An Acting Tour-De-Force!

Rating: 8/10 (17 May 2020)

Before watching From Here to Eternity, I thought I was getting an action film set in Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. Instead, I got a romance drama with the aforementioned event in the backdrop. Despite that "disappointment," Fred Zinnemann's wartime epic is a well-acted film which also has one of the most famous love scenes of all time. Maybe the script does not hold up very well and the dialogue is quite cringy, but this is still one picture worth watching. It was nominated for thirteen Academy Awards and won eight of them including Best Picture.
This film is based off a controversial novel written by James Jones. Jones's novel was very provocative, especially for the time period it was published. In order for Daniel Taradash's script to be approved by the censors and the Army, it had to undergo some major changes. For example, the book has venereal diseases as an issue for bad marriage. You might recall the scenes between Maggio and Fatso, who was in charge of the jail? The book portrayed extreme violence between the two, violence that was only mentioned in passing during the film. When it comes to film history, the changes made is why this film is well-known. It is a little surprising how effective the movie was considering the changes that were deemed necessary to make. Still, the Army and the Navy banned this movie from being shown to their soldiers. They hated the Army's depiction in the book...and the movie. They originally did have the Army's support since training material, the ability to film at Schofield Base, and the use of Pearl Harbor stock footage was needed.
Fred Zinnemann (A Man for All Seasons) was in the director's chair. He decided to cast actors that were against type, a very risky decision considering when the film was made. It worked out very well because his five main actors went on to be nominated and even win the big awards. Zinnemann himself worked very well with his actors.
It is 1941, and the world is at war, with the exception of the United States. Although Japan has other things on their mind. Robert E. Lee Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) has been transferred to Schofield Air Base in Hawaii. Captain Holmes (Philip Ober) requested Prewitt because of his exceptional track record in boxing and could use his talent in the boxing tournament. Prewitt declines, and that allows Holmes to make Prewitt's life miserable. Holmes's second-in-command, Sgt. Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster) wants to be transferred away from his outfit but falls in love with Holmes's wife, Karen (Deborah Kerr). Prewitt's friend, Maggio (Frank Sinatra) has troubles with the stockade sergeant, Fatso (Ernest Borgnine). Prewitt also falls in love with one of the local girls, Lorene (Donna Reed) who works at a social club. Little do they know that their problems are minor compared to what is about to happen.
The reason to watch this is because of the acting display given to us. Every actor did an absolutely fantastic job. The standout is Frank Sinatra as the violent, drunk friend of Prewitt's, Maggio. Unlike the book, his character is given depth. This role also rescued Sinatra's career. Rumors were abound that he only received this role because of his alleged ties with the mafia. Montgomery Clift is known for playing sensitive characters, so is his role here a surprise? Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr radiated intensive chemistry with each other. Zinnemann did not even want Kerr, but eventually was won over. Like most of the actors, she was casted against type and knocked it out of the park. Donna Reed won an Academy Award for her performance as Lorene, and she deserved it. Borgnine and Jack Warden have smaller roles, but they are good. In short, this movie is an acting tour-de-force. And yes, Lancaster was amazing as usual.
I did not get the war film I was expecting, as I quickly discovered that From Here to Eternity is a melodrama, perhaps a bit outdated. Any thing that happens with Pearl Harbor is towards the very end. Before that, the actors interact and socialize with each other and that makes good viewing. I knew about the romantic scene with Lancaster and Kerr on the beach and it did not disappoint. If you want to hear a lovely blues song, there is a good one to listen to here. Not the best screenplay (in modern terms), but everything makes up for it especially those performances.
My Grade: B+