Six of the week’s seven classic film upgrades on Blu-ray are from Warner Bros., the seventh is from Fox.

A fitting Veterans Day release, William Wyler’s masterpiece, 1946’s The Best Years of Our Lives, is the quintessential film about the hardships faced by World War II’s homecoming G.I.s. Its universal appeal holds true for veterans of subsequent wars as well as for soldiers returning home after military service in non-war years.

The film, which was independently produced by Sam Goldwyn, has had a rough and tumble video release through the years, most recently in a much maligned standard DVD release by Warner Bros. last January after years of being put of print. The full resolution Blu-ray release rectifies those problems.

Fredric March, Dana Andrews and Harold Russell are splendid as three disparate vets – March, the “old man” of the group, a grizzled sergeant who is a banker not prone to taking gruff from his bosses; Andrews, a much decorated fighter pilot reduced to returning to his low wage job as a soda jerk and Russell, whose hands have been replaced by hooks due to an unspecified wartime injury. They are joined by four extraordinary actresses as the women in their lives – Myrna Loy as March’s loyal, supportive wife; Teresa Wright as their forthright daughter; Virginia Mayo as Andrews’ faithless wife and Cathy O’Donnell as Russell’s childhood sweetheart

The film has many set pieces which still have the power to reduce audiences to tears – among them, March’s homecoming surprise for Loy; O’Donnell’s helping Russell prepare for bed and the longing looks between Andrews and Wright at Russell and O’Donnell’s wedding culminating in one the screen’s great kisses. Wyler, as was his wont, gets memorable work from all his players, even those in the smallest of roles, including the glorious Gladys George as Andrews’ loving stepmother. With little dialogue, she says all she needs to with the most furtive of looks.

Commercially the most successful film since Gone With the Wind, the film won seven of its eight nominations as well as a special Oscar for Russell’s inspirational performance, presumably just in case he didn’t win as Best Supporting Actor, which he did, making him the only performer to win two Oscars for the same performance.

The film was immaculately shot by Gregg Toland, the genius cinematographer responsible for Wuthering Heights; The Grapes of Wrath and Citizen Kane. He would make only three more films before his untimely death in 1948 at the age of 44.

Best Years‘ cinematographer and screenwriter Robert E. Sherwood, who was also responsible for the screenplay for Rebecca, were re-united for Goldwyn’s 1947 Oscar nominee, The Bishop’s Wife, a Christmas classic that ranks with the best of the genre. Toland’s deep focus dissolves have never been put to better use, and that’s saying something.

Cary Grant makes the most charming angel you’d ever expect to see and Loretta Young is lovelier than ever as the wife of Episcopal bishop David Niven. Grant was originally supposed to play the bishop and Niven, the angel but Grant wisely suggested the against-type switch.

Henry Koster’s film also benefits greatly from the strong supporting performances of Monty Woolley in one of those lovable old curmudgeonly roles he did so well and Gladys Cooper as one of those haughty old dowager roles she did equally so well. The rest of the cast including James Gleason, Elsa Lanchester and Sara Haden also play to their strengths.

Gordon Sawyer, who was the Oscar only nominee for his sound recording of The Best Years of Our Lives not to win for that film, took home The Bishop’s Wife only Oscar for his sound recording here.

The Bishop’s Wife looks and sounds terrific on Blu-ray.

Warner Bros. has finally released James Dean’s long sought-after three starring films on Blu-ray. All three – East of Eden; Rebel Without a Cause and Giant– are now available separately or in the James Dean Ultimate Collector’s Edition.

The Collector’s Edition includes a 40 page commemorative book and mini reproductions of the theatrical posters for all three films. Other extras are included on the separate releases.

Elia Kazan’s 1955 film, East of Eden remains for me the definitive Dean film. Kazan knew how to play to the young actor’s strengths, especially in the emotionally charged birthday scene with veteran actor Raymond Massey whose astonished reactions to Dean’s histrionics left him mortified both as an actor and a character in the exquisite CinemaScope frame.

Extras include the documentary East of Eden: Art in Search of Life.

Dean’s second 1955 film, Rebel Without a Cause, released less than a month after the actor’s horrific auto accident death at 24, caused an even bigger sensation at the time of its release and is even today cited by many as their favorite Dean film. Personally, although I think Nicholas Ray’s overheated drama still one of the year’s films thanks to the performances of Dean, Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood, it’s much more hysterical than it needs to be to get its points across.

Extras include the documentary Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents.

George Stevens’ 1956 film, Giant, which completed filing just before Dean’s death, is a director’s showcase featuring solid work from Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson as the principals in this film of Edna Ferber’s novel. Third billed Dean is simply not used to best advantage despite a second posthumous Best Actor Oscar nomination. The first was for East of Eden for which he should have won, but that’s another story.

Extras include the documentaries Memories of Giant and Return to Giant as well as the 1984 feature length documentary, George Stevens: A Filmmaker’s Journey.

Philip Kaufmanr’s mammoth 1983 film, The Right Stuff is one of those films that seems even better with age. The film’s epic scenes and the performances of Sam Shepard as legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager and Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid, Fred Ward and others as the original US Mercury astronauts and the actresses playing their wives, most notably Veronica Cartwright and Pamela Reed, were rightly praised during the film’s initial run. Kaufman’s screenplay, from Tom Wolfe’s book, was the film’s sore spot thanks mainly to the buffoonish portrayal of politicians and reporters. Time, though, has mooted the problem as politicians and reporters continue to make even bigger asses of themselves in real life.

Extras on the Warner release include the documentaries The Journey and the Mission and John Glenn: American Hero.

Fox’s Blu-ray of The Three Faces of Eve certainly looks pristine, but aside from Joanne Woodward’s Oscar winning performance, there really isn’t much to admire in this 1957 film which doesn’t hold up at all. Multiple personality cases have become commonplace in film and TV presentations and this one, aside from the novelty, which beyond its sensationalism at the time, really has nothing to offer beyond its star performance. Woodward, one of the great actresses of her time, gave even more memorable performances in The Stripper; Rachel, Rachel; The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-the-Moon Marigolds; Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams; TV’s Do You Remember Love, the first and still the best film about Alzheimer’s and Mr. & Mrs. Bridge, but you will find few of them on standard DVD and none of them on Blu-ray. Woodward deserves better.

This week’s new DVD releases include Man of Steel and Barbara.