Americans flocked to the movies in 1945 and 1946ùthe center point of the three-decade heyday of the studio system's sound era. Why?

Best Years is a panoramic study, shining light on this critical juncture in American historyand the history of American cinemaùthe end of World War II (1945) and a year of unprecedented success in Hollywood's "Golden Age" (1946). This unique time, the last year of war and the first full year of peace, provides a rich blend of cinema genres and typesùfrom the battlefront to the home front, the peace film to the woman's film, psychological drama, and the period's provocative new style, film noir.

Best Years focuses on films that were famous, infamous, forgotten, and unforgettable. Big budget A-films, road shows, and familiar series share the spotlight. From Bergman and Grant in Notorious to Abbott and Costello in Lost in a Harem, Charles Affron and Mirella Jona Affron examine why the bond between screen and viewer was perhaps never tighter. Paying special attention to the movie-going public in key cities--Atlanta, New York, Boston, Honolulu, and Chicago--this ambitious work takes us on a cinematic journey to recapture a magical time.

Charles Affron is professor emeritus of French at New York University. He is the author of
Lillian Gish: Her Legend and Life, coauthor of Sets in Motion: Art Direction and Film Narrative, and editor of 8+: Federico Fellini, Director (Rutgers University Press). Along with Mirella Jona Affron and Robert Lyons, he is a general editor of Films in Print and Depth of Field, both Rutgers University Press series.
 

Mirella Jona Affron is a professor of cinema studies at the College of Staten Island/CUNY, where she was provost from 1995 to 2002, and at the Graduate Center/CUNY. She is the coauthor of Sets in Motion: Art Direction and Film Narrative and editor of The Last Metro: Frantois Truffaut, Director (both Rutgers University Press). Along with Charles Affron and Robert Lyons, she is a general editor of Films in Print and Depth of Field, both Rutgers University Press series.

"This outstanding book's overview of the role movies played at a key moment in the nation's history provides an invaluable and wonderfully readable resource for scholars, students, and everyone who loves the movies."

"Just what was the movies' greatest year? Charles and Mirella Affron make a strong case for one moment, as World War II drew to a close, when Hollywood not only controlled the lion's share of the entertainment dollar, but spoke to a national audience from a position of financial stability and moral certainty. A fascinating guide to a season of movies, and movie culture, that today's fragmented audience can hardly imagine."

"This remarkable book documents a turning point in US cinema—a period when WW II was ending, soldiers were returning, recreational time was increasing as the war machine shut down, and moviegoing in the US was at its height. Meticulously researched and richly detailed, the book ties films to the fabric of American existence—to places, persons, and things—persuasively arguing that for many reasons, 1945-46 was one of the key periods in the history of cinema. Packed to the brim with rare illustrations, this book succeeds admirably on every level. For anyone interested in the films of this era, this is the book to read. Essential."

"Best Years is a lucid and thought-provoking work that probes at some of Hollywood's most iconic films. The Affrons' work provides a comprehensive account of cinema's Golden Age that easily rivals any graduate-level film seminar."