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Trailer

The Best Years of Our Lives

1946Movie2 h 51 minNR

DramaRomance
89
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb8.1Letterboxd4.3/5Metacritic938.3Rotten Tomatoes97%93%

A deeply moving, cathartic drama movie about everyday modern life and history, with standout performances and characters.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

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Where to watch

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Not for scares or laughs.

Movies with

Story

Three wonderful loves in the best picture of the year!

It's the hope that sustains the spirit of every GI: the dream of the day when he will finally return home. For three WWII veterans, the day has arrived. But for each man, the dream is about to become a nightmare.

Feels like

  • Post-War Drama
  • Returning Veterans
  • Family Readjustment
  • Emotional Impact
  • Social Commentary
  • Character-Driven
  • Historical Context
  • American Classic

Cast

24 of 66

Crew

Directed by
William Wyler
Written by
Robert E. Sherwood, MacKinlay Kantor
Produced by
Samuel Goldwyn
Music by
Hugo Friedhofer, Emil Newman

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

November 22, 1946 · 2 h 51 min · NR

Released
November 22, 1946
Runtime
2 h 51 min
Age rating
NR
Content
Violence
Genres
Drama, Romance, War
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$2 million
Box office
$24 million
Available in
9 countries

Tropes

The Alcoholic, Morally Bankrupt Banker, Gentlemen Rankers +9

  • The Alcoholic
  • Morally Bankrupt Banker
  • Gentlemen Rankers
  • Past Experience Nightmare
  • Cobweb of Disuse
  • Childhood Friend Romance
  • Superstitious Sailors
  • The Remake
  • Like a Son to Me
  • Sleeping Single
  • Gold Digger
  • Rule of Symbolism

12 of 52 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream The Best Years of Our Lives?"

Questions about The Best Years of Our Lives

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Best Years of Our Lives?

PrimeKanopyHooplaYouTube TVPluto TVTCMPlexFawesome

In the United States, The Best Years of Our Lives streams on Prime, YouTube TV, and TCM, and it is free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla, Pluto TV, Plex, Fawesome, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 5 other countries.

Is The Best Years of Our Lives worth watching?

89
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 89 (IMDb 8.1, Letterboxd 4.3 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 97%, and Metacritic 93).

Is The Best Years of Our Lives okay for kids?

NRViolence

Yes: it's rated NR in the United States for violence, and the viewing guide lists it for family nights.

Is The Best Years of Our Lives good for date night?

and 4 moreDate NightPartner WatchAdultsFamily Movie NightFriends Night

Yes: romance is 6 of 10, and the viewing guide lists it for date night.

Is The Best Years of Our Lives plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

Was The Best Years of Our Lives a box office hit?

Budget$2 million
Box office$24 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $2 million to make and earned $24 million worldwide, 11.3 times its budget.

What tropes does The Best Years of Our Lives use?

The AlcoholicMorally Bankrupt BankerGentlemen RankersPast Experience NightmareCobweb of DisuseChildhood Friend RomanceSuperstitious SailorsThe RemakeLike a Son to MeSleeping SingleGold DiggerRule of Symbolismand 40 more

TV Tropes lists 52 tropes for it, including The Alcoholic, Morally Bankrupt Banker, and Gentlemen Rankers.