MovieChat Forums > The Best Years of Our Lives (1947) Discussion > ***blasphemy alert*** it's time for a dr...

blasphemy alert it's time for a drastic reassessment of this movie

posted 10 years ago by ccs-5
87 replies | jump to latest

This is undeniably a well-made movie in many respects, particularly by 1946 post-WWII standards -- but today it is strictly a period piece, replete with large doses of heavy-handed moralism. Nearly all of the plot lines are utterly predictable, and many of the scenes are embarrassingly saccharine and/or hackneyed. On top of everything else, it's an excruciatingly long, boring slog at nearly 3 hours.

Possibly over the years some people have been reluctant to criticize the movie for fear of being accused of being insensitive to veterans. I can't think of many other reasons for the absurdly high rating and its presence in the IMDb top 250 movies.

Ok, fire away -- but that's how I honestly feel.

[–] johnmiller (3969) 6 years ago

This is a sentimental film, which is fine. The issue for me is the soap opera that shows up far too often. It undercuts the great writing, directing, and acting this film has. Virginia Mayo and her Marie character are WAY over the top for a film with so many great performances.

[–] Destinata (3524) 6 years ago

This was designed to show what the veterans faced when they came home -- the quickie marriages that quickly turned sour, what the disabled veterans faced, the new view of the world that left them at sea in the jobs that were actually held for them. And yes, in those days they actually wanted things to turn out on a happy note.

There's one line in there that really grabbed me, having been married a few years -- "and all those times we had to learn how to fall in love with each other again." This, when the daughter claimed they didn't know what trouble was. Yes, they knew. And anyone who's been married some years knows. There are gems in this movie that young people today need to learn. It's not the world's greatest movie, but it's doggone good, and the high rating is not absurd at all -- it reflects the maturity of the people voting.

BTW, this world at everyone's throats could use some moralism!

[–] TimMC (9143) 3 years ago

OP snorts dried up cat shit.

[–] trevorh321 (5495) 3 years ago

It is a long film but never boring. I wouldn't say I was riveted the whole time but I enjoyed it. And the IMDB top 250 is filled with crappy movies. I have no problem with this film being included.

***blasphemy alert*** it's time for a drastic reassessment of this movie

blasphemy alert it's time for a drastic reassessment of this movie