The Best Years of Our Lives: A Different Take

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) won seven Academy Awards and deservedly so. It remains a classic, the story of three men returning home after World War II. But I want to look at this movie from a political and economic viewpoint. There exists a sub theme here, or perhaps it is a subconscious one (is there a difference?). That is the idea of the welfare state and the government safety net.


The story presents us with three returning veterans: Homer, Fred, and Al. They are coming home to Boone City, your average medium sized town. All they have in common is their home and the fact that they are veterans. Homer served in the machine shop on a carrier in the Pacific, Al in the infantry also in the Pacific, while Fred was a bombardier with the 8th Air Force. Before the war they were the school football hero, banker, and soda jerk. But their lives have been forever changed.


Homer lost both his arms and has, instead, metal hooks. Al returns to the bank as officer in charge of small loans. Fred returns to the soda fountain.


No one would begrudge Homer his right to compensation. Yet no indication is given that he will ever do more than get his "fifty dollars every month from Mr. Whiskers."


Al is back at the local bank and even receives a promotion. He is now in charge of small loans. He deals with veterans applying for loans under the G. I. Bill. Again, more government money. Another way to view it is taxpayers money being redistributed.

Finally, there is Fred. Back behind the counter at the soda fountain. The pharmacy has been bought by a chain. Again consolidation. He can't hold this job. His wife leaves him, probably for Scully, who's making a killing on the black market, a market created by government rationing. Fred eventually finds a job with the junk men, stripping B-17s for prefabricated housing being built with federal money.

To borrow a term from the Deconstructionists, the subtext of this movie should be disturbing to Libertarians: we can't get by without Uncle Sam.