This is an excellent and timeless movie. Everything in this film still can and does pertain to today. So glad you watched this. Everyone should see this.
Much is made of the great male actors of that time, but not much is made of the actresses like Teresa Wright. She is not as well remembered today as she deserves. Teresa's accolades prove that she was one of the all-time greats but she refused to be a "Hollywood" type star. She always remained basic and true to herself. Mad respect to a wonderful lady.
An actor before her time. She was willing to be true to herself & fight the studio's demands. Excellent in this role & so many others. In her own words "The types of contracts standardized in the motion picture industry between players and producers are archaic in form and absurd in concept. I am determined never to set my name to another one ... I have worked for Mr. Goldwyn seven years because I consider him a great producer, and he has paid me well, but in the future I shall gladly work for less if by doing so I can retain my hold upon the common decencies without which the most glorified job becomes intolerable" Perhaps it was that integrity that was integrated into the roles she played, that made them seem so natural.
This is a top five movie for me and I cry multiple times every single time I see it...and I watch it multiple times a year. Warms my heart to see how much you enjoyed it. :)
The scene with Wilma in Homer's bedroom is one of my all-time favorite film moments, even more extraordinary because of the first-time actors who make the scene so great.
Thats not a smart move. Watching BYOOL too many times will ruin it for you. It'll eventually get played out and lose its impact. Don't watch it any more than once a year.
@@RaptorFromWeegee I have been watching this film multiple times a year for well over a decade. It always hits for me and has remained in my top five the entire time. Your mileage may vary. Thank you for the input.
Steven Spielberg has said this is one of his favorite films, and he tries to see it at least once a year. My mom saw this in 1946. She said it was one of the best films she'd ever seen. Thank you for reacting to it.
I love this film. My Dad was a WWll veteran, and when he got home he put that terrible chapter of his life firmly behind him and never wanted to talk about it. He had my Mom, and soon my brother and me, and all he wanted was to make a nice, post-war life for his family, and to do his best to never open that door to the war again.
It’s interesting how Wyler didn’t get a well known actor and create prosthetics for his arms, but took a disabled veteran and made him into an actor. That’s genius!
@@MoviesWithMia All i know is he got to me more than a known actor would've. When he goes to sign for his flight and the Sargent offered to help because of his hook...... When he says "what's the matter, don't think I can spell my own name?".... and pulls out the other hook? Oh man.
Harold Russel actually lost his hands in an explosion stateside. He was an instructor I the army of TNT in North Carolina. There was a defective detonator that blew both his hands off. Russel was in a documentary film about rehabilitation of wounded veterans, that's where William Wyler saw him. He also won two Academy Awards for this film for the same role. Supporting Actor and for supporting his fellow servicemen. It's the only time it e er happened.
@@MoviesWithMia Eggs were mushy but it was better than the Field Army Rations you get by the government. My Grandfather served in the Army in WW I I , asked him about the food. It was not good, but you got use to them. He served in Europe fighting the Germans, and home different guy. He had two Purple Hearts and Sliver Metal, and different service ribbons. He was Private 1st Class. He told me he killed a 14 years old Hitler Youth Member , that one of the things that haunted him. Shot him inside a building from distance, walk over and saw it was just boy. I remember him sitting kitchen table pulling pieces of scrap metal from his head, on a occasion. Didn't talk about what happened, probably to painful. He tell me that he had an accident, when I extremely young. He died in 1986, loved him dearly. R. I. P.
It would have been quite a task to have a non-paraplegic play the role of Homer, if only for practical reasons. The scene where he removes his hooks would have lost considerable dramatic power.
One of my favorite moments in this movie comes when Peggy tells her parents that they'd never had any trouble in their marriage, and Milly responds by saying to Al: "We never had any trouble." How many times have I told you I hated you and believed it in my heart? How many times have you said you were sick and tired of me; that we were all washed up? How many times have we had to fall in love all over again? In other words, love is hard. All couples have their problems. It's an adult answer in a very adult film. The character of Butch the pianist was played by Hoagy Carmichael, who was one of the most important and successful songwriters of the thirties and forties. He wrote Lazy River; Stardust; Georgia on My Mind; Heart and Soul; In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening; Ole Buttermilk Sky; Riverboat Shuffle; Skylark; and many other songs. I can't tell you how excited I am that you're going to watch The Third Man. It's one of my all-time favorites. Thanks!
A bit of Hoagy Carmichael trivia - Ian Fleming, the author of the original 007 novels, once described James Bond as "looking like Hoagy Carmichael". Of course this was before Fleming saw Sean Connery in the role.
OMG! I had no idea that Hoagy Carmichael wrote Georgia On My Mind! I love that song!! Wow! And yes! I think that scene between Peggy and her parents was such a powerful scene! I loved how you put it, an adult answer for an adult movie
Yes it’s a good scene even people who love each other can struggle believing it. Too often we think true love doesn’t doubt that love but we are human. Powerfully written scene.
PTSD was called "shell shock" or "battle fatigue" & was diagnosed, but treatment wasn't that great. I think they learned the most of how to treat it after Vietnam & the recent wars, and that it is a lifetime struggle for some. Marie's reaction was the norm. There were WW2 soldiers who came out Saving Private Ryan who opened up to their families for the first time, as they felt they finally could talk about what really happened to them & weren't expected just to "get over it" and move on. I'm so glad I discovered your channel! I love your insights, commentary and the movies you choose. I do think art that is timeless always feels "modern". Like sometimes when you're in a museum and something feels so fresh, even if it is hundreds of years old, it feels like it was just painted!
Oh wow! Yeah that is amazing to see how PTSD was recognized throughout the years! And I am so glad you found the channel too :) thank you for watching :)
Not to be picky, but I wonder if PTSD is more of the post-effects while shell shock and such occur during the fighting itself. I would think many who performed fine or even heroically during battle itself suffered the effects after returning home.
My dad suffered from PTSD after returning from the war. (WWII) Of course, they didn't really know what to call it. Battle fatigue, shell shock didn't really define what they went through. In my dad's case, he was in the Signal Corp, and his group was responsible for re-estsblishing communications in Germany. The Nazis tried to destroy phone offices, switchboards, telephone lines, as they fled. Much of the equipment was boobytrapped, so extra precautions were taken. Nevertheless, soldiers were killed, including a young Lt. who was blown up by a landmine right in front of my father.
Theyd made a good start on battlefield mental caualties after WW1 and it got better in WW2 but they had limited resources and in an era of mass armies and entire countries being fought over there could be millions of people with psychiatric issues. There just werent enough resources to deal with anything except by a triage system, the ones too broken to fix went into care homes, those who could take care of themselves or didnt want help got ignored and they concentrated on the fixable band of the seriously damaged.
Frederick March was such a terrific actor with an unbelievable range! My sentimental favorite of his is Mark Twain. But the fire 🔥 between him n Spencer Tracey in Inherit the Wind was fierce n unmatched
Wyler's movie had guts for that era with its concern for returning veterans. It is still relevant and remains one of the ten best American films of all time. It deserved all its Oscars but one. Excellent though Fredric March was in the lead, I think the award that year should have gone to James Stewart for It's a Wonderful LIfe. I would have liked to hear more about Hugo Friedhofer's clever, three-part score, one of the best in Hollywood history.
I love, love, love "The Best Years of our Lives!" Thank you for sharing your reactions to it, upon a first time viewing. I've seen it between 5-10 times. They did have a diagnosis for PTSD after WWII. It was called Combat Fatigue. My friends' fathers came back with it and I interviewed one of them for a high school history paper. The class assignment was to interview a WWII veteran. Dick Donald flew a bomber on June 6, 1944. He also bombed Dresden. I remember when the world looked like it does in this movie. The bedroom wallpaper was in DuPars Restaurant in Studio City, CA in the 1950's. They tore it down in 2018 to build a Sephora store. I've never been inside it and I never will go there.
Just found your channel, 3 years late! Best Years of Our Lives is one of my all time fave movies. I watch it about once a year and cry every time. IMHO it contains some of the most powerful and realistic depictions of true love ever seen in motion pix. Thank you for your insightful comments-helps me enjoy the movies even more! Thanks for doing what you do. Now I’m going to go and check out the rest of your channel. All the best to you!
Mia, you are nonstop banging out some real winners - The Apartment, The Best Years of Our Lives, The Third Man, etc... And we can tell you’re having fun zigzagging across time, discovering these gems for the first time. You’re in full explorer mode, like Indiana Jones digging up buried treasure. And since you’re honoring Oscar winners this month, what a crazy stacked deck it was that year in terms of competition! ‘The Best Years of Our Lives,’ ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ and ‘Brief Encounter’ all went head-to-head in many of the major categories. I mean, how the frickity frack do you even choose between them? But more importantly, how do you even vote against Jimmy Stewart that year? (I’d be afraid of the bad karma. It would be like kidnapping the Easter Bunny and holding him for ransom - the universe would be looking to get even at some point). Well apparently not enough voters saw it that way ‘cause he didn’t win. But I think history has the last word because Jimmy Stewart’s performance is considered one of the all-time greats. You know, the very first time I saw ‘The Best Years of Our Lives,’ my reaction was really similar to yours. I think many of us today share a modern bias. We consider ourselves to be so much more enlightened than folks who lived back then, to the point where we may even wonder if they’re relatable (as you yourself alluded to in your reaction). Which is why when I first experienced this film I was completely staggered by the deep level of sensitivity it showed. Because of this, I would have been surprised if the film had been released in 1956. However, the fact that it was released a whole decade earlier, just as the war was ending, makes the film even more impressive in my eyes. What really sends it over the top for me is the fact that it juggles all of its complex emotions without being overly sentimental. And that’s a very difficult feat to pull off. George Lucas once scoffed at this idea in general and he was quoted as saying something to the effect of, “It’s easy to manipulate people’s emotions. All you have to do is show a dog get run over by a car and you can move an audience to tears.” But I think that’s a gross oversimplification. The truly great dramas become time honored classics exactly because they don’t fall into that trap. And ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ is not only moving, but also wise, mature, and thought provoking. It comes by its emotions with honesty and integrity. Even all of these years later. 😊
Thank you for your comment, Jose! I absolutely agree with you about this film being able to handle all of this complex emotions without being too sappy. Yes, I think that’s why this film is so relatable! Thank you, as always, for your insight 😊
I here add my own kudos to this post. What the fellow says (well enough for publishing in a cinematic essay column) can apply with equal accuracy to the Iliad, which is itself some 2700 years old, describing events that took place some four or five centuries before that! 🧐 😳 🤓
I discovered this film in 2017, and immediately fell in love with it. Every time I see it on TV, I have to watch it. I've seen it at least 5 times but it just never gets old. It is SO relevant even today. I've heard of soldiers who fought in Afghanistan (recently) watching it and being able to relate to its themes. This film is also one reason why I fell in love with the old classics. There are SO MANY gems out there. :) Glad you enjoyed it!
My father and uncle both fought in WWII but I was always amazed that neither had ever seen this movie. They never seemed interested in seeing it either. Perhaps they knew, even back then, that the movie hit much too close to home for most war vets. That generation was so stoic, getting emotionally distraught was utterly unacceptable. For a man to get tearful was to lose face in a big way. Even I, as a gen-x male, was told, growing up that, "Big boys don't cry". Fred Derry always reminded me of my dad.
Dear Mia, thank you for reviewing this film. It has done my heart good to see a person of a more recent generation recognizing the absolute qualities that are so abundant in this movie. There are those that automatically and reflexively reject even watching older films (especially if in B&W) because there is not enough 'action' or cheap (my opinion), insincere surface intimacy. Even though the backdrop of WWII is far behind us, this film is so rich in personal emotion that it transcends the time itself. You are so correct that the actors portray a humanistic dynamic that is so very and unusually real, and this stands out so much because of the recent trend in Hollywood's fascination with cardboard characters. Every once in a while I talk to someone who has seen this movie and they remark on how it moved them. The Best Years of Our Lives is also the best cinematonic presentation ever produced for the screen.
I've been watching classics routinely for about a decade now and I'm still occasionally caught off my guard by how fresh and raw they can feel, but only occasionally because at some point you eventually stop being surprised by everything and they just become normal movies to you, rather than "old" ones. The differences either reveal themselves as having been superficial from the start, or they can make for a nifty history lesson, similar to what you were saying. The most lasting lesson I've gotten from films like Best Years of Our Lives, however, is that we don't really change as much as we're ready to believe. For better or worse, honestly. But to address the actual film at hand, I loved your reaction to Peggy's spur-of-the-moment announcement that she's breaking up the marriage. I had an almost identical one and I was so impressed that they took a motivation I'd be unflinchingly against in any other context and made it something you can root for. On a more serious note, I also was roused to anger by Mr. "Wrong Side" in that scene with Homer. I couldn't believe the audacity he had to try to manipulate him like that...almost radicalize him dare I say? Repugnant as what he must believe is to me, it doesn't matter whether I disagree or not. All he was accomplishing was pouring salt in the wound of a vulnerable person. I only wish I could've been the one to deck him. Now that's out of my system, Third Man, wow! This month is nuts. I think this won't be the last movie you'll be calling "relevant" considering what's around the corner. Already can't wait for the next reaction.
Yes I absolutely agree with you about us not changing as much as we’d like to believe! That was so well put! I also loved the humanity of Peggy shown in that moment because for most of the film, we are led to believe that she is all good contrasted to Marie’s character. But then she declares that she is going to mess with a marriage that is not her own and we are forced to realize that not all girl-next-door characters are squeaky clean! I loved that moment! And YES! The Mr. “Wrong Side” scene really reinforces your statement of us not changing as much as we think we have! So well put! I am SO amped for The Third Man as well! I can’t wait to share it with all of you :)
@@MoviesWithMia I still kind of fail to understand how it skirted past the code, actually. Don't get me wrong, am I ever pleased to bits it did, but how? It's my guess that it wasn't like she was intending on breaking up a happy marriage/one that wasn't already on the rocks, or was actually shown to take serious steps to do it. But Peggy and Fred had been shown dipping their toes in a side fling, so to speak, and it all works out. Oh well, I'll try not to look a gift horse in the mouth, because it's an awesome plot point and excellent development.
Most of the characters in the film suffer from apprehension about the future. People today look on the post war world as a happier, more placid time, late 1940's and the 50's, but that's never how life is.
I’m revisiting, so pardon the delayed response! Re: Peggy’s nefarious plans + Code I think it “helped” Peggy’s plans that Marie was shown in a very negative light.
If you look closely, you'll notice that several of the men are wearing a similar little pin/button in the lapel buttonhole of their civilian suits (for instance in the scene where Frederic March interviews the vet applying for a loan). This was the Honorable Discharge award aka "Ruptured Duck", issued to WW2 veterans returning to civilian life. Sort of a recognition signal. More info and pictures here - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorable_Service_Lapel_Button Dana Andrews' character Fred filled a skilled and valued role in the war and had rank, secure benefits and public respect while he was in uniform. Now he's being forced to return to a low status, low paid role in society. To his wife, he literally isn't the man she married. Of course it's hard for him to adjust!
@Charlton Jones My dad was in the Pacific - I still have his "ruptured duck" button. In the early scenes aboard the B-17 and in the taxi, one can also see the corresponding patch on Fredric March's right breast which made it legitimate to wear the uniform after he'd been discharged.
Fred's condition was more or less "diagnosable", but was then colloquially known as "shell-shock". Not everyone took it seriously and consequently there was a certain stigma attached to it. (And, you know, I think Al got into the shower with his pajamas on because he was hung over).
One of my all time fave movies. The entire cast is fantastic. Frederick March is my fave I think. My dad was a tail gunner in the Lancaster bomber in the RAF 61st Squadron.
For Classic Movies- William Wyler, Sam Goldwyn and many in this cast their names will be coming up again and again as you watch more classics. Gregg Toland was the camera man who shot this film and teamed many times for Wyler and Goldwyn pictures. His deep focus film style is still studied today by film makers working today. He also shot "Citizen Kane" for Welles and "The Grapes of Wrath" for John Ford.
Somehow I never saw this before. It's wonderful. A great service family - veteran - coming home film - Authentic and so entertaining. Historical & Americana. Loved it.
I hope this makes you feel better about the returning soldier's in the film. In 1944, the GI Bill was passed. It offered returning vets with 90 days of service or more low mortgage rates. Better still, The GI Bill provided funds to help them get training and go to college. Many men were the first in their families to go to college on this bill. Half of the new enrollments in higher education in 1947 were returning WWII Vets. Home ownership shot through the roof from their low mortgage purchases as well. Those WWII Vets did not stay down and out for long. Our economy was booming as it has not done since for about 20 years after they came home. If you're wondering where the exuberance and party attitude of the 1950's and 1960's came from, it was partly from people who'd been through the worst, and were now ready to celebrate winning. Kind of what I hope happens in the U.S. in the next few years. My father-in-law, who lived with us in his last years, passed on in 2016 at the age of 97. He was in the Pacific, on a sub in WWII. In his third year of officer training at Annapolis they simply announced the day after Pearl Harbor men were needed, and they had all just graduated a year early, courtesy of the Japanese. He was supposed to fly out to his assigned sub, but missed his flight. The sub he was supposed to be on went on its first mission, and never came back. A team of divers found it on the bottom of the sea the year after he passed on. From the evidence the divers found, the sub had been attacked by Japanese planes, and the inexperienced crew dived before they had time to close the main hatch. The entire crew died instantly. He was the sole survivor of the original crew, simply because of a missed flight. I wish he had lived one more year, just to see whatever happened to his crew. He was still sharp as a tack mentally, almost to his passing. My father-in-law never talked much about the war. Subs were not allowed to take Japanese prisoners if their craft sank, no matter the circumstances. He saw, and caused, lots of death. Strange and horrible, since he was an even tempered, kind man. He was in several missions where his sub was submerged, with depth charges exploding all around, waiting for the ship above to go away, or to die as the sub imploded. He had nightmares about these things, even 75 years on. Sometimes, you could hear him yelling at the sub crew during attack in his sleep. He was one of the calmest people I've ever met. Nothing looked like a big problem to him, after going through an experience like that. I hope none of us ever see war outside of a movie.
Thanks for reacting to this! One of my favorites. Don't sleep on the director, William Wyler -- one of the best of all time, IMO. During WWII, he flew combat missions with B-17 crews to film the documentary "The Memphis Belle", and subsequently lost most of his hearing because of the deafening noise. This was his first post-war film, and he had the first-hand experience to craft realistic characters. Wyler was an expert at drawing out the best performances from the actors and actresses he worked with. His casts received the most Academy Awards of any director. It's hard to find a bad film by him. Some other Wyler films to consider are "Counsellor at Law" (1933), "Dodsworth" (1936), "The Little Foxes" (1941), "Mrs. Miniver" (1942), "The Heiress" (1949), "Roman Holiday" (1953), "The Big Country" (1958), "Ben-Hur" (1959) and "The Children's Hour" (1961).
"The Big Country" is one of my favorite westerns, a superior film in just about every department. Speaking of which, I think "The Best Years of Our Lives" is notable for the strength of the female cast. Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Cathy O'Donnell, and Virginia Mayo are all actresses I'm excited to see in the credits of a film.
This film is one of my favorite films in my life. Wyler’s direction, the profound, heartbreaking and authentic portrayal of veterans and the conditions they went through (which was ahead of its time), the music, Teresa Wright, the pure heart of it.
I love this movie. I watch it at least four times a year if not more. Myrna Loy is a great actress. One of my favorite movies of hers that is probably not as well known is a comedy called Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House with Cary Grant.
Oh my God, someone finally reacted to this movie. I've seen this movie lose at least four reaction channel polls.... And lose badly. To inferior movies. I know that's a matter of opinion, but really, most people just don't know about this movie and it's a shame. Because I think more people should see it and especially the popular RU-vid reactors should see it because I honestly think most of them would love it. It has so much to say about the post war experience, and tells three unique stories so well. I'm glad she enjoyed it... It's one of the best movies ever made, and very little known today.
I love the way he lifts himself up into the plane in the plane yard! I love the modern approach to ptsd where they just treat it like a wound he has to heal from. And I love the way each of the three men has a different approach to adapting to home. Thanks!!!
watched it again last night on TCM, stayed up way past bedtime just to see the scene with Wilma in Homer's bedroom, one of the all-time great scenes in movie history IMO.
I love your channel, most reactors are interested in the mainstream movies, the well known, cause of course those get more views, but you care about the classics, the masterpieces that more should know about, one of my favorite channels
Loved this reaction to one of my favorite all time films! One thing that struck me was how “in charge” the women were, especially Myrna Loy, who’s a favorite of mine. When Al comes home, goes out and gets drunk, she takes care of things. And when they bring Fred home, put them all to bed, and she and Peggy say good night, then burst out laughing- I love that moment! It’s like those men had spent years being in control and facing so much terror that they totally let go and act like kids when they come home and the ladies have to be the adults when that happens. It’s so cute! Looking forward to The Third Man- not sure if I’ve seen this so I’ll watch it soon and wait for your reaction! ☺️
Yes Catherine! I definitely loved that about this film! It’s almost a statement on women in the workforce during this time, as the men were away at war, it was the women who worked on the home front! Very interesting observation! Thank you for sharing your insight :) and YES! I am so excited for The Third Man!
I read a biography of Samuel Goldwyn. This film was his personal triumph in a decades-long quest to produce a film that would win the Best Picture Oscar (MGM had acquired his old self-named studio in a merger). PTSD was a well-known condition by this point, albeit not under that name (it went from shell shock in WWI to battle fatigue in WWII, operational exhaustion in the Korean War, and finally posttraumatic stress disorder in the Vietnam era). Figuring out how to treat it, though -- in both a medical and societal sense -- was still very much in its infancy.
Man, yeah! I could only imagine what those soldiers had to go through at that time! And god bless Samuel Goldwyn for giving us this classic masterpiece!
Treating PTSD is still in its infancy & probably never will be cured. We have to find more alternatives to war. If politicians from Woodrow Wilson to GW Bush to Hillary Clinton would stop appealing to the common public mood at the time, we'd be lots better off, but of course politicians MUST WIN ELECTION or RE-ELECTION, so we'll always have that. And the common people aren't exempt from blame, either. We Americans worry about the economy so much as we over-leverage ourselves financially betting on houses that are supposed to appreciate, getting the best mortgage, taking our kids to Disneyworld, etc. and then think of war as good for the economy. So, our 19-year-old foot soldiers have to get on the ground in a savage foreign country and get their legs or genitals blown off by IEDs just to make sure our stock portfolios continue to perform and we won't be laid off of our cushy jobs.
I'm so glad you love this film! It's always been one of my favorites. The performances were spectacular, and the movie score is like another important cast member!
I come from a military family, and my son is serving. When we would visit him at Ft. Bragg, NC, it always struck me the number of young men and women who had lost limbs. And some are still serving. When my mother lost her foot in her late 70's to an infection, my young granddaughters referred to her prosthesis as her "Robot Leg". Mom was worried that it my frighten them. However, they were so used to seeing artificial limbs, it did not phase them one bit. A sad commentary on our times.
Yet another great reaction and analysis of a wonderful movie. One of my absolute favorites. I agree that it is still relevant today. There are things faced in a military deployment that stay with you forever. You learn to live with them in time, but the memories stay as fresh and vivid as yesterday. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mia, for such a sensitive analysis of this very special film. A big part of what makes it so good is that it deals with some very serious issues in a serious manner, its approach is adult and quite sophisticated, which also makes it seem so modern as you noted. Its been in my Top Ten since the first time I saw it, back in the sixties. The screenplay, the score, performances and photography are all flawless, IMO. Thanks again.
Loved the reaction Mia! My all-time favorite! Drove 6 hrs each way to see it play on a big screen! You picked up so well on what William Wyler brilliantly put together. I see this movie dismissed by many modern reviews, that it was only popular because of it's timing and it doesn't hold up well. I think they miss the mark and haven't really watched the movie! Also, we are so jaded today, the themes of PTSD, alcoholism, infidelity, the struggles of being handicapped are common. These were very fresh themes for 1946. Myrna Loy had top billing and it is fitting, because though these guys were heroes of the war, the women are the heroes of this story. They lift each of these men up so they can move forward with the new "best years" of their lives. Thank you!!!
When I first encountered this movie about 25 years ago, I had a lot of the same exact impressions that you have. Like you, I marvelled that this movie exists. And like you, this film made me feel a strong empathy for the returning WWII veterans, many of whom not only had trouble adjusting, but also had trouble talking about it (as far as I know, my uncle never talked about it). Also like you, I need the tissue box.
My Dad and some Uncles fought in that war. Some in Europe and my dad in the south Pacific. He was wounded in action. He survived to have 7 kids. Back then, PTSD was called ''shell-shock.'' But, I listened to a Viet Nam vet who was seriously burned all over his body and he said Post-Traumatic Stress is not a disorder. It's a natural reaction to what they had to see and experience.
Easily one of the greatest American movies of all-time. The brilliant Hugo Friedhofer score, deep-focus photography, amazing storytelling, direction, and of course, acting. It is as close to perfect as a film can be, I think. And who wouldn't want to marry Teresa Wright? That shot of the hat falling off at the end... WOW! Bring on the Kleenex!
I'm so glad you decided to react to this film. It is one of my absolute favorites. As you said, all of it's themes are so relevant today. The emotions these veterans experience and the difficulty in adjusting to civilian, domestic life hold true for any war in any time. And I think you're going to love Myrna Loy in The Thin Man.
Fred’s role as a bombardier in the army Air Force was that of a skilled operator. The bombardier had to be technical in nature and they operated what was essentially an electro mechanical specialized computer called the Norden bombsight. The bombardier would have flight control during the bombing run and was also responsible for the destruction of the bombsite in case the plane was going to have to be abandoned. There were not a lot of analogous direct jobs in the civilian world afterwards.
There was the GI Bill that allowed veteran's to get education and vocational training. They hint at it but Marie didn't want to wait so I just looked up a little more. It was called the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 which provided ..." Benefits included low-cost mortgages, low-interest loans to start a business or farm, one year of unemployment compensation, and dedicated payments of tuition and living expenses to attend high school, college, or vocational school. These benefits were available to all veterans who had been on active duty during the war years for at least 90 days and had not been dishonorably discharged.[4]"
You make excellent analysis and, in addition to new perspective, brought up some things I'd also thought of when watching this film. It's one of the best Hollywood films of the 20th Century.
Mia, I loved watching your reaction to this film, which is my favorite of all time -- and which gets better each time I see it and find new things. (This is also the first time I've seen one of your videos. I'm looking forward to more, but it means I don't know yet what other films you've watched.) You mentioned cinematographer Gregg Toland's lighting. His work overall in this film is stunning. A few examples: Go back to the homecoming scene when Al returns. Look at the lighting in the hallway. It seems so natural -- the way the light hits the paneled door at the far end or the natural ray of light coming in the window and hitting the floor. Now look when Millie comes out of the kitchen and is standing with her right arm suspended. It looks so natural, but it's a smart actress working with a smart cinematographer to hit her mark -- see how that light on the door perfectly frames her body -- including her arm. Then Milly and Al meet. Do they meet halfway? No. That ray of light coming through the window is their mark. That's where they embrace. Another point about Toland -- he is the master of deep focus. So in the same homecoming scene, Millie and Al are both in equal focus even though they're at opposite ends of the hallway. Deep focus really comes into play at Butch's in the "Chopsticks" scene, after Al has essentially ordered Fred to break it off with Peggy. In the foreground on our right, you have Homer and Butch at the piano keyboard, and Al at the piano watching them but also watching Fred. Meanwhile, Fred is at the total far end of the bar in the telephone booth, midway across the screen. He is in equal focus. He's not a blur -- you can watch him as easily as you can watch Al watching Fred. But that's a far distance. So now add an anonymous man at the bar on the left side of the screen. He's irrelevant EXCEPT his suit is in contrast. So the light bounces from Al to the anonymous mean to Fred. His placement at the bar provides contrast, light, and balance to make it easier for the viewer to watch BOTH Al and Fred. Finally -- whether the credit goes to Tolland or William Wyler -- is the framing of the actors. Homer's homecoming is an example, but the best is the wedding scene. Look how perfectly all six of the principal actors (as well as Wilma's parents) are framed. It's so natural and yet all the actors have hit their mark -- all can be seen perfectly. Then as the scene progresses, the combination of placement, lighting, and deep focus means that you can simultaneously watch Wilma and Homer exchange vows AND those looks and communication between Peggy and Fred. If you rewatch the film sometime -- now that you know the story and the acting -- focus on the filmmaking technique from Toland that enhances the story telling. I keep finding more and more things that Toland has done throughout the film. (Sorry to be so long winded!)
Mia: A little fun fact for you on this movie. at 13:12 the man playing the piano in the bar (character name Butch Engle) is the famous songwriter Hoagy Charmichael. Probably is most famous song he wrote is "Stardust"
@@MoviesWithMia He's a favorite here! Among the zillion other movies you need to watch, I'll include "To Have and Have Not", which can be a sort of companion to "Casablanca". It also introduced Lauren Bacall to us, and to Humphrey Bogart, who married her. Here is Carmichael, Bacall and Bogie in a tiny scene from "To Have...": ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9C1vJ2Z8aI0.html
Awesome to see someone delve into the classics on here. This is a top three favourite movie of mine & my favourite from the Golden-age Hollywood era. It's just phenomenal storytelling. One of the great masterpieces.
@@MoviesWithMia Sadly watching these great classic films won't get you the views of those other unoriginal channels who do like the thousandth viewing of the likes of The Green Mile & Aliens but it gets my respect & is of more interest to people like me, if that means much. The 40s was one of the very best decades of film, fiilmnoirs & dramas like this pretty much dominated, there were some great ones. Others of a similar ilk to this I'd recommend would be Since You Went Away, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn & I Remember Mama. Also check out Leave Her To Heaven & Black Narcissus if you want to see some excellent films that are also stunning examples of colour films from that time.
This always wins my vote for the Best Opening In Film History... that whole "return home" sequence, although I generally drop off for Dana Andrews' return. That Harold Russell return... and Fredrick March with Myrna Loy leaning out. Boy. What a huge set of scenes.
I've always wondered how Minna Gombell who played Harold's "mom" in the film, channeled that scene of horror and heartbreak to see her baby without hands anymore. That is SUCH a powerful scene, and hardly mentioned.
Something else skipped over by most 'remembrances'. The US Marines were left behind all over the Pacific and often shipped into China rather than coming home. Many Marines didn't get back even a year later. This gave the US Army and European vets first chance at 'all the good jobs'.
I read that On June 6, 1944, while some of the men he trained were involved in the D-Day landing, Harold Russell was teaching demolition work at Camp Mackall in North Carolina and a defective fuse detonated TNT that he was holding. The next day what was left of his hands were amputated three inches above the wrists.
Oh wow! So Homer’s story is really similar to Harold’s story! So I don’t think he really had to do much acting in that scene because he actually lived it!
There are too many powerful scenes to mention but for me, the most touching and meaningful scene is when Fred leaves, intent on heading as far away as possible he tells his dad and stepmom that his citations are "just a lot of words that don't mean anything". Then when his dad calls his stepmom over and reads the words, just watch the step mom. She tears up, not a word of dialog. The dad reads slowly and his voice cracks at one point. We, the audience, now see that while Fred considers himself just some dime a dozen stiff, he in fact is an extraordinary man. Such a powerful scene.
What you said about something from another era feeling so modern reminded me of when I discovered in the 1980s that modern day combat vets could relate to the depiction of the emotions of soldiers at war in "The Iliad" which was written more than a thousand years earlier. Thank you for reacting to such a truly classic movie. I'd like to suggest John Ford's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962).
Wow! So interesting! It is so amazing to be able to liken your own experiences to those of the characters in films and books! IMO, I think that’s really the reason for films and books, is to be able to empathize with the characters and find yourself in their stories. Also, thank you for recommending The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance! I have that on the schedule for our classic Western films month!!
I agree. As much as societies and technology change, the human mind and the human heart are still human. That's why even stories and history from long ago still have relevance.
When IMDB still had a comments section, several Vets commented that they still felt this film portrayed the alienation & PTSD they felt coming home realistically.
I first watched this about 25 years ago, maybe longer, was up late one night and caught it on TCM or AMC, ended up staying up till 2 or 3 am watching it i got so engrossed, dunno why up to that point I hadn't seen it,maybe because I tend to not watch "war films" and put it into that category without realizing it is less a war film more of a film about humanity. Anyway I owned it on dvd and now i own it on Blu Ray, it is a favorite of mine.
I still vividly remember watching this one for the first time, and getting to the scene where Fred and Peggy have lunch, I was like OH MY GOD FRED AND PEGGY BETTER GET TOGETHER BY THE END OF THIS, SO HELP ME.
Thanks! Really love this movie and I'm so very glad you shared your experience of watching it for the first time with us. Really enjoy your channel and hearing your thoughts about the films you watch with us, and I value your kindness and enthusiasm. Wonderful stuff.
Your comments about how real the wedding seemed reminded me how nowadays weddings in film are usually a spot for slapstick or satire, which most of them are not. Your insight into the parallels of the junked bomber and the tossed-aside Fred was quite profound. I have seen this film a dozen times and never saw that.👍
This is the most important movie that young people who claim to know movies have never seen. I saw it in an old movie house around 1980, where it really has impact. Gregg Toland's deep focus photography alone makes it a substantial work of art. Watch it again and notice how the focus is sharp across all the distances. Thanks for giving it a look-see.
Count me into that group -- I've been into films for decades and I'm not that young. I first saw this a few months ago and was really blown away by it. Being a 1946 post-WW2 film, I was expecting the film to be one thing, but it had so much depth and nuance to the various performances that I didn't expect. I think the most powerful parts are the way in which the 3 veterans are relatable, ordinary people who lived during extraordinary times. Also, the awkward silences and knowing glances allude to a lot more turbulence beneath the surface. Toland's camera work is exceptional. It's too bad he didn't live beyond his mid-40's, it would have been wonderful to see what else he would have photographed.
I first saw this film when I was a teenager and thought it was kind of boring. Then I rewatched it in my mid 50's, after I'd lived and worked through some emotionally traumatic events, and it was a COMPLETELY different movie. I simply cannot get through it without shedding quite a few tears.
Shell shock is what they called ptsd. My dad was in ww2. He said in the trenches he would pray " Dear Lord please don't send down anything you and i can't handle together" his older brother was a pow in the Philippines. He survived it but died a year later....Love your channel.
I just discovered your channel, and as a fellow Cinephile, it's great to watch your review. I actually just bought and this movie for the first time yesterday. So it's perfect timing. I'm glad you enjoyed this movie and found it fresh and moving like I did. It's so important, but has surprisingly been forgotten about by many mainstream audiences when it shouldn't be. Love everything about it from the score, the characters, and the ending. To me, that part is moving, with seeing Homer put the ring on Wilma's hand, as well as Fred and Peggy's embrace. It gives you hope in people and society that things are gonna be okay. The timing of this movie right after the war must of hit hard even more. I am definitely recommending it to others as well. So many great performances, like Harold Russell, the nonprofessional actor who actually lost both his hands. William Wyler cast him after seeing him in a training video. I also have to give some appreciation to Teresa Wright who played Peggy. She was very underappreciated in her time, but did fantastic in this. Thanks again for your content. Definitely subscribed and am binging your content now
@@MoviesWithMia Such great insight for William Wyler to film and show the whole scene. That seems like something that might be rushed nowadays. Also, I love how the camera at the end has Homer being celebrated on one side, then Peggy on the other being embraced by Fred.
Here you go again, another of my favorite films. Wilma & Homer are my favorite characters...that chemistry you talk about often is really there and Harold Russell had never acted before. Looking at Samuel Goldwyn's work, I think he must have been a real mensche. My dad fought in North Africa & Sicily under Patton and when he returned to marry Mom, there was a severe housing shortage so they had to live in an old couple's two spare rooms. There was also a church/minister shortage & they ended up getting married in a funeral home that had decided to double as a wedding chapel since it was 1945 and so many people were marrying at the time. You're right on about Myrna Loy and you'll love her in Thin Man. Always liked Ray Collins' work (Bank Pres), he's stuffy old school alpha male but it appears that he's always held Al Stevens in high regard perhaps as a son and the one to follow him at the top job and is glossing over his drinking problem even at the testimonial dinner he went to so much trouble to give him at the country club because Al possesses qualities that the older man lacks. So Al's career could go either way at this point, but it will be up to him to join AA or something like that or ruin himself with the bottle. You're so RIGHT about Fred being like the plane! Never thought of it that way. But his work life ends up recycled as the plane is.
This is my all-time favorite film, and I am so happy to see you appreciate it. However, you did cut my favorite scene, which ironically features none of the principals: when Fred’s father reads his citation with so much emotion. Also, the way Wyler shoots the plane, as if it is taking off during Fred’s meditation, is an extraordinary piece of direction and cinematography that deserves to be shown in your edited version.
One unnoticed cameo is the man who wants to get home to Detroit at the start of the film. He was played by Blake Edwards, who became famous by directing the Pink Panther films and many others. Oh, and he was married to Julie Andrews.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. One of my all time faves and one of the greatest movies about veterans ever made. Still so relevant today. Makes me think of my Dad, a WWII submarine vet. These guys saved the world and then built America. The Greatest Generation. -- The director William Wyler filmed overseas during the war. His service, along with other directors, is documented in the film Five Came Back. Really worth your time to watch. -- I think MGM is a different Goldwyn, same family but different guy. Sam Goldwyn did smaller films generally and was independent of the major studios, as I recall. == MacKinlay Kantor, who co-wrote the script, grew up in Iowa, not far from Boone, near where i grew up. Hence Boone City, I believe. -- Air travel wasn't so easy and the country was coming down from all out mobilization so you're being a little harsh. Fyi, my dad was on a sub and when the war ended they sailed from Honolulu to New York to be decommissioned, but my dad got leave at New Orleans to travel by train to be home for Christmas and then report to NYC afterward. What a homecoming it was! What a surprise! He enlisted when he was 17, his mom, a widow, took him to the recruiting station. He wanted to serve on a sub because it was double pay, which he sent home to her during the war. -- My 95 year old mother is in hospice. She and I were reminisching the other day about the boys in her high school class who went to war and how her mother made sure she wrote to each of them every week. Many of them died. == The director Billy Wilder, who directed The Apartment, said when Homer couldn't brush Wilma's hair, he started crying and never stoppedl It;s the only move, he said, he ever cried at. -- Hoagy Carmichael is fantastic, as are Myrna Loy, Theresa Wright and Virginia Mayo. -- There was the GI Bill after WWII. My dad went to college on it. My uncle, who parachuted into New Guinea jungles and was wounded. was able to get a home loan. So they weren't just thrown out there. The GI Bill may not have been passed when this movie was made. My wife's uncle was a German POW and never talked about it. -- "How many times have we had to fall in love again?' Or whatever the quote is , which you didn't show. My wife have been together 49 years in March. I often go back to that line. -- Yep, the bombers are a metaphor. -- I would think this movie would have been tough for people to watch in 1946.
Virginia Mayo deserved an Oscar for that performance. Always liked her. She played a far different role in The Princess and the Pirate opposite Bob Hope, a great comedy worth your while. She was also memorable in White Heat, of course.
Thanks for reviewing this one Mia. Bet you liked the bits with Hoagy Carmichael. So very glad that you took the time to watch this beloved, exceptional film.
Omg! Yes! I absolutely loved Butch! I loved his piano playing and his ability to be forward with Homer! He was like the calm amidst the storm! He was definitely one of my FAVORITE characters!!
A movie from the same period that deals with mental health, specifcally the way mental health pstients were treated, is called The Snake Pit (1948), starring Olivia deHavilland whose performsnce was Oscar-nominated. I haven't seen it in decades, my recollection is that it's rather harrowing, and very powerful.
Mia, I'm glad you liked this movie so much. It has elegance, poignancy, and truth without the distraction and even embarrassment of current films that rely on impersonal sex, foul language, CGI and frenetic violence to disguise poor acting and shallow storylines. These characters hit close to home and that's why we have a visceral reaction to them. Your comparison of Fred and the airplane was an angle I'd never thought of. Please continue your "First Time Watching"s. 🙂
One of my favorite films. Ever. I still believe "It's a Wonderful Life," should have won Best Picture, Director, and Actor (maybe biased, haha) But this film hits me in the gut every-single-time. This is a TRUE War film, talking about...what happens when the war is over and how do we readjust? Harold Russell seals the deal, 100%. He wasn't acting, he was indeed listening and being natural. Breaks my heart every time. Amazing how William Wyler helmed it after returning from war, himself, being almost deaf from his service. Love this so much!!
Just a note regarding your concern about transportation in the opening scenes: The rapid and massive demobilization of troops stressed civilian travel resources, then mainly rail. Air line tickets were a limited and extremely expensive luxury. So the trio has avoided the delay of converting their travel orders into a struggle to get train seats home by going to Base Operations at a US Army Air Forces facility and asking about Space Available on flights to their destination, a much better way to travel. Space A is still available for Active Duty and Retired military personnel and their families. A few decades ago I took my wife from the Asian city where we were assigned on the monthly C-130 supply flight. She was a bit concerned about the canvas and webbing benches we would sit on. However, when she asked about luggage limits and was told “We’re flying back empty. You can have a pallet (88” by 108”, 10,000 pounds maximum)” her attitude improved. Of course, since the engine noise in a C-130 is close to that of the B-17 in the film, conversation such as that between the three was physically impossible. Thanks very much for your series. There are so many good films in the catalog and younger generations need to see and appreciate them.
This movie was rosy and hopeful without being artificial and pollyannish. It didn't shy away from the real problems people faced, but none of the problems were insurmountable. I always wanted a remake for our current war.
William Wyler was the director. The same director who directed Ben-Hur, The Big Country, Funny Girl, Roman Holiday, and a bunch of other classics, and 4 Oscars for 4 different movies. Excellent review of this movie too.
mia, one of my favorite ww2 movies as well. There is another you should check out - it's a hidden gem - a romance about 2 broken people. It stars ginger rogers and joseph cotton and you'll understand why they cast him in niagra after you see this movie. It's called "I'll be seeing you" after the famous ww2 song and it is so real and heart warming. I think you and your audience will love it. My story: This film was in my father's effects after he died years ago and i took it as i loved the film. We never watched this one together but we did watch "12 o'clock high' and he filled me in on little details only a soldier would know. He served in WW2 bomber group - just like in this film - and always wondered if his plane made it back. By chance, he saw a newspaper article about a ww2 boneyard and there was sitting his plane - "My Prayer." he named that plane and was the tech person on board. PTSD was called "psycho neurosis" back then.
The first two 'coming home' sequences are so powerful. And Hoagy Carmichael was a favorite musician anyway, but this film and his appearance in TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT solidified my idea of him as a performer - on screen or on record.
Someone may have already mentioned this but the book upon which this movie is based is called "Glory for Me." This was a groundbreaking movie when it came out, primarily due to the realism of the Homer character.
The character of Homer was/remains hugely progressive! Audiences had seen great depictions of war/suffering before, but NOTHING like this!! Especially so his quiet individual suffering when alone in his room which intensified the suffering by stripping the scene of the “drama”! Still jaw dropping.
The scene with Fred and the Airplane represents both Fred's finally meeting his fears and defeating them, and then finding redemption. Yes, the scene shot in an aircraft graveyard is symbolic to Fred being thrown away too, but it's where he redeems himself as well.
