The Best Years of Our Lives

William Wyler · 1946 · 170 minutes
September 23, 2026 · Regal Riviera · 7:00 p.m.

In celebration of the 80th anniversary of its theatrical release.

William Wyler’s 1946 masterwork follows three United States servicemen returning from World War II as they re-adjust to civilian life. The men come from different military branches and social class backgrounds, and the film is credited for its early, unflinching portrayal of PTSD and the difficulties of veterans’ reintegration into society.

Roger Ebert wrote that, seen decades later, it “feels surprisingly modern: lean, direct, honest about issues that Hollywood then studiously avoided.”

The Best Years of Our Lives won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and was among the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry. Cinematographer Gregg Toland’s deep-focus photography and the casting of real-life amputee Harold Russell remain remarkable achievements. Wyler, born in Germany in 1902, directed a string of Hollywood classics including Mrs. Miniver, Roman Holiday, and Ben-Hur, for which he won three Academy Awards for Best Director — a record he shares with John Ford and Frank Capra.

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