Where to watch The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) tonight
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) runs 2 h 51 min, is rated NR in the US and averages 7.7 from 777 TMDB members. It's the hope that sustains the spirit of every GI: the dream of the day when he will finally return home. For three WWII veterans, the day has arrived. But for each man, the dream is about to become a nightmare.
- Runtime
- 2 h 51 min — ends 10:51 pm if you start at 8:00 pm
- Rated
- NR (US)
- Genres
- Drama, Romance, War
- Released
- November 22, 1946
- TMDB rating
- 7.7 / 10 from 777 votes
- Director
- William Wyler
- Starring
- Dana Andrews, Fredric March, Harold Russell, Teresa Wright
- Language
- English
Where to watch it tonight
Availability loads live for your country. See where The Best Years of Our Lives streams (JustWatch via TMDB) →
Streaming availability by JustWatch. In the US, as of 2026-11-08: Amazon Prime Video (subscription), YouTube TV (subscription), TCM (subscription), Amazon Prime Video with Ads (subscription), Kanopy (free), Hoopla (free), Fawesome (free), Pluto TV (free with ads), YouTube Free (free with ads), Plex (free with ads), Tubi TV (free with ads).
Questions people ask
- How long is The Best Years of Our Lives?
- The Best Years of Our Lives is 2 h 51 min long (171 minutes). If you start it at 8:00 pm it ends at 10:51 pm; add about 20 minutes if you watch trailers first.
- What is The Best Years of Our Lives rated?
- The Best Years of Our Lives is rated NR in the US.
- Is The Best Years of Our Lives a good movie to watch with a group?
- Better for one or two who will actually watch. Drama and Romance reward attention; a room that talks over it will miss the point. At 2 h 51 min, plan the evening: start by 8:09 pm to finish before 11 pm.
- Where can I stream The Best Years of Our Lives?
- In the US, as of 2026-11-08: Amazon Prime Video (subscription), YouTube TV (subscription), TCM (subscription), Amazon Prime Video with Ads (subscription), Kanopy (free), Hoopla (free), Fawesome (free), Pluto TV (free with ads), YouTube Free (free with ads), Plex (free with ads), Tubi TV (free with ads). Availability changes often; this page loads the live list for your country (streaming availability by JustWatch).
Lists it could be on
If you like The Best Years of Our Lives
- Firebird (2021)
- A Walk in the Clouds (1995)
- Suite Française (2015)
- Dear John (2010)
- The History of Love (2016)
- The Lucky One (2012)
- Waterloo Bridge (1940)
- The Last Rifleman (2023)
The Best Years of Our Lives on TMDB · This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
Lights Down is a free tool: tell it your streaming services and how long you have, and it ranks what you can stream tonight, with a this-or-that, a roll, a bracket and a wheel. Movie data from TMDB; streaming availability by JustWatch. Page updated 2026-11-08. 
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