Three veterans- one Army, one Navy, and one Air Force- return to their home town after WWII. They travel together and strike up a friendship, and we see their lives as they try to resume them again.

My library film discussion group picked this movie to watch in January, and I have to say, I didn't want to. I had hiked til I dropped the day before, was still hurting all over, had had to work all day (I was a zombie) and after dinner, the last thing I wanted to do was sit still for a slow-moving three hour VIDEO. Yes, Netflix failed me...I sent back my old movies on Friday, which is usually plenty of time to receive the new ones Monday. On Monday, my online account said, shipping today. I said all kinds of bad words, looked for a copy at the library where I work (it was checked out) and said some more bad words (in the back office.) Then Mr. Otter emailed me to tell me that he had a copy at his library but it was VHS. Thanks, I said, bring it home tonight, please. And he did.

So I'm exhausted, it's VHS and it's three hours long. I so didn't want to do it. I wanted to curl up with a hot cup of tea and a good book. I said to Mr. Otter (who did NOT want to see this, having seen it and not having liked it much, another strike against it), I could just read up on it on IMDB and Wikipedia and fake it. Sure, he said, do it. But I really had to watch it.

And I am SO GLAD I did. After 20 minutes, I was so involved with these people's lives that the movie just flew by.

The veterans are all from different backgrounds- one is well-off, one is a middle-class college-age kid, and one is lower class, just a cut above what we would nowadays call white trash. Two are married, and one is engaged. They have struck up this friendship and are bonded by their common experience of having been in the war, which, it is made abundantly clear, nobody who didn't serve really gets...and a huge part of the plot is their difficulty assimilating into 'normal' life again, which of course everyone around them expects them to do immediately.

The cast is good, especially Myrna Loy, an Otter Family Favorite Actor. The plot is interesting and engaging, and the ending is WONDERFUL. This otter was in tears at the last scene, and completely loved it.

Don't hesitate like I did, get this wonderful movie and watch it. You'll be glad you did.