IMDb on iPhone and iPod touch Learn more Learn more Download from the App Store
IMDb > The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
The Best Years of Our Lives
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 11 | slideshow) Videos (see all 6)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) -- Three WWII veterans return home to small-town America to discover that they and their families have been irreparably changed.
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
William Wyler
Writers:
Robert E. Sherwood (screenplay)
MacKinlay Kantor (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Best Years of Our Lives on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 October 1947 (France) more
Genre:
Drama | Romance | War more
Tagline:
THE SCREEN'S GREATEST LOVE STORY IS THE BEST FILM THIS YEAR FROM HOLLYWOOD! more
Plot:
Three WWII veterans return home to small-town America to discover that they and their families have been irreparably changed. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 7 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(8 articles)
Nervous from the Service
 (From The Auteurs. 2 December 2009, 6:58 AM, PST)
Farber on Film: Introduction, Part 3 (Farber Before Negative Space)
 (From The Auteurs. 18 November 2009, 7:43 AM, PST)
User Reviews:
Refreshing To See more (176 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Myrna Loy ... Milly Stephenson

Fredric March ... Al Stephenson (as Frederic March)

Dana Andrews ... Fred Derry

Teresa Wright ... Peggy Stephenson

Virginia Mayo ... Marie Derry
Cathy O'Donnell ... Wilma Cameron
Hoagy Carmichael ... Butch Engle
Harold Russell ... Homer Parrish
Gladys George ... Hortense Derry
Roman Bohnen ... Pat Derry
Ray Collins ... Mr. Milton
Minna Gombell ... Mrs. Parrish
Walter Baldwin ... Mr. Parrish
Steve Cochran ... Cliff
Dorothy Adams ... Mrs. Cameron
Don Beddoe ... Mr. Cameron
Marlene Aames ... Luella Parrish
Charles Halton ... Prew
Ray Teal ... Mr. Mollett
Howland Chamberlain ... Thorpe (as Howland Chamberlin)
Dean White ... Novak
Erskine Sanford ... Bullard
Michael Hall ... Rob Stephenson
Victor Cutler ... Woody Merrill
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gene Krupa ... Himself (archive footage)
James Ames ... Jackie (uncredited)
Carol Andrews ... Saleswoman (uncredited)
Mary Arden ... Miss Barbour (uncredited)
Al Bridge ... Gus, Salvage Superintendent (uncredited)
Harry Cheshire ... Minister at Wedding (uncredited)
Sidney Clute ... Drugstore Clerk (uncredited)
Joyce Compton ... Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
James Conaty ... Man At Bank Dinner (uncredited)
Heinie Conklin ... Customer (uncredited)
Bert Conway ... ATC Sergeant (uncredited)
Clancy Cooper ... Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Mady Correll ... Announcer (uncredited)
Roy Darmour ... Parking Lot Attendant (uncredited)
Hal K. Dawson ... Man at Airport (uncredited)
Lester Dorr ... Bar Patron (uncredited)
Claire Du Brey ... Mrs. Talburt, Perfume Customer (uncredited)
Tom Dugan ... Doorman (uncredited)
Edward Earle ... Steese (Bank) (uncredited)

Blake Edwards ... Corporal at ATC Counter (uncredited)
Billy Engle ... Customer (uncredited)
Ben Erway ... Lou Latham (Bank) (uncredited)
Doris June Fesetta ... Camera Girl (uncredited)

Pat Flaherty ... Salvage Foreman (Junking Bombers) (uncredited)

Tennessee Ernie Ford ... Nightclub / Hillbilly singer (uncredited)
Louise Franklin ... Ladies' Room Attendant (uncredited)
Harry Gillette ... Card Player at Lucia's (uncredited)
Dick Gordon ... Maitre d'Hotel (uncredited)
Earle Hodgins ... Diner Attendant (Lucia's) (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes ... Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Ray Hyke ... Gus The Foreman (uncredited)
John Ince ... Ryan (uncredited)
Teddy Infuhr ... Dexter, Brat in Drugstore (uncredited)
Jackie Jackson ... A Boy (uncredited)
Robert Karnes ... Technical Sergeant (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp ... Man At Bank Dinner (uncredited)
Donald Kerr ... Steve the Bartender (uncredited)
Alyn Lockwood ... Counter Girl (uncredited)
Susan Mann ... Announcer (uncredited)
Michael Mauree ... Glamour Girl (uncredited)
Doreen McCann ... A Girl (uncredited)
Peggy McIntyre ... Girl at Soda Fountain (Enter Mollett) (uncredited)
Chef Milani ... Giuseppe (Lucia's Restaurant proprietor) (uncredited)
Harold Miller ... Wealthy Man at Nightclub (uncredited)
Ernesto Morelli ... Card Player (uncredited)
William Newell ... Waiter At Bank Dinner (uncredited)
Georgie Nokes ... One of Homer's 'Kids' (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien ... Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
Joe Palma ... Card Player (uncredited)
Leo Penn ... ATC Corporal (uncredited)
Caleb Peterson ... Black Soldier At Airfield (uncredited)
Norman Phillips Jr. ... Clarence 'Sticky' Merkle (uncredited)
Jack Rice ... Apartment Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgeway ... Girl At Table With Cliff (uncredited)
Mickey Roth ... Boy at Soda Fountain (Enter Mollett) (uncredited)
Ruth Sanderson ... Mrs. Garrett (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford ... George H. Gibbons (uncredited)
Noreen Sayles ... A Girl (uncredited)
Stephen Soldi ... Card Player (uncredited)
John Tyrrell ... Angus (Gus), Butch's Waiter (uncredited)
Amelita Ward ... Counter Girl (uncredited)
Jan Wiley ... Perfume Saleswoman (uncredited)
Marek Windheim ... Waiter at Lucia's Restaurant (uncredited)
Catherine Wyler ... Department store extra (uncredited)
Judy Wyler ... Department store extra (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
William Wyler 
 
Writing credits
Robert E. Sherwood (screenplay)

MacKinlay Kantor (novel) (as Mackinlay Kantor)

Produced by
Samuel Goldwyn .... producer
 
Original Music by
Hugo Friedhofer 
 
Cinematography by
Gregg Toland 
 
Film Editing by
Daniel Mandell 
 
Art Direction by
Perry Ferguson 
George Jenkins 
 
Set Decoration by
Julia Heron 
 
Costume Design by
Irene Sharaff  (as Sharaff)
 
Makeup Department
Marie Clark .... hair stylist
Robert Stephanoff .... makeup artist
 
Art Department
Dorothea Holt .... illustrator (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Richard DeWeese .... sound recordist
Larry Gannon .... sound (uncredited)
Gordon Sawyer .... supervising sound editor (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
John P. Fulton .... special effects director (uncredited)
Harry Redmond Sr. .... special effects (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
E. Truman Joiner .... key grip (uncredited)
Paul Mantz .... aerial director of photography (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Emil Newman .... musical director
Sidney Cutner .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Jerome Moross .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Edward B. Powell .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Samuel Goldwyn .... presenter
Dale Tate .... title designer (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Glory for Me (USA) (working title)
Home Again (USA) (working title)
Samuel Goldwyn's The Best Years of Our Lives (USA) (poster title)
more
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
172 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
UK:U | West Germany:12 (f) | South Korea:15 (2002) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Argentina:13 | Australia:G | Australia:PG (alternate rating) | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #11972)
Filming Locations:
Long Beach Airport - 4101 E. Donald Douglas Drive, Long Beach, California, USA more
Company:
Samuel Goldwyn Company, The more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This was William Wyler's last film for producer Samuel Goldwyn. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: When Peggy and Marie are in the ladies room at the restaurant, the cameraman's left arm is visible in one of the mirrors. more
Quotes:
Fred Derry: How long since you been home?
Al Stephenson: Oh, a couple-a centuries.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Day for Night: An Appreciation (2003) (V) more

FAQ

Weren't Dana Andrews and Fredric March a little old for their characters?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
Where is the airplane graveyard located?
more

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
38 out of 51 people found the following review useful.
Refreshing To See, 13 August 2003
10/10
Author: smthrk from Tulsa, OK

Very glad to see that this excellent film gets such high marks from the users of IMDB. The Best Years of Their Lives remains the finest cinematic statement about veterans returning from war that I have come across. Easily the finest performance by the often overlooked Frederick March. In fact the entire cast shines, including music legend Hoagy Carmichael who treats us all with a subtle version of his classic Lazy River. I would recommend this excellent film to anyone who loves movies.

Was the above review useful to you?
more (176 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Females under 18 fernandomassuy
al drops his shoes rpherst
Contrast among the soldiers? Der_Erlkonig
DEEP FOCUS? Olivilips
Al's speech at the Bank's board meeting; priceless abernahi
What are you thoughts on this sonia-abraham
more
HTTP/1.1 500 Internal Server Error Date: Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:20:12 GMT Server: HTTPDaemon Set-Cookie: cs=jggamr9tLlfLXm4FwN9DFgD7x2NWrNdUZa9UQ1XcdyAW75RgJe/EU/WPtHDWD8RANqzXU/Asl0NWrOEkBTm3Y1U+M9eF/9M1YEuXw/as11XBrF9jVqzhVUYk12NVn0frZf9EQCW/9AB1L4fD8fvxgHbsdxQWjNdjXuxfYxXP1DPVj4Twdg/EQDW/tGPwihA1BgxBdRas12MWJNcjda/360X/REBVv/QAda/Xw/C6ETBmOuF0ZqzXI/acl0NWjNdjVqzXIxb8p1NQ==;expires=Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT;path=/;domain=.imdb.com Set-Cookie: cs=dZu3q37Bq3Ug7/2AeRmdMQGagHNWrNdjZe/U4GXfV8MWDJQgVS+UcGXP9ABGDHRwdqzXY2H6VyN2rNdVEu/QE1AZlGfV76N2UEuXw+as11XBrF9jVqzhVUYk12NVn0frZf9EQCW/9AB1L4fD8fvxgHbsdxQWjNdjXuxfYxXP1DPVj4Twdg/EQDW/tGPwihA1BgxBdRas12MWJNcjda/360X/REBVv/QAda/Xw/C6ETBmOuF0ZqzXI/acl0NWjNdjVqzXIxb8p1NQ==;expires=Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT;path=/;domain=.imdb.com Set-Cookie: cs=b1m9hk+JpRq41PmILedi1gD7x2NWrNdUZa9UQ1XcdyAW75RgJe/EU/WPtHDWD8RANqzXU/Asl0NWrOEkBdmHY1B4Y9Xlj1Jn0EuXw/as11XBrF9jVqzhVUYk12NVn0frZf9EQCW/9AB1L4fD8fvxgHbsdxQWjNdjXuxfYxXP1DPVj4Twdg/EQDW/tGPwihA1BgxBdRas12MWJNcjda/360X/REBVv/QAda/Xw/C6ETBmOuF0ZqzXI/acl0NWjNdjVqzXIxb8p1NQ==;expires=Tue, 05 Jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT;path=/;domain=.imdb.com Cache-Control: private Connection: close Transfer-Encoding: chunked Content-Type: text/html IMDb: Kaboom!


Something went wrong.

Oh dear. Something broke. On the bright side it might just be temporary, but on the other hand it could be a bug.

Please try again...

But if the problem persists, please report it to server-errors@imdb.com.

Below are some data that may be of use to us to debug this problem. Please copy and send this, explaining which page you were at and where you clicked: 

Date: Mon Jan  4 07:20:13 2010
Host: www.imdb.com
Server: iop108
Status: 500
Client: 38.107.191.95
Browser: CCBot/1.0 (+http://www.commoncrawl.org/bot.html)
Request: GET /title/tt0036868/combined HTTP/1.1
Instance: 2010-01-03
Referrer:

Thank you!