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AFI (2007) • AFI-037

The Best Years of Our Lives

1946 • William Wyler
The Best Years of Our Lives poster
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ABOUT THIS FILM
RUNTIME
170 min
FAMOUS QUOTE
“This is the way it is with me. I get in a war, I fight it.”

William Wyler’s postwar drama follows three American veterans returning home after World War II as they attempt to readjust to civilian life. Each man faces different struggles: reconnecting with family, finding meaningful work, and coping with physical or emotional trauma. The film captures the uncertainty experienced by millions of returning soldiers in the immediate aftermath of the war. Harold Russell’s performance as a sailor who lost both hands during combat brought powerful authenticity to the story. Blending personal drama with social realism, the film resonated strongly with audiences of the time and remains one of the most moving explorations of wartime reintegration.

Why it matters

  • It endures because its core tensions (war veteran; bodily disabled person; rehabilitation) still feel modern, and the emotional turns land hard.
  • It’s a masterclass in Drama, Romance storytelling—efficient scene work, memorable set-pieces, and choices that keep the tone confident.
  • As a time-capsule and an influence engine, it’s a key snapshot of 1946—and you can feel its DNA in countless films that followed.

Watch for

  • Recurring motifs and touchpoints (war veteran, bodily disabled person, rehabilitation, black and white, romantic)—notice how they show up, evolve, or get subverted scene-to-scene.
  • How information is revealed (or withheld): pay attention to what you learn first, and what you only understand in hindsight.
  • Performance details in close-ups—pauses, glances, and timing often do more than the lines.
  • Transitions and visual rhymes: watch how the film connects scenes through matching images, sound bridges, or repeated blocking.

Vibe

Postwar DramaHomecomingVeterans’ TraumaDomestic ReadjustmentAmerican HealingClassical HumanismRomantic DislocationSocial RealismCompassionEarned Hope
AFI RANK
1998: #37
2007: #37
—No change spots