Wyler’s Wars

This essay concentrates on William Wyler’s films made before, during, and after World War II. Using archival sources, it seeks to tell the full story of Wyler’s political engagement and the ways in which his beliefs affected such films as Mrs. Miniver, Memphis Belle, The Best Years of Our Lives, The Big Country, and Ben Hur. The author shows that instead of passively accepting strictures from studio heads, censors, or pressure groups, Wyler relentlessly worked for his art to mirror his liberal beliefs.