The Best Years of Our Lives

This William Wyler directed movie won many Oscars in 1946 including best picture. Telling the story of three men returning home from the war to Boone City, a fictional Midwestern Town. Fred who had been a war hero flying planes will be returning home to his wife who he had married quickly before being sent overseas. Al a respected middle aged banker had been an infantry leader and Homer a young man returning with two hooks where his hands used to be.

All three have trouble adjusting to life at home. Fred finds his wife not the settling down type, she had been attracted to him as a Captain in the Air Core but not as a regular fellow trying to pay the bills. Al is promoted to a new position in loans centering on returning GI's but is frustrated by his decisions being second guessed and Harold faces the biggest challenge of all. His family does not know how to treat him and he pulls away from his fiance Wilma not wanting her to have to face a life with a handicapped man.

Frederick March as Al won the Oscar for Best Actor and Harold Russell a man who had lost his hands during the war won the Supporting Oscar for playing Homer.

This is a superb movie. Wonderful acting and genuinly likable characters. Watching many old movies it is interesting to see certain directors made movie after movie of quality. William Wyler stands as one of those.

Friendly Persuasion

This also from the fifties is a William Wyler period piece about a Quaker family in Southern Indiana in 1862. Told as both a comedy and a drama as the family tries to keep their Quaker faith in a world closing in with worldly things. The war and the approaching confederate troops being one of them.

The scenery is wonderful, the mood is pleasant and the whole films elicits true thoughts of that idyllic life. Gary Cooper as Jess Birdwell is a strong man faced with conflicting choices and Anthony Perkins, in his pre Psycho days, plays the son faced with the biggest decisions. And the goose..well the goose has a story of its own.

This is a fine period piece. William Wyler does not make bad movies.