives to fit Harold Russell. In the original story Homer was the one to have PTSD, not Fred. Cassie has seen the actress who played Wilma before, Cathy O'Donnell, who after this film was made married director William Wyler's brother. She was in another of her brother-in-law's movies, she played Ben-Hur's sister, in that other Oscar winner, Ben-Hur carried his ill sister out of the leper colony, yes that was Cathy O'Donnell.

Mike LL

This is the film I most wanted Cassie to see, I really love it and I have watched it over and over again this year. The story of three soldiers coming home from war, one is an alcoholic, one is suffering from post traumatic stress and one is permanently disabled. I can't begrudge the film that it ends in a Hollywood happy ending. I love the film for its ending. This is a movie after all, not a documentary. But as a piece of Hollywood it is a socially important film as it highlights their struggle adjusting to their post war lives. For armed service people in the real world, outside of a movie, the vast majority of us are oblivious to their struggles and one wonders how many drown at the bottom of a bottle, succumb to their stress, or fail to find the help and support they need for their disability. It is horrible to imagine. These topics are explored in other films, like some of the ones in the Veterans/Remembrance Day poll, and are well worth watching. I always believed Cassie would fall in love with this film, especially the happy ending. Like a lot of films with (unexpected) happy endings, the film works very hard to make you believe that it might not have such a heartwarming conclusion with Fred Derry struggling to find meaningful work, and then losing his job and his wife, and with Homer Parrish not believing he is deserving of the love and support he does find. The scene where Homer does accept Wilma's love and support always gives me chills. I always have tears in my eyes at the end of the film, no matter how many times I see it. Many films end with a marriage ceremony, but I can't recall a film that contained every moment of a ceremony! I knew Cassie would melt when she saw it. Cassie, you may have noticed, from time to time, how a few of us here are very interested in your impressions of our favorite films. Understatement. That you took it upon yourself to gift us with this moving reaction without a poll win and without (too) much arm twisting has left me deeply touched and profoundly grateful.

Mike LL
>>96306840

Yes it probably is a difference of the times, but I rather like the old fashioned sentimental soundtrack. It's just a difference of opinion, but what you call cloying, I call glorious, probably because I have seen the film so many times this year it is burned into my brain!

Mike LL
>>96300544

Now Cassie has seen two of the three Oscar Best Picture winners that earned a Best Director Oscar for William Wyler, Ben-Hur and The Best Years of Our Lives. The other one was Mrs. Miniver (1942), also a film connected to WW2. Wyler garnered 12 (!) Best Director nominations, and I would love to have Cassie see two of them, the oft requested Roman Holiday (1953) and Dodsworth (1937) a very old, very old fashioned soaper, that has the best closing shot I've seen in a film, and I'm sure I'm the only person on this planet with that opinion, but it is even better than the closing shot in TBYOOL!

David Freese

Still not sure if I like this movie more than I can appreciate it. But I do relate to Homer and the feeling of not being loveable for your shortcomings. It does help me to remember everyone is capable and need love in their lives.

Larry Darrell

Interesting info on Hoagy Carmichael, who played Uncle Butch. He was a very famous musician, composer and songwriter. Many of Hoagy Carmichael’s songs became hit records, out of the hundreds that he composed. Y’all have probably heard some his most popular songs. Those being “Georgia on My Mind” from 1930, “Stardust” from 1927, featured in Goodfellas & Sleepless in Seattle, “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening” recorded in 1951, and “Heart and Soul” from 1938. That last one you would know from when Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia played it with their feet on a giant piano, in the film Big (1988), or if you ever took piano lessons.

Tinkerbell

Really happy you liked this one. If you liked Myrna Loy (Millie) you should watch the Thin Man movies. I am also partial to The Bachelor and The Bobby Soxer which she starred in with Cary Grant and Shirley Temple (I know this one hasn’t aged particularly well, but i still like it). The director of Best Years of lives has a lot of other great films: Ben Hur, Jezebel, the Heiress, How to Steal a Million, the Big Country, Funny Girl. I am partial to Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn and Mrs Miniver. Mrs Miniver is another Oscar winning classic-this one from 42 starring Greer Garson. This one is about how the war impacts a rural English family.

Bill Hayden

Such a great reaction, to such a great movie. Leftovers and a Cassie movie reaction while the women are out shopping... Life is good. 🙂

Celeste McAllister

Watched the movie & your reaction with my mom something I've wanted to do,this movie felt like opening a time capsule so tender I was glued to the screen,after Homers coming home I had tissues in my hands till the end.I'm dreaming Fred & Peggy were married they had four kids,Fred became a successful real estate developer building 1950's style ranch homes in the Midwest..Homer would become a teacher and high school principal,Homer & Wilma would stay together for more than fifty years..this movie made a case for average American citizens and returning vets during the post WWll recovery.

Michael Weiner
>>96306840

What a beautiful expressive score by Hugo Friedhofer. The movie would be a lot emptier without it. There were plenty of raw emotions expressed, and the music didn't get in their way, in fact probably conveyed them a lot more than you realize. So many movies are enhanced by their music in so many ways. When Harold Russell was on two episodes of the TV show China Beach, the "Homer and Wilma love theme" played a large part in the score of those episodes, was so nostalgic and meaningful due to memories of the movie.

Christopher Carr

Lots of great comments from you guys. Cassie's adventure into cinema is admirable. William Wyler, the director of TBYOOL, was a disabled veteran of WW2. He was one of 5 Hollywood directors who went into the armed services at the beginning of the war to organize and manage the film record of WW2. (See the Netflix documentary Five Came Back) Wyler wanted to film the Memphis Belle on their 25th and final successful mission over Germany. Wyler even though he was an officer in the US Army Air Corp, he flew missions with his cameramen. B17s, aka Flying Fortresses, were an extremely loud work environment. People were expecting a fairly safe mission giving that it was their final assignment. That final mission was anything but a "milk run." One of his cameramen was killed in another plane and the flak exploding around the Belle was so close and loud that Wyler lost his hearing. This was the end of Wyler's service. He was now a disabled vet. His first movie upon returning from the war was the Best Years of Our Lives. Directing became more difficult in that he was challenged hearing his actors, hearing his crew and putting together a final cut. It did give him a new perspective on what was important in making dramatic film. He gave Myrna Loy and Teresa Wright a handful of money and had them purchase their costumes from a local dress shop rather than having the studio make them. He was able to take an acting novice, severely disabled just a few years earlier, and pull a Best Actor's Oscar award and a special Oscar for the role of Homer the returning disabled sailor. You should watch the Netflix documentary Five Came Back. You'll learn a lot about Wyler, John Ford, Billy Wilder, John Huston and George Stevens. Just incredible.

Mike LL
>>96335779

And Fred and Peggy had a little help getting that mortgage for their first house - they knew someone at the bank!

zynjams

one of the great points of this movie is how the American civilians had no clue what the veterans went through. From Als son lecturing his dad what he learned in school about Hiroshima, to the jerk at the drug store thinking we fought on the wrong side because what he reads in the paper, and Freds wife thinking Fred is sightseeing in Europe while she wasted the best years of her life. this movie has so many aspects from the camara angles to dialogue and even Wilma and her arm movements when shes around Homer. I love this movie and every time I find something new.

Ike

First time watch for me. I really enjoy this and had no idea what to expect. Like Cassie, I felt lots of emotion over all three (3) of these characters and as a recently retired vet, I felt I understood Al the most. No PTSD but definitely a lot of baggage with an understanding family that rides the wave of differences between “before” and “after”. Homer was an endearing character to me and the actor (after reading his bio) was astonishing and I liked him immediately. I have a “Peggy”, thank God. I would be nowhere and a nobody without her.

Odd Thomas

I'd never even heard of this one tbh, so I'm interested to check it out

Just Plain Bob
>>96330836

The first Thin Man movie is truly one of the all time greats and Myrna Loy was spot on PERFECT in that movie. Absolutely delightful! Love Nick and Nora Charles!!!

Just Plain Bob

Great reaction! I felt like Cassie’s reaction to this film was probably mirrored by just about every viewer the first time they saw this wonderful film. I think Cassie would also enjoy another classic Myrna Loy film, The Thin Man, immensely. The interactions between Nick and Nora Charles in that movie are the best husband/wife scenes in all of cinema, in my opinion.

Rich Campbell

Total masterpiece. Always loved this movie. It carries you along with it so perfectly, till, by the end we care about them all deeply.

Caomhan84

For anyone curious, here's Al and Milly's song, which Al keeps mumbling throughout the drunken first night back. "Among My Souvenirs" by Vera Lynn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2xlk8GhGjE

Roger Wayne Alms

I agree The Thin Man series is exceptionally good. I want to make another push for Shining Through. It is a love story, a World War II spy drama, and has lots of twists. It is not too bloody and I know everyone will love it. The Best Years of Our Lives is one of the best movies of all time. Very few movies capture the aftermath of WW II for the Greatest Generation coming home from war. Great movie and great reaction.

N M
>>96292185

Thanks for letting us know it’s free on Amazon Prime! I wish this kind of info were always posted upfront on every film she releases.

Tara
>>96292635

I also have Cerebral Palsy and I completely understand where you and Homer are coming from in my own personal experience. I sabotaged relationships and pushed people away because I didn’t want to be a burden on anyone.

Tara

Cassie, I was right there with you watching this movie for the first time. I had never heard of it and never would have seen it if not for your channel and I’m so glad I did!! I replied to another commenter by saying that I completely understand what Homer is feeling. I have Cerebral Palsy and from my own personal experience, I sabotaged relationships and pushed people away because I didn’t want to be a burden on anyone. It took me a long time to understand that I’m not a burden to the people who truly love me.

David Freese
>>96413759

Have the exact same issue Tara. I've sabotaged a lot of relationships because how I feel about my cerebral palsy and not worth others time.

Caomhan84
>>96413759

I think we've all been there, as handicapped people. But for myself in particular I've also had people say "It doesn't matter, I love you anyway," only to later back out when they realize that they don't REALLY want to go the long haul with someone who has various limitations. So that's why I said it's hard to find someone who really, honestly accepts you with 100% open eyes. Really hard. So Homer's behavior in the movie frustrates a lot of viewers but...it's accurate.

Kat Farlowe

Thank you for watching this wonderful film Cassie. It is beautifully made and full of emotion throughout - one of my favorites. Not to mention an exceptional cast! Not many films after WWII dealt with the issues veterans faced when coming home. I really liked the dynamics of all three families - rich, middle class and poor. What a great film! In case you didn't recognize her, Cathy O'Donnell who played Wilma played Tirzah in Ben Hur. I am also a big fan of Teresa Wright, who played Peggy. She was in many of my favorite films from the 40s, including Pride of the Yankees, Shadow of a Doubt, and Mrs. Miniver, a 1942 film about WWII from an English family's perspective. You would like them all, but I think you would love Mrs. Miniver the way you did this movie. Teresa Wright was also in Somewhere in Time. She played Elise's housekeeper/companion that Richard visits in the present. Thanks for sharing!

Larry Darrell

There’s so much I could say about this film. Too much. I think I can sum it up into one word, though. (No cough necessary) Swell. Thank you Cass, for this. There are many more like films from this era as well. Films with Heart. I’d say it’s a good, safe bet that you will enjoy them. Meaning a film that fits any mood. Also, Peggy’s not the only one who ought to be put into mass production. You’ve been Swell, Cass.

Goony71
>>96292185

There’s an app called JustWatch that’ll tell you where you can stream movies and for how much if you do not have the streaming service