Film of the Day: 60

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

In the 1930s to the end of the 1950s, John Ford was considered the greatest American director, but second to Ford was William Wyler. Wyler (originally named Wilhelm Weiller) was born in Mülhausen, Alsace, Germany (which is now Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin, France) on July 1st 1902.

His first directorial work was a few short films from 1925, then a few western films with Universal (now are considered lost films) and in 1929 he directed his first solid film, The Love Trap. However it was when he struck a deal with Samuel Goldwyn and left Universal for MGM that he really made his mark and directed Dodsworth in 1936 (which got him his first oscar nomination or best director).

From then on he directed an endless list of terrific films such as Wuthering Heights which won Laurence Olivier his first nomination and also credited Wyler for teaching him how to act for the screen (Olivier still holds the record for most nominated actor). In-fact, under Wyler's direction, 13 actors won an oscar including Audrey Hepburn in her first major Hollywood role in Roman Holiday and Charlton Heston's only Oscar in the glorious remake of Ben-Hur.

In 1941 he directed one of the key film that really showed the support for Britain against the Nazis, Mrs. Miniver, but it was in 1946 that he made his most personal film,, The Best Years of Our Lives.

To me this film is Wyler's masterpiece. The story revolves around three World War II solders who have just returned home as the War is now over. The way these actors play their role is so honest, they are of course at first happy the war is over but at the same time, they are worries.

The world they know has changed forever, their families have changed and they do not know if they can return to their jobs. Of course after being in the war for so long, you yourself change and they feel very strange to be back home and are trying their absolute best to fit in again. It is a brutally honest masterpiece with powerhouse performances, impeccable direction and a terrific screenplay, It even won best picture over It's a Wonderful Life. It really struck a nerve in the audiences in 1946, as this was exactly what the audiences were dealing with.

Wyler was very much at home with this film as he himself spent three years in the Army. He even made a few war documentaries with some extremely daring footage, as he flew over enemy territory at his own personal risk for some of the film. He also lost his hearing in one ear due to the explosions and his cinematographer associate was shot down during the filming.

William Wyler

Wyler made several over great films after this such as The Heiress, The Desperate Hours, The Big Country, and of course Ben-Hur. He even made a small horror film in England towards the end of his career, The Collector. Then in 1981 today, Wyler died of a heart attack (only 3 days after giving an interview with his daughter).

Film historian Ian Freer went so far as to call Wyler a "bona fide perfectionist" due to the fact that he became known for taking endless takes to get exactly what he wanted, and even earned the nickname '90-take Wyler'. He worked with some of the greatest actors that ever lived and was nominated for 14 Oscars (winning 3) and a Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. He will forever be known as one of the greatest American Directors.

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