Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		4.0

The Best Years of Our Lives Blu-ray Movie Review

Be all you can't be.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III December 18, 2023

Originally released by Warner Bros. in 2013 as a decent but now long out-of-print Blu-ray edition, Warner Archive has issued a reprint of William Wyler's The Best Years of our Lives. Despite new cover art that repurposes the original one-sheet poster, it's literally the same disc in new packaging but now available at a comparatively bargain price.

For a synopsis and appreciation of the film, please see Michael Reuben's review of the 2013 Blu-ray linked above. I'm in agreement with the glowing five-star rating given by Michael: this is a stone-cold classic, a deeply affecting drama that has stood the test of time and still feels like a "total package" film almost 80 years after its original release.

The Best Years of Our Lives Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Although not overtly implied by its packaging, this more recent disc features the exact same 1080p transfer as featured on Warner Bros.' 2013 Blu-ray edition. It's a solid presentation and still watchable despite somewhat inconsistent levels of fine detail and density; Michael outlines the pros and cons in his review quite thoroughly but, since our expectations have increased dramatically in the last decade, I've docked it a full point compared to the original score. Again, that's just personal opinion: this is an identical presentation and in no way inferior to WB's previous disc.

The Best Years of Our Lives Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Similarly, the DTS-HD 1.0 Master Audio mix is identical to the previous Blu-ray and, to my ears, sounds very good under the circumstances. Subtitle options likewise remain the same as on the older WB Blu-ray.

The Best Years of Our Lives Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with artwork that reproduces the original one-sheet poster -- it's not exactly the most accurate mood-setter , but I'll take anything over the earlier colorized cover. This doesn't extend to the menu interface, which remains the same as WB's 2013 Blu-ray. The same holds true for the extras, which include only three short DVD-era supplements and nothing new.

• Introduction by Virginia Mayo (1:10)

• Interviews with Virgina Mayo and Teresa Wright (7:22)

• Theatrical Trailer (1:48)

The Best Years of Our Lives Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

William Wyler's supremely well-made post-war drama The Best Years of our Lives, produced by Samuel Goldwyn, still holds up almost eight decades after its 1946 theatrical release. Truly deserving of its considerable box-office success and multiple Oscar wins (including Best Picture), this is a true "total package" production that should have a definitive home video release. Warner Archive's Blu-ray, though much appreciated since WB's 2013 Blu-ray is now long out-of-print, unfortunately makes no advancements on that very good but not great earlier disc: a new restoration handled by WAC would've been something to see, even one without any new bonus features. This is still a disc very much worth purchasing, though, if only for the main feature's high profile and such an affordable price point.