it was indeed the best

[sergebroom]

Tomorrow, Turner Classic Movies is showing what I think is one of the greatest American movies ever made, 1946's The Best Years of Our Lives. For those who've never seen it, it's the story of three veterans returning to their town after the War and how they have to re-adjust. One of the most heart-wrenching scenes is the one where the two older vets drop off Homer, the youngest, at his home and his whole family comes rushing out, his mother bursting into tears when she sees that her son, still a kid in her mind (*), has lost both hands. And when Homer's sweetheart hugs him, he just stands there. As they drive away, one of the two older vets comments to the other that the military were able to replace his hands and show him how to use the manipulators, but they couldn't teach him to put his arms around his girl.

(*) Do we ever stop being kids to our mothers?

Comments

[tania-c.livejournal.com]

I can't believe I've never seen this movie. It sounds like it is very good, but I need to be in the right frame of mind to watch, or I will likely get weepy or angry. Maybe both. Thanks for the mentioning it.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I will likely get weepy

Heck, it does that to me, just thinking about it, even though I know that things will work out in the end. Not neatly tied up and resolved, but with a sense of hope.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen it either. I tend to have a block on most movies of the 40s.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Old movies aren't your thing, then?

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Some are, some aren't. Of course, one has to define 'old'. I love 'Doctor Strangelove'.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

By old, I usually mean older than the year 1960. I'm not that keen on movies of the 1930s myself.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Oh, I see. I do like some older films.

[miltonthales.livejournal.com]

There's a good discussion of the film at filmsite.org (http://www.filmsite.org/besty.html). The guy (Harold Russell) who played the amputee was a vet and an amputee. He won two Oscars for the role (Supporting Actor and an Honorary Oscar for inspiration).

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I had heard about that. The reality of his amputation becomes quite clear by the end, when he takes the manipulators off before his sweetheart, to show the reality of what it'll be like to spend the rest of her life with him.