From Here to Eternity

After requesting a transfer, Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) is stationed at an army base in Hawaii 1941.   There, Officer Dana Holmes (Philip Ober) hears of his boxing reputation and wants him to represent his unit.  Robert refuses and tries to hide his haunting past about his time in the ring.  In order to break him into boxing again, Holmes makes Robert’s life a living hell and puts him on the most grueling details.

Robert’s friend, free spirited Private Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra), helps him blow off some steam in their free time by taking him to a social club where Robert falls in love with one of the employees (Donna Reed).  While there, Angelo gets in fights with  ‘Fatso’ Judson (Ernest Borgnine), the stockade Sergeant.  When Angelo goes AWOL, Fatso makes sure he’s severely punished, but things go too far.

Behind all of this, Sergeant Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster) starts a romantic relationship with Officer Holmes’ wife, Karen (Deborah Kerr).  We learn of her strained marriage filled with tragedy and begin to approve of this affair.  As the two become deeper in love, Karen hatches a plan for Milton to become an Officer and be stationed back in the states where she’ll follow after divorcing.  It all seems so perfect, until the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor.

The film is based on the novel by James Jones, who witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor.  From Here to Eternity is considered the first of his life’s war experience trilogy, The Thin Red Line and Whistle complete it.

The most memorable scene of this film is when Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr are in the throws of romance in the Hawaiian surf.  There is swelling music and the sounds of waves crashing over the two as they embrace.  It really pushed to the limit of romantic scenes in the 1950’s.   The way Deborah suddenly runs, throws herself on her back in the sand, I feel like today that quick burst of passionate energy and motion would only be replaced with a cheap boob-shot.   Burt’s naturally awesome hair is dripping all over, he’s got nothing but those tight little trunks on and he just falls to his knees beside her, surely some prudent mothers urged their daughters to avert their eyes.  To this day, the scene still holds it’s merit in sex appeal, simply because it is so iconic and classy.

While From Here to Eternity is not the sort of Oscar winning picture that I personally found in the realm of greatness, it is very good and, in my opinion, the best of the 1953 nominations.  The film won the Oscars for screenplay, sound, cinematography, editing, director and picture.  Donna Reed and Frank Sinatra also picked up Supportive Acting Oscars.  Next time you feel the itch to watch Pearl Harbor, let me suggest From Here to Eternity instead.  There’s less mush and more compelling story, even with lines like this:

“Nobody ever kissed me the way you do.”

The Heiress

Have you ever been stood up on a date?  Did your parent ever forget to pick you up after practice on a rainy day?  Have you ever feared an ulterior motive to a friendship or relationship?  If you answered yes, or can twist minor details of any of those questions to fit you personally, then you will probably identify with poor Catharine, the titled heiress.

All Catharine’s life she has not been able to live up to the image of her mother that her father, Dr Austin Sloper (Ralph Richardson), holds in such high esteem.  Catharine (Olivia de Havilland) is a sweet and naive girl, but doesn’t have any qualities that find her very marriageable in the 1850’s.  She does not sing, play the piano or care to dance.  Instead she is clumsy, unsure of herself and very awkward in social situations.  Beauty-wise, she is a step above homely, but not exactly a knock-out.  Basically, the only good qualities left are her excellent needlepoint skills and the loads of money she will inherit.  Her father sees these shortcomings and uses them to emotionally abuse her.  There is still her eager, sweet and trusting personality, but that won’t make anyone a good wife in upscale 1850.  It just makes her a target.

So when Morris Townsend (Montgomery Clift) starts courting Catharine, she is overjoyed but her father is skeptical.  This seems like the first time Catharine has been the object of any one’s affection and it is so wonderful to see her face just beam over it.  However, Morris seems like a deadbeat, since he has no job and blew all his inheritance to travel.  Dr. Austin is concerned that Morris is just a gold-digger and he threatens to disinherit Catharine if she marries him.  Certain that their love can provide better than money, Catharine decides to elope, but Morris may be a little unsure about their plans, now that they will not have any money.

Honestly, you can probably draw some conclusions from this review, but I don’t want to ruin the big ending.  I’ll just say it made my day, it made me jump off the couch and cheer.  Of course, I’m very cynical and love these kind of endings, other viewers may find themselves less overjoyed.

Olivia de Havilland won her second Oscar for portraying Catharine.  Her performance is so genuine, darling and awkward that anyone who has suffered the pains of puberty will be drawn in.  When she thinks she has found love, the expressions of bliss and anticipation are priceless.  And when they are crushed, we are crushed beside her.  Nothing stings more than rejection without even being acknowledged.  She becomes the personification of a half-healed wound about to be opened back up again.  Amazing.

Of all the films of 1949, The Heiress drew me in the closest and left me the most satisfied.  I could easily identify with the plain, awkward Catharine and that tingling excitement of hope that is only too good to be true.  If you’re looking for a film with a compelling story that won’t insult your intelligence and an excellent performance, check out The Heiress.

“Yes I can be very cruel.  I have been taught by masters.”

A Place in the Sun

When George Eastman (Montgomery Clift) arrives in town, he doesn’t seem to have much compared to his rich uncle who owns a large factory.  The whole Eastman family seems very high class compared to simple young George.  His uncle gives him a job in the factory and as his cousin goes over a few rules one seems extra important: don’t get involved with any of the women.  All the Eastman men should keep a respectable business distance with the working class so they can be more social at their high class parties.

Well, poor George seems a little lonely at the end of his conveyor belt and doesn’t get out much.  When he runs into a coworker at the movies, Alice (Shelley Winters), they hit it off real quick.  Maybe it’s the forbidden fruit idea, maybe it’s the loneliness, but George and Alice start dating, knowing that they can’t let anyone at work know or they’ll both be fired.

Just when things have heated up with Alice, George is finally invited to one of his uncles fancy parties.  But George isn’t all that social, so he sneaks off to the pool table and meets Angela (Elizabeth Taylor).  She’s young, flirty, much more exciting and prettier than dull old Alice.  Besides, she’s within the approved circle of dating for George.  So they have a romantic evening of dancing that goes on later than George meant to.  Of course, this party conflicts with a special dinner Alice has prepared where she breaks shocking news to George: she’s pregnant.

Well sucks to be George.  How can he support Alice and still keep up appearances with Angela?  Sooner or later he’ll have to chose which girl to stay with but how can he get rid of the other?  It’s exciting to watch George live a double life for a while and when his decision is made, watching him deal with the consequences, well let’s just say there are a lot of consequences.

There are some great suspenseful moments in the second half of the film.  We hold our breath at times when George’s entire family is just inches away from learning about Alice.  The rowboat scene is a great nail-biter that keeps you guessing until the end.

The film tries to milk the secret remorse as long as it can.  George must suffer on his own while his mind won’t let go of what he’s done.  Though I sincerely enjoyed the film, it’s more tragic than entertaining.  The whole film feels like it finds more and more opportunities to rake George over some hot coals.  After a while, that lost its pizzazz.

“You’re an Eastman and expected to act accordingly.”