Review of The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) by Greg D — 15 Feb 2012

A bit lengthy but a very effective character drama of three returning veterans from WWII and the effect the war had on themselves and their loved ones. A brave story to tell during a time of censorship in American film, Wyler's direction is quite the complement to some wonderful acting and the neglect of shot-reverse-shot and instead using several two-shots, three-shots, etc.

lets the actors do their work. Additional credit of course to Harold Russell, a non actor who did lose his hands in both the diegetic and non-diegetic world of the film. Parts may have been a tad bit too melodramatic but within the context of the film 90% of the time it worked.