Book Review: Making the Best Years of Our Lives

My most recent read was MAKING THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES: THE HOLLYWOOD CLASSIC THAT INSPIRED A NATION by Alison Macor.

It was published last year by University of Texas Press, with a paperback edition due to be published in September 2023.

To say I found Macor's book interesting is putting it mildly; it was such a page-turner that I read it over the course of a single weekend afternoon!

THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946), a film which won multiple Academy Awards, was directed by William Wyler from a script by Robert E. Sherwood. Sherwood's script was inspired by the MacKinlay Kantor novel GLORY FOR ME. It was filmed by Gregg Toland.

The film, as many of my readers will be aware, is about the postwar readjustment of three World War II veterans, played by Dana Andrews, Fredric March, and acting novice Harold Russell.

Andrews' character has what we now term PTSD, as well as an unfaithful wife (Virginia Mayo) he doesn't know very well; March's character is happily married (to Myrna Loy) but develops a drinking problem; and Russell's character, having lost both hands, faces an uncertain future and questions whether his sweetheart (Cathy O'Donnell) will still genuinely love and not pity him.

The large cast also includes Teresa Wright and Hoagy Carmichael.

As I began the book I was curious how much material the author had been able to gather about the making of the film, given that all of the key players are no longer with us. To say I came away impressed with her achievement is an understatement.

Macor utilizes a variety of resources, including archival papers, previous interviews, and books, to skillfully weave her story.

She places the making of BEST YEARS in the context of director Wyler's own wartime experiences; he filmed military documentaries for the Army Air Force, including the highly regarded THE MEMPHIS BELLE (1944), and lost significant hearing during his service.

During the war Wyler spent time in England, where he came to feel his Oscar-winning film MRS. MINIVER (1942) wasn't quite realistic enough, which would also influence his approach to THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES.

Macor also provides key background on Russell's life and injuries before turning to the book's central topic, the making of the film itself.

Macor includes all sorts of interesting details, such as that the film's drugstore interior was created on a soundstage with equipment and merchandise on loan from the Owl Drug Company; there was private security on hand to guard the company's products. That's the kind of "you are there" production insight I love.

She describes the filming of specific scenes -- I'll be thinking about Andrews bumping his head on the car over and over during multiple takes the next time I watch the movie! -- and provides a variety of stories, such as the alcoholic Andrews giving up drinking for much of the production. I especially enjoyed reading about Wyler's work shooting scenes with novice movie actors Russell and O'Donnell.

The book goes on to describe the film's release, critical acclaim, and particularly the impact the film had on the lives of both Wyler and Russell.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book for me was that while Russell's injuries were physically obvious, this is also the story of director Wyler's own "true-life" postwar readjustment as he dealt with hearing loss and returning to his profession.

In the interest of being thorough, I came across one minor error, describing the plot of THE BLUE DAHLIA (1946) -- Veronica Lake does not play the murder victim -- but that's a quibble in an impressively well-researched and well-written book.

The hardcover copy of MAKING THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES weighs about a pound and is 195 pages, including extensive end notes, a two-page bibliography, and the index. There is an insert of 16 pages of glossy black and white photographs.

A recommended read.

Thanks to University of Texas Press for providing a review copy of this book.

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