Mr Burt Lancaster dominates a copper - bottomed classic.....

Rating: 10/10 (11 November 2008)

This movie gives us a chance to see Mr M.Clift at his angst - ridden best,Mr F.Sinatra either creating a character he was to morph into for the rest of his career or merely playing a character he had already become and Mr B.Lancaster at the height of his grace and beauty stalking across the screen like a hungry tiger.Watch the way he walks during the beach scene,light on his feet,slightly leaning forward,every sense aware........it is a marvellous performance.Miss D.Kerr is put in the shade in their every scene together despite her showy part as the officer's lady with a taste for noncoms. Miss D.Reed is excellent as the social - climbing tart. Often imitated but never excelled,"From here to eternity" is a story of the Army overseas on the brink of war.There are not many good guys,but plenty of ordinary guys doing their best to get along without upsetting too many people.On the "Day of Infamy" these disparate elements come together in common cause against the enemy. The ending,played out between the two very different leading ladies,is outstanding,Miss Reed walking away with the honours. The plot is too well - known to bear recounting and it is definitely a guy thing,the sort of tale where the women are either whores or saints,and there aren't too many saints in the movie. A gay subtext?Well,not in 1953 Hollywood there wasn't,and Mr Clift may be sad and vulnerable but he's reassuringly hetero when push comes to shove. But it's Mr Lancaster who grabs this movie by the balls and never lets go.Somewhere in heaven there's an Oscar waiting for him.