Thanks to all of the veterans out there, including my husband, dad, and father-in-law, for serving and protecting your country.  In honor of Veteran’s Day here are some of the best movies about the veteran experience that I’ve seen.

Bar none my favorite is The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).  This film about three vets returning home from WWII won many Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, and Honorary Oscar. “Russell, an amateur actor who really did lose both of his hands in the war, earned an honorary Oscar for ”bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans,” then beat the competition to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, making him the only performer to win two Academy Awards for the same performance.”  Do yourself a favor and watch this one if you haven’t already.  It will stay with you.

Born on the Fourth of July (1989) is another film that stayed with me.  Based on the true story of Ron Kovic as he returned home after losing his legs in Vietnam, this one was hard to watch.  Tom Cruise turned in a great performance that earned him an Oscar nod.

Although I don’t necessarily think of Legends of the Fall (1994) as a post-war movie, it is.  Three brothers go off to war and only two come home.  How each handles it is the beauty and sadness of the story.

I wasn’t in love with The Manchurian Candidate (1962) about Korean War vets being brainwashed by Communists, when I saw it, but I would like to see the remake.

Do you have a favorite film featruring veterans?