thirty year prior to the deer hunter come this movie and an excellent meditation on the effect of war inflict on the american family a see from both the war hero and their wife . a truly ironic title and the best year of our life be anything but since those time have vanish into still image and all that be leave be an uncertain future for those involve . truly an ensemble cast despite the top billing of myrna loy and the best year of our life focus more on the story of the men . al stephenson ( fredric march ) come back to a household that have irrevocably change a his son have grow although he find support from his dot wife milly ( myrna loy ) . fred derry and upon return and can not find a decent job despite be a war veteran and be trap in a marriage that he do not want to marie and a happy go lucky girl who want more out of life and who increasingly come to hate him . homer parrish and on the other hand and have great problem due to his loss of hand at war and feel the entire world include the girl he love and her family think he be a freak of nature . at almost three hour of length and the film never seem long and draw out . there be so much emotion happen even in small moment that the plot breeze by while nothing seem waste or place on screen due to a lack of edit . not a performance ring false and though the standouts be those of dana andrew a fred derry and harold russell a homer parrish and virginia mayo a marie derry . even then every character have his or her moment on film and and the time be right to talk about all the pain and suffering that until then have not be see in american film ( include the one make around world war one and which do not dabble in such topic ) . while there be never any overt violence and it all there and in the haunted expression of the three male lead face and in the lot where the plane now reside and ready to be turn into junk ( and therefore and forgetfulness ) and in the cynicism of the store owner who couldn not be bother to employ these shell shock men who have see battle or even bad and to goad them into wonder what be it all worth for . this be the film in which come home and bear on the fourth of july be indebted to . at a time when america flee from war film and to come up with this when the end of the second world war be still fresh be a necessity in order to make a more honest film making .