Year: 1953
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Country: US
Language: English
From Here to Eternity (1953) is perhaps the greatest film that was almost never made. This was due to both the explosive subject matter of the original novel and the time period wherein the studios bought the rights. The picture challenged army logic and at the time McCarthyism was still at its peak in America. The House of Un-American Activities Committee could have investigated Harry Cohn, president of Columbia Pictures, and blacklisted him from Hollywood. These were troubling times indeed.
In Hawaii in 1941, a private is cruelly punished for not boxing on his unit's team, while his captain's wife and second-in-command are falling in love.
Despite rumors that Sinatra's involvement inspired the horse head scene from The Godfather (1972), in that if he didn't get the part he would have made the director "an offer he couldn't refuse", From Here to Eternity was a smashing commercial and critical success. It was nominated for 13 Oscars that year, winning Best Picture and Best Director. It was one of the highest grossing films of the fifties.
The human drama in the midst of wartime procedures is remarkable, truly unique for the time. Very few World War II films refuse to focus on the actual battles and instead give us a glimpse on behind-the-scenes soldier life – training, routines, camaraderie, rivalries, off-duty misadventures and romances. Despite heavy sanitization by the Studios, this picture still proves to be thought-provoking, shocking and incredibly entertaining.
The entire cast gives a great performance, but perhaps the most memorable is Montgomery Clift. He truly is absorbed into his character, which is helped by a terrific script and a director that truly knows how to keep the picture at a good pace. This is one of the best "Best Pictures" you'll ever come across and you owe it to yourself to watch From Here to Eternity immediately.
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