Zinneman, Lancaster, Kerr, Sinatra, Reed, Clift Classic Film

Rating: 10/10 (29 May 2011)

In beautiful black and white photography famed Director Fred Zinneman displays a great ability to capture military life. As an Army Veteran myself, I saw a lot of realism in this film. Burt Lancaster was a perfect Hollywood Leading Man and Great Box Office Star with hits such as Birdman of Alcatraz, Judgment at Nuremburg, Elmer Gantry and this great Columbia classic. Deborah Kerr was perfect in the female role once assigned to Joan Crawford. Joan Crawford was a much better actress than given credit for and technically one of the best actresses ever, but wasn't her persona that her characters slept around? Rita Hayworth would have also been a great selection and as Queen of Columbia surely was considered. Ms. Kerr had a ladylike image and this role was casting against type. The beach scene is erotic and yet understated. If the film were made today that scene would be so blunt Splendid work by Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, Ernest Borgnine and Montgomery Clift.
Kudos to All and to Harry Cohn of Columbia who was also referred to as uncouth but what films Columbia made under Cohn's tenure: Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Lost Horizon, Love Affair, Mr. Deeds Goes To Town, The More the Merrier, All The King's Men, Born Yesterday, Picnic, and this film among many many others, and just before Cohn died a Columbia Pictures masterpiece, The Bridge On The River Kwai, maybe we need more "uncouth Executives" like Harry Cohn!!