The Best Years of Our Lives was created at an opportune moment in history. As the veterans of World War II returned to the United States, they experienced difficulty finding jobs, since so many had gone off to war straight out of high school. Many men felt like failures when they could not support their young families.

In addition, many men had married just days before leaving to fight overseas. Although some had known their spouses for awhile, others had just met before they married. Thus, the men returned and had to get to know their wives. Couples who had dated longer and married couples also had to readjust to living together, and fathers had to get to know their children who had aged, usually by years.

This film's style is simple and straightforward. It reaches directly to address a need felt by the...