I Want You

While THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES dealt with the readjustment of three servicemen returning from the horrors of WWII, I WANT YOU is a more sentimental look at the home front following the return of those men to peacetime U.S.A. Peacetime, yes, until the draft meant the calling up of enlisted men again because of The Korean War, a war largely forgotten by today's generation.

The script in no way compares to that of BEST YEARS, but there are decent performances that hold the story on track. DANA ANDREWS and DOROTHY McGUIRE are the most impressive, with some good acting by FARLEY GRANGER and MILDRED DUNNOCK helping to keep the story afloat. But somehow, one never gets the feeling of urgency or involvement that is felt during the Oscar-winning Goldwyn film that preceded it.

A distinct weakness of the film is PEGGY DOW as Granger's sweetheart, a limited actress who lacks the warmth to make her part meaningful enough.

Summing up: Pales by comparison to Goldwyn's other masterpiece, but is competent enough on its own terms to merit watching. And DANA ANDREWS delivers his usual solid performance.

I agree with the previous reviewer from 2007. Ironic in that I teach a college course on WWII and always end the semester showing the coming home scene of Homer from "Best Years of Our Lives." It has always been so powerful that I can't speak after showing it, and just let my class end on that note, of Homer raising his steel claw hand to wave good bye.

But what of the rest of their lives of that "greatest generation." The day after showing "Best Years," and ending a semester, TCM ran this little gem, "I Want You," and it is almost like a sequel of five years later, about a generation that fought a global war, thought they were coming home to peace and now face remobilization, and also watching their kid brothers getting drafted to go off to a distant unknown front. It is by no means as good as Best Years, but you will see the connection with so many of the same actors, and it almost looks as if it was shot in the same town.

One must definitely remember the context of the time to better understand this film. When made, the bitter quagmire of Korea was still being fought out, hanging over all the specter that it could escalate into yet another global war, this time with nuclear weapons. The tragedy is so evident, recalling how the three vets in Best Years say that all they want is a family and to live in peace. Again, when made, how the conflict would end, if it would ever end, was an unknown.

So definitely see the two films together in sequence. The greatness of the first will lead you into this second, that though no where near as good, is an accurate reflection on the tragic world of our parents and grandparents who after fighting WWII simply wanted to live in peace, and found they never would.

It's the summer of 1950 in a small American town. The Greers are a happy, middle-America family with normal middle-America lives. With the approaching Korean War, they worry about their young son Jack who is at the top of the draft list.

I like the family drama pre-War and their struggle to keep Jack off the draft list. It could have gone anti-war. The second half is not as compelling. The happy ending feels inevitable. It's a nuclear family drama. Many reviewers seem to be comparing this to Best Years of Our Lives. I would say that it's playing the same sport but this one is trying to get into the pros while Best Years is one of the best player around.

Starts out very happy go lucky; the Greer brothers (Dana Andrews and Farley Granger) are sitting down to dinner, not a care in the world. But they are throwing around the words "draft board", so we know pretty soon they will be dealing with the Korean War. Discussions about who is essential, and might get out of serving. Twenty year old marty milner, who will probably be best known for adam 12 tv series. And of course, the awesome Jim Backus (Mr. Howell !) movie filmed during the summer of 1951, but the U. S. had actually already begun to take action. It's quite good. Gets very serious about halfway through. Gone are the carefree, small town days. Directed by Mark Robson. Nominsated for two big, sprawling films, back to back... Inn of the Sixth Happiness and Peyton Place.

While this was not intended as a sequel to the wonderful film THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, it did make a nice follow-up film and is very similar in style and tone--perfect to be seen together as a double feature. A lot of the reason it seems almost like a follow-up is because both films were produced by Samuel Goldwyn and both starred Dana Andrews. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES concerns the adjustment of three men to civilian life following WWII. This film is set just a few years later and has to do with the coming Korean War and its impact on some families in an unnamed American town.

I read one review for this film that said it was "dull" and while I don't agree, I could understand how some might feel that way. The film is sentimental but never comes close to making the impact of THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES and it also doesn't give clear answers in some cases, so it might actually make you think. It's about a scary era in history and how it effects "the little people"--not exactly a topic that generates millions at the box office. Still, from a historical point of view it's a super-important curio as it's about the only film I know of that addresses the topic of the draft and Korea, and someone who would like to learn not just about history but the impact of events on peoples' lives will doubt enjoy this little curio. If you want explosions and action, then this certainly isn't a film for you. If you want to see a film with excellent acting that rings true about real folks facing real problems, then this film is highly recommended.