The Best Years of Our Lives
“Three wonderful loves in the best picture of the year!”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
What Makes “The Best Years of Our Lives” a Legendary Film? (Clip) | TCM Academy ConversationsOfficial
Type: Featurette • Published 2026-03-04
Top Cast
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Dana Andrews
Fred Derry
Fredric March
Al Stephenson
Harold Russell
Homer Parrish
Teresa Wright
Peggy Stephenson
Myrna Loy
Milly Stephenson
Cathy O'Donnell
Wilma Cameron
Virginia Mayo
Marie Derry
Hoagy Carmichael
Butch Engle
Gladys George
Hortense Derry
Roman Bohnen
Pat Derry
Ray Collins
Mr. Milton
Minna Gombell
Mrs. Parrish
Walter Baldwin
Mr. Parrish
Steve Cochran
Cliff Scully
Dorothy Adams
Mrs. Cameron
Don Beddoe
Mr. Cameron
Marlene Aames
Luella Parrish
Charles Halton
Prew
Release History & Theatrical Window
(TV premiere)
Festival / Special Debut
December 25, 1946
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 4, 2017
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2.1M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$23.6M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
11.26x
+$21.6M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- William Wyler
- Screenplay & Story
- Robert E. Sherwood
- Original Score
- Hugo Friedhofer
- Original Title
- The Best Years of Our Lives
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 51m
- Production Budget
- $2.1M
- Worldwide Gross
- $23.6M
- Production Studios
- Samuel Goldwyn Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
William Wyler
Robert E. Sherwood, MacKinlay Kantor
Hugo Friedhofer
Gregg Toland
Daniel Mandell
Samuel Goldwyn
Department Leadership Roster
William Wyler
Director
Robert E. Sherwood
Screenplay
Samuel Goldwyn
Producer
Hugo Friedhofer
Original Music Composer
Gregg Toland
Director of Photography
Daniel Mandell
Editor
Irene Sharaff
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Universal — Suitable for all audiences.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Best Years of Our Lives.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Best Years of Our Lives.
Academy Awards
Best Movie
North American Cinema
Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.
金球奖最佳剧情片
Golden Globe Best Drama 金球奖历届最佳剧情片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:13 UTC+8)*
英国电影学院奖最佳影片
BAFTA Award for Best Film 英国电影学院奖（BAFTA）历届最佳影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:09 UTC+8)*
奥斯卡历届最佳影片
Oscar Winning Films: Best Picture 奥斯卡历届最佳影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:42:59 UTC+8)*
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Years of Our Lives
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Best Years of Our Lives about?
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.
Who directed The Best Years of Our Lives?
The Best Years of Our Lives was directed by William Wyler.
Who stars in The Best Years of Our Lives?
The principal cast of The Best Years of Our Lives includes Dana Andrews, Fredric March, Harold Russell, Teresa Wright, Myrna Loy.
When was The Best Years of Our Lives released and how long is it?
The Best Years of Our Lives was released in 1946 with a total runtime of 2h 51m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Best Years of Our Lives?
The Best Years of Our Lives had a reported production budget of $2.1M and grossed $23.6M at the worldwide box office (11.26 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Best Years of Our Lives?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Best Years of Our Lives was composed by Hugo Friedhofer.
Is The Best Years of Our Lives based on a book or true story?
The Best Years of Our Lives is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "MacKinlay Kantor".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Best Years of Our Lives?
The Best Years of Our Lives holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: U (Universal — Suitable for all audiences.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).