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The Best Years of Our Lives

The Best Years of Our Lives

Drama · Romance · War · 1946

It's the hope that sustains the spirit of every GI: the dream of the day when he will finally return home. For three WWII veterans, the day has arrived. But for each man, the dream is about to become a nightmare.

Movie details

The Best Years of Our Lives

“Three wonderful loves in the best picture of the year!”

1946 Drama · Romance · War 2h 51m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.7 / 10

Community rating

It's the hope that sustains the spirit of every GI: the dream of the day when he will finally return home. For three WWII veterans, the day has arrived. But for each man, the dream is about to become a nightmare.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Best Years of Our Lives?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

William Wyler

Written by

Robert E. Sherwood

Dana Andrews

Dana Andrews

Fred Derry

Fredric March

Fredric March

Al Stephenson

Harold Russell

Harold Russell

Homer Parrish

Teresa Wright

Teresa Wright

Peggy Stephenson

Myrna Loy

Myrna Loy

Milly Stephenson

Cathy O'Donnell

Cathy O'Donnell

Wilma Cameron

Virginia Mayo

Virginia Mayo

Marie Derry

Court is in session

Put The Best Years of Our Lives on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.