The Best Years of Our Lives poster

The Best Years of Our Lives

1946 ⏱️ 170 min
⭐ 5.4 Score

Directed by: William Wyler

Genre: Drama, Romance, War

The Best Years of Our Lives poster

The Best Years of Our Lives

1946 ⏱️ 170 min
⭐ 5.4 Exemplary Score

Directed by: William Wyler

Genre: Drama, Romance, War

📊 IMDB 8.1/10
🍅 RT 97%
📝 Meta 93

📖 Plot Summary

The story concentrates on the social re-adjustment of three World War II servicemen, each from a different station of society. Al Stephenson returns to an influential banking position, but finds it hard to reconcile his loyalties to ex-servicemen with new commercial realities. Fred Derry is an ordinary working man who finds it difficult to hold down a job or pick up the threads of his marriage. Having had both hands burnt off during the war, Homer Parrish is unsure that his fiancée's feelings are still those of love and not those of pity. Each of the veterans faces a crisis upon his arrival, and each crisis is a microcosm of the experiences of many American warriors who found an alien world awaiting them when they came marching home.

🏆 Awards & Recognition

Won 7 Oscars. 25 wins & 4 nominations total

📺 Where to Watch

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📊 List Appearances

AFI Top 100 #37
NY Times Best 1000 #28
IMDB Top 250 #1
Box Office All Time #24

📈 Film Statistics

Exemplary Score 5.4
IMDB Rating 8.1/10
Appears on 4 prestigious lists
← Back to Rankings

📖 Plot Summary

The story concentrates on the social re-adjustment of three World War II servicemen, each from a different station of society. Al Stephenson returns to an influential banking position, but finds it hard to reconcile his loyalties to ex-servicemen with new commercial realities. Fred Derry is an ordinary working man who finds it difficult to hold down a job or pick up the threads of his marriage. Having had both hands burnt off during the war, Homer Parrish is unsure that his fiancée's feelings are still those of love and not those of pity. Each of the veterans faces a crisis upon his arrival, and each crisis is a microcosm of the experiences of many American warriors who found an alien world awaiting them when they came marching home.

📊 List Appearances

AFI Top 100 #37
NY Times Best 1000 #28
IMDB Top 250 #1
Box Office All Time #24