Best Years of Our Lives (1946 US) Three soldiers return to civilian life after the end of WWII. On Friday we discussed Mudbound, which is a more contemporary look at the struggle of soldiers returning after WWII. This film was made just after the war ended. Both films make poignant but different points on the struggle. Both are very well thought out and produced. Actor Harold Russell lost both of his arms in an explosion and went on to win an Oscar for his role as one of the soldiers in Best Years. The thesis here is that the experience from war does not translate to civilian life and the people that did not go to war gained a foothold pushing out the returning soldiers. At one point a wife berates her husband for getting a go-nowhere job as a drug store clerk. She then goes on to say she is going back to work and she makes more money than him oh and by the way I’m divorcing you. Congrats you just witnessed the birth of the Femme fatale , the most interesting archetype out there. This is a very well done drama. Find it on Youtube, Amazon, Hulu or for rent on most streaming.
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