This film holds a personal touch for me because my father was one of the paraplegics featured in this film. I know it's story to be a true and an accurate "slice-of-life" for the late 1940's public views on wheelchair bound veterans. This film is consistant with the producer[Krammer] and director[Zinnemann] film legacy of making socially conscious films. This one is a film gem! Reviewers like "Renee" should realize that there was NO measure of handicapped public awareness in 1949. People would whisper, stare, and step away from people in wheelchairs. Hand controls for cars, ramps & wide doors for wheelchairs in public restraurants, homes and hospitals were still quite new. I know, I was there at my dad's side for many many years. The point of the film was the interest about people overcoming obstacles. The cast was believeable and very outstanding. I find this film to be a very enjoyable memory into seeing again my dad with all his wheelchair friends that I grew to know. My dad and many of the veterans in this film started the Paralyzed Veterans Association or PVA. This organization is still helping needy veterans. My dad lived a very full life. While there are less and less of these "The Men" still alive; their courage and this film's insiteful positive message is worth expressing today. This is an interesting character driven film, hurrah! [This film or it's cast should NOT be compared or confused with the politically radical biography film, "Born of the Fourth of July". They are a study in opposites. My father and I thought that film was horrible and demeaning to wheelchair veterans because of it's director's heavy handed self-serving political viewpoint staged in that film.]
