Making The Best Years of Our Lives: The Hollywood Classic That Inspired a Nation

by Alison Macor

Released in 1946, The Best Years of Our Lives became an immediate success. Life magazine called it “the first big, good movie of the post-war era” to tackle the “veterans problem.” Today we call that problem PTSD, but in the initial aftermath of World War II, the modern language of war trauma did not exist. The film earned the producer Samuel Goldwyn his only Best Picture Academy Award. It offered the injured director, William Wyler, a triumphant postwar return to Hollywood. And for Harold Russell, a double amputee who costarred with Fredric March and Dana Andrews, the film provided a surprising second act. Award-winning author Alison Macor illuminates the film’s journey from script to screen and describes how this authentic motion picture moved audiences worldwide. General Omar Bradley believed The Best Years of Our Lives would help “the American people to build an even better democracy” following the war, and the movie inspired broad reflection on reintegrating the walking wounded. But the film’s nuanced critique of American ideals also made it a target, and the picture and its creators were swept up in the anti-Communist witch hunts of the late 1940s. In this authoritative history, Macor chronicles the making and meaning of a film that changed America.

Genres: Film, Media Tie In, Nonfiction, History, World War II

208 pages, Paperback

Published September 5, 2023

About the author

A former film critic, Alison Macor holds a PhD in film history and taught for more than 20 years at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University, Austin Community College and the Austin Museum of Art.

Reviews

[Chuck Pickerill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first saw William Wyler's 1946 film "The Best Years of Our Lives" one night many years ago on Turner Classic Movies. I was immediately struck by the three U.S. Service members together in an airplane flying to their hometown of Boone City after World War II. When the taxi driver drops the first man off at home, tears were rolling down my cheeks. Up to that point I don't think a film had affected me as much so early on. I was instantly hooked and by the time the film had fully unrolled, I was eager to see it again. Over time I have rewatched it at least once a year and discover new details on each viewing. Therefore, I was ecstatic to learn that author Alison Macor had written a book chronicling the production of the film.

"Making The Best Years of Our Lives: The Hollywood Classic That Inspired a Nation" explores the history of the production of the film primarily through three individuals. They are the producer, Samuel Goldwyn; the director, William Wyler; and the film's breakout star, Harold Russell. We learn about Wyler's experiences during World War II, the accident where Russell lost his hands and the training film that gave him hope and inspired him to star in his own training film for servicemen. We also learn of Goldwyn's desire to make a prestige picture about World War II that would win him his highly coveted Academy Award. The book takes us on this journey through inception, filming, the premieres, awards ceremonies and aftermath of a film that is considered one of the very best in Hollywood history.

One of the best things about the book is how Macor puts the reader virtually on the set as the movie is being made. It is one of the most detailed accounts of the actual filming of a classic film that I have read. I really enjoyed reading about what real life moments from the director William Wyler inspired scenes in the film. How Dana Andrews as a sign of respect to Wyler stopped drinking alcohol while making the film after a bender rendered him useless one day during filming. Also, the struggles of Virginia Mayo to go from acting in comedic roles to this dramatic role for "Best Years." Many other great details like these are included in this section. The book also traces how important the film was in giving the American public a window into the feelings and trauma ex-servicemen were experiencing now that they have returned home from the war. I enjoyed reading about how the performance of Harold Russell in the film had an impact and how Russell would devote his life to helping and fighting for benefits for vets.

"Making the Best Years of Our Lives" is informative and an entertaining look at one of the best films ever made during the Hollywood Studio System years. Alison Macor does a fantastic job of putting together all the highs and lows of production that made this film a classic. If you are a fan of the film, you will want to pick-up this book!

[Jeff Duncanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a snob.

I knew of the reputation of William Wyler’s The Best Years of Our Lives for years but always passed on watching it because I stupidly assumed that it was going to be overly mawkish and sentimental. How could it possibly be any good?

About 2 years ago, I finally broke down and watched it, with the result being that I rewatched it twice more within a couple of months. I discovered that it is a film of tremendous power and emotion, and I now number it among my favorite movies. Sometimes snobs see the light, I guess.

When Alison Macors Making The Best Years of Our Lives: The Hollywood Classic that Inspired a Nation came out, I couldn’t wait to dive into it.

TBYooL is first and foremost a film of its time: the time being the immediate aftermath of World War II. One of the joys of the book is how Macor sets the cultural and social scene for the America of 1946. Viewing TBYooL in retrospect as a beloved classic, one doesn’t see the hesitancy in going back to talk about the carnage that the nation had just been through, or appreciate that returning servicemen might have issues resuming their former lives. These early passages are where Macors book really shines, and it is perceptive that the book is really driven by two men: Wyler, who lost his hearing during combat, and Harold Russell, who lost both hands. These two men are the exemplars of the harshness of restarting a life that has been changed forever because of the war.

It's interesting to read how the Hays Code influenced the way the story was told. The reunion of Fredric March and Myrna Loy is emotional and bittersweet, and Macor delves into the plot point of the married couple sleeping in separate single beds. Macor quotes Loy’s wry observation that the couple would “Just want to get into the sack”. Same goes for the marriage of Dana Andrews Fred and his unfaithful wife Marie, and the vow of Teresa wrights Peggy that she will “break up that marriage”. These relationships are all honest and lifelike, and it is to the movies credit that they are handled with such honesty.

The concept of PTSD is well-known now, but in 1946, it was still misunderstood, and even denied. Macor talks a lot about the way battle fatigue and “shell-shock” were starting to come out of the shadows and be looked upon in a more serious way. The nightmares suffered by Fred are a stark illustration of what some veterans were dealing with in real life.

TBYooL is likely best known for one performance: Harold Russell as the double amputee Homer who fears facing his family and his girl. Russell won two Oscars for this role, and Macor spends a lot of the book with him, and his insecurity in going in front of the camera. It’s inspiring to see his attitude towards his disability, and to learn that he was a lifelong advocate for the disabled. It’s also impossible to watch his scene with Cathy O’Donnell where she puts him to bed and he tries to make her understand what she is up against in marrying him, and not be moved. That scene ennobles the art of filmmaking.

If I have any quibbles with this book, it might just be a wish that it had spent a bit more time with Fredric March and Myrna Loy, because I love the way their loving but imperfect marriage is portrayed. I also wish it could have delved a bit more into the great work of cinematographer Gregg Toland. Those are nit-picks, however. This is a great companion to a great movie, and you should check them both out.

Don’t let any film snob dissuade you

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every few years, I get the urge to rewatch TBYOL, and the most recent luckily coincided with the publication of Alison Macor's wonderful book. If you like this film--which is now as much of a (not) post-Covid masterpiece as it is the post-WWII classic, you'll come away with an even stronger appreciation for the film and the cast and crew. There might not be much of a story in a group of people who work hard and all seem to get along and respect one another, but Macor makes it interesting.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was a teenager many years ago, my good friend Joe and I - avid movie fans - were discussing our favorite movies when Joe’s dad asked us if we had ever seen a film called The Best Years of Our Lives. We hadn’t. A veteran himself, Joe’s father began telling us about the movie. At a certain point tears welled up in his eyes, and he couldn’t continue speaking. When I saw the film just a few years later, I understood why. Each time I watch it, tears well up in my eyes as well.

Looking back we might wonder why so many Americans went to theaters to see a three-hour movie about returning World War II veterans only one year after the end of the war. Apparently something more than escapism at the movies was on their minds. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) was a film that transcended mere entertainment, although it certainly entertained audiences. More importantly it brought to America’s attention the plight of returning veterans, those suffering from strained relationships, the inability to find meaningful work, and a problem we would later refer to as PTSD.

Alison Macor’s tremendous book Making ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ is not only a great book about a great film, it’s a testament to the courage of those who served as well as those who made the picture. That courage is present both in front of the camera, with the double amputee veteran Harold Russell, and behind the camera with director William Wyler, who suffered from deafness due to the war. With meticulous research Macor chronicles the enormous challenges Wyler faced in getting the film cast, produced, and passed by the Production Code. But the story is far more than a motion picture affecting American audiences emotionally. People came away from the film with a greater understanding of just how much our veterans actually did give the best years of their lives for their country.

Billy Wilder called the film “the best directed picture I have ever seen.” Roger Ebert stated “As long as we have wars and returning veterans, some of them wounded, The Best Years of Our Lives will not be dated.”

The Best Years of Our Lives is a film that has resonated with audiences at home and abroad for generations. May it continue to do so, and may this outstanding book help keep the film alive for many more generations.

[Matthew Wilder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is it possible THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES is the greatest American movie? Okay, let’s say the best “classical” movie—it can’t exactly swordfight with NASHVILLE or TAXI DRIVER. Why is this picture, which contains to my mind the most shattering scene of pathos in all of cinema, so disregarded?

You won’t get answers from this wildly scrupulously researched, no-stone-left-unturned, but not particularly insightfully or poetically written book. But if you are a TBYOOL superfan, the details of Wyler’s shooting will leave you sated.

[Phil Isett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just got finished reading Alison Macor's "Making The Best Years of Our Lives." What an enjoyable book! It's obvious that meticulous research and careful thought was invested in this well-written gem. What I appreciate most is how Ms. Macor chose to frame the content. She told the "making-of" story through three principal contributors to the movie: Sam Goldwyn (studio head and film's producer), William Wyler (director), and Harold Russell (army veteran and rookie actor). Each had their fair share of struggles and triumphs, and seeing how the film was made within the context of their personal lives made this more than just another "behind-the-scenes" book. Also, I really enjoy Ms. Macor's writing. Details do not mean dullness! Her narrative style made the content both easy to digest and to turn the page. I love "The Best Years of Our Lives," and this book made me love it even more.

[John Bleasdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Detailed and sensitive.

[Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Ron Popp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the film. Found this book one resting but written in a fairly dense manner. All told, it’s about 150 pages without the bibliography.

Enjoyable but I felt it really summarized everything. The author seems to think Andrews snub by the academy wasn’t a big deal while Loy and Mayo being snubbed was. I’d say the main focus is Russell.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a deeper dive into the making of the WW2 film The Best Years of Our Lives than I was able to read right now. Skimmed, read parts and looked at photos. Lots of good info here on what is a truly classic movie that has aged pretty well. For fans of the film.

[David Klingenberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is “good,” but I especially appreciated getting to watch, read, and think about this movie.

[Jeannie MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit that I approached Alison Macor’s book with three baked-in biases. I have always loved The Best Years of Our Lives; William Wyler is one of my favorite directors; and I’ve long been haunted by the death of my uncle Bill, a Naval Academy graduate who was killed in action during the Battle of Guam. Had he survived, Bill (similar to Best Years' most memorable character) would have come home an amputee.

Needless to say, I was eager to dive into the story – and finished it in one sitting.

Even if you’ve never seen The Best Years of Our Lives, I think you will appreciate the depth of Macor’s research. She tracks the script-to-screen journey of the nearly three-hour release in 155 fact-packed pages. Macor focuses her sweeping account on three key players: bilateral hand amputee Harold Russell, producer Samuel Goldwyn, director William Wyler. Yet she also hat-tips above-the-line talent, like screenwriter Robert E. Sherwood, cinematographer Gregg “King of Deep Focus” Toland, and composer Hugo Friedhofer, whose contributions were also considerable.

Macor covers a lot of ground: The grueling production process; Russell and Wyler’s wartime service (and life-changing disabilities); political blowback during the era of HUAC hearings and the blacklist; how the actors prepared for their most iconic moments; the positive impact Best Years had in shaping public awareness of the physical and emotional challenges facing 16 million veterans. Macor knits every strand together to create a page-turning snapshot of post-war America. While I could nit-pick at some factual errors – Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 (not in the spring); Dana Andrews was single when he moved to Los Angeles from Texas (not a widower) – the breadth of Macor’s reporting far outweighs any minor mistakes.

Despite earning nine Oscars, Macor reveals that Best Years’ success was not inevitable. In fact, the drama might have easily flopped when it premiered on November 21, 1946. War fatigue could have driven away audiences craving escapist fare. The picture’s 170-minute running time and premium ticket prices could have hamstrung its box-office grosses. Russell’s steel hook prosthetics and the realistic post-war adjustments portrayed by Fredric March and Dana Andrews could have turned off viewers expecting a star-spangled salute to returning heroes.

Toss in Wyler’s struggles with hearing loss from shooting documentary footage in a noisy B-25 bomber; the risks of casting inexperienced actors (Russell and co-star Cathy O’Donnell) in pivotal roles; Andrews’ alcoholism; potentially ruinous cost overruns; uncertainty about the response of the military brass to scenes dramatizing PTSD; not to mention the demands of Production Code censors, and it’s really incredible that Best Years was the top moneymaker of its time (second only to Gone With the Wind).

For viewers new to the movie, Macor provides enough compelling details to make it a must-see.
For Best Years fans, Macor’s juicy anecdotes will enhance your enjoyment – and deepen your appreciation – of this landmark film.

[Oolookitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only recently saw this film for the first time, and this book is an excellent and insightful exploration of the production. It’s a slim book that really goes into detail about the preproduction, the casting, the shoot, even the marketing, and how the director, William Wyler, worked with the inexperienced disabled veteran (Harold Russell) who ended up winning an Oscar for the film. A really satisfying look at an amazing film.

[黑]

战前部分在《五个人的战争》里了解的七七八八了，后面印象最深的除了作者单拿出一章讲“好莱坞黑名单”，就是高德温的宣发策略。比如说要求旗下明星（哪怕没出演本片）必须也只能在受访时聊本片相关的话题；哈罗德·拉塞尔的婚礼同样也是高德温精心安排的，时间上既能宣传造势又不耽误他度蜜月回来拍戏；（一眼即视《一个明星的诞生》）当然还有把点映时间提前到46年年末好能参加几个月后的奥斯卡。（否则一年后就没热度了）如果说《乱世佳人》是制片厂（人）制度的胜利，《卡萨布兰卡》是时运下的幸运儿，那《黄金时代》其实是关于好莱坞一般公关的典型案例，即好莱坞稳握一手好牌的时候，如何通过宣发最大限度地提升影片的赢面，甚至让它跻身“经典”之列【对我还是觉得这片很老一套主旋律。。。】

[Malcolm Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The film was Best Film in the Oscars and a huge success.The book is headed by 2 titanic figures,William Euler and Sam Goldwyn.When they went friends one would be doing the other.
The role that Harold Russell played was memorable although Goldwyn paid him a pittance.
An excellently researched and written book.

[. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would probably give it a 3.5. You can tell the author did a lot of research and presents everything with readability in mind. I do wish, however, that the book was a little bit longer. Her focus makes sense, but I felt like things could have gone deeper.

[Alon Motro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of information and interesting anecdotes but the writing doesn't flow very well and it repeats itself in places.

Several times an interesting tangent is explored only to abruptly halt and attention returned to the original thread.

[Ed Dorsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific book and easy read. My only disappointment was that Ms. Macor did not mention Harold Russel's continued acting career, which spanned the years between 1980-1997, including two movies and three appearances on episodic TV. "Inside Moves" in 1980 was also David Morse's debut role.