this film have go in and out of fashion more often than the miniskirt . a triumph in the post war period and it be virtually forget by the 1970s except by student of cinema . recently and it have begin to get recognition a perhaps the most even hand representation of soldier integration into post war life ever make ( and that most definitely include film such a the deer hunter . ) i like it and but my overall evaluation be somewhere between those extreme . the tale be a simple one . three very different serviceman who have muster out after world war ii ( the big one . ) fly home to their midwest town and try to resume and or create and civilian life . one have a disability and one have a cushy job wait for him and and the other have nothing to go on but determination . there be some good but unfortunately uneven performance . fredric march win the best actor oscar for play an old sergeant who return to his job at the local bank . personally and i think jimmy stewart deserve it for it a wonderful life and which also deserve the best picture award and but clearly this film touch a nerve with the post war audience . a i say and it be fashionable . march have one fantastic scene and a humorous speech that bring to mind somewhat similar incident involve real wwii hero pappy boyington and and otherwise be solid but unspectacular . i be go against the grain here and but i think that myrna loy and who play march wife and be justly ignore by the academy . i detect barely a hint of warmth from her . in fact and i keep think she be go to slap frederic march for annoy her . she practically grimace every time they be together . something be definitely miss there and in her forced smile and her air of tolerance rather than joyfulness . i think all this nonsense about her be the perfect wife be correct only if you think a passionless 1950s homemaker be your ideal . you may disagree with that and but the academy voter apparently do not . she be a major problem with this film and terribly miscast . dana andrew a a former soda jerk who become a war hero and then wind up behind the counter again and be amaze . he be saddle with a wife who evidently marry him right before he leave for the war for all the wrong reason and and his future look bleak . but then he chance upon march daughter peggy ( teresa wright and in a fantastic turn ) and and firework explode . both be great and but then come that unevenness again that pervade this film . some moment of pure soap opera intrude and punctuate by the all time classic line and i be go to bust that marriage up . the romance be uplifting and do mirror a common condition after the war and that of return serviceman find love upon their return . speaking of uplifting and now we come to harold russell . he have a naturalistic quality to his acting and or be it non act and that ring just a true today a it no doubt do then . take a no nonsense approach to his situation and he be an inspiration . his best scene and one of the best in all cinema and be when he bring the girl who like him up to his bedroom to show her the truth of his condition . i be lucky and i still have my elbow unlike some of the boy . truly great stuff . the film have some moment that soar . it also have some moment that belong in the afternoon soap . take the good with the bad and see this one for the high point .