The Bugle of Schofield Barracks

Rating: 8/10 (28 May 2006)

James Jones' epic novel was bought for the movies for a mere $82,000, which is nothing, even for those years. This lengthy novel, of almost 900 pages presented a problem for Columbia Pictures because how could a book this size be condensed into a two hour movie? The task of the adaptation fell into Daniel Taradash, an excellent screen writer with a good track record.
The end result, as seen through Fred Zinnemann's brilliant direction, showed aspects of the book, but because of the censorship reigning in Hollywood in those years, could have never been shown to the vast audience this film attracted. One of the novel aspects deals with the homosexuality in the Honolulu of the times. It's clear that some of the enlisted men had liaisons with the gay men that treated them to things their meager income didn't allowed them to have. Maggio, is one of the ones instrumental for involving Prewitt into visiting his closeted friends.
The film deals with two other thorny aspects: adultery and prostitution. Milt Warden, the right hand man of Capt. Holmes, has an eye for his wife Karen, who rumor had it, loved to played around, just as her husband does during his "business in town". In the novel, Karen has an eight year child, who is conveniently disposed of. Their love affair consumed both Milt and Karen. At the same time, a manly Milt, is seen in an intimate moment when he is trying to console Prewitt, who has been ostracized by his refusal to become one of the boxers in the base. Milt caresses Prewitt's hair in what might have been an overture to have something more than a friendship with the gay Prewitt.
The prostitution issue comes when Maggio takes Prewitt drinking and introduces him to the Congress Club, a brothel. Prewitt's relationship with Alma, the girl from Oregon, is toned down because of the fear of trouble with the Hays Code people. It was a hypocritical way to do things, but who knows what would have come out had the film been done today.
"From Here to Eternity" still keeps its crisp black and white cinematography that Burnett Guffey gave the film. It's inconceivable to think of it in Technicolor! The score by George Duning serves the action well with its haunting melody. Fred Zinnemann vision paid big time because his vision for the project had the right approach even when it masks the original text.
Montgomery Clift, one of the most handsome actors working in films at the time, is about the best thing in the film. It appears Mr. Clift was a catalyst for the film, in that he made everyone else excel in the performances they gave. As Robert E. Lee Prewitt, this actor is a pure joy to watch because his transformation into the character. Frank Sinatra has been celebrated for his role as Maggio, yet, he only has a couple of scenes where he shows an intensity and a range he hadn't projected before.
Burt Lancaster as the all American, and supposedly macho Sgt. Warden, does a fine job. Deborah Kerr work as Karen Holmes showed an actress who understood what made her character tick. It's hard to imagine that Joan Crawford was supposed to have played her and she would have thrown the film out of balance. Donna Reed, as the kind Alma, gave a fine performance. Philip Ober, Mickey Shaugnessy, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Warden, Tim Ryan, and an uncredited George Reeves are seen among the supporting players.
"From Here to Eternity" is a must see film for all serious fans.