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Rating: 4.5 out of 5
I’m not going to lie to you. When I first started watching From Here To Eternity, I honestly thought I was watching Pearl Harbor. You know the film. The one starring Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Josh Hartnett back in 2001. I mean, it somewhat seemed like the same movie. Then I realized that From Here To Eternity was about twenty times better and far more entertaining. Also, I realized that this movie came out waaayyyyyy before the Pearl Harbor film. My apologies for making that mistake. I’m Sorry!
Directed by Fred Zinnemann, and written by Daniel Taradash, based on the novel of the same name by James Jones. From Here to Eternity takes place in 1941 on the US Army Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt (Clift) has just been transferred, on his request, from the bugle corps to the infantry unit. The transfer included a drop in rank, but Prewitt didn’t mind it. His new captain, Dana Holmes (Ober), has heard that he was a boxing champion and wants him to represent the company in the boxing championship tournament. Prewitt politely states that he is done fighting and doesn’t want to fight anymore. Holmes, not loving the fact that he has been told no, decides to make Prewitt’s life a living hell. He goes to EXTREME lengths to make it happen.
Meanwhile, Holmes’s right-hand man Sergeant Warden (Lancaster), starts having an EPIC affair with Holmes’ wife, Karen (Kerr). Karen wants more in her marriage and has a history of seeking love and affection from other sources. Prewitt’s friend, Maggio (Sinatra), tries to help Prewitt with his living hell by also introducing him to the social club he goes to. Maggio has his own problems as he seems to get into an altercation with the crazy stockade Sergeant ‘Fatso’ Judson (Borgnine). At the social club, Prewitt has love at first sight and falls in love with their employee Lorene (Reed). As the drama starts to unfold, the bombing of Pearl Harbor looms in the distance. An event that will shake everyone to their very core.
As you probably just read, this movie has about two storylines running with each other. The first is Prewitt and what he has to deal with. Actually, let me get this out of the way first. This man’s parents named him Robert E. Lee Prewitt. Really? Okay, back to the review. Now Prewitt’s life becomes a complete hell, and Zinnemann shows it. The hazing is unreal! First, Homes makes this man run more miles than anyone I ever have seen. Then makes the dude dig a deep ass hole only to have his commander throw a magazine in it and then refill it. That some cold-blooded action right there. All in the name of not wanting to box because he accidentally killed a dude in the ring. Also, the movie shows Prewitt as a jealous person as he thinks a girl, Lorene, whose job is to be flirtatious, speaks to other dudes. Come on, Man! Calm Down!
Now the best scene in the whole film and probably the one that will make you tear up is when Prewitt’s friend Maggio dies. Prewitt plays the hell out of Taps with his bugle. I’m not going to lie, but I did tear up just a tad bit. Man, that was a phenomenal scene and a great way of playing Taps.
For the second story, the one with Warden and Karen. I honestly don’t know what to say about it. I mean, it was a good story and act. How dude going to get jealous over a married woman’s past actions. First, off dude, she married, and you get upset. You’re the one going behind your superior’s back, even if he does his own thing with other women. This should’ve been a Jerry Springer episode.
The movie really picked up with the attack on Pearl Harbor. The scene was intense as everyone was sitting around doing their own thing. Some of the military personnel state that the bombings they hear were just a training exercise. Then all hell breaks loose as planes fly overhead and gun down people. I want to talk about the dude who wouldn’t open up the ammunition door because it was against his orders. A bullet to the ass would make you move. That was the most irritating scene. AHHHH!
If Burt Lancaster was given top billing for this film, I don’t see how. Is he good in the movie? Yea, he holds his own, but is he the absolute star of the movie? Hell Naw! Lancaster’s performance as First Sergeant Milton Warden was okay. He was that love-sick war person having his affair, but he definitely wasn’t the star of this film.
The real star of this film was Montgomery Clift as Private Robert E. Lee “Prew” Prewitt. Clift played Prewitt as a person who stuck to his ways but was the oh so jealous type. Dude just met a girl and became sensitive and jealous. Yet, I somewhat enjoyed his role. He played the hell out of that bugle when he sat in the bar with his friends. He should’ve been in the lead because his story is what drove the movie.
Mr. Ole Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, was also really great in this film. Hell, he did win the Academy Award for this role. He was absolutely funny and charming in his role. A man who never gave up because they were going to hold him down in lock-up.
Deborah Kerr as Karen Holmes and Donna Reed as Alma Burke / Lorene did their thing. Both were nominated for an Academy Award while Reed actually won it for Best Supporting Actress. Kerr was actually okay until she did the whole monologue on the beach. You could see the pain in her eyes and face as she spoke about not being loved and sacrificing some areas of her life. Reed, on the other hand, was truly exceptional. She was seductive and caring at the same exact time. She did have to put up with Prewitt’s drama for her role.
I was surprisingly impressed with From Here To Eternity. I was expecting a love story, but what I wasn’t expecting was the DRAMA! Oh, the drama in the film. This is definitely a movie to watch! Watch it over the 2001 Pearl Harbor.
