From Here To Eternity (1953)
Low level violence
| Director: | Fred Zinnemann |
| Actors: | Frank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster, Donna Reed, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Ernest Borgnine, Philip Ober |
In this landmark film, passion and tragedy collide on a military base as a fateful day in December 1941 draws near. Private Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) is a soldier and former boxer being manipulated by his superior and peers. His friend Maggio (Frank Sinatra) tries to help him but has his own troubles. Sergeant Warden (Burt Lancaster) and Karen Holmes (Deborah Kerr) tread on dangerous ground as lovers in an illicit affair. Each of their lives will be changed when their stories culminate in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Winner of eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor (Frank Sinatra), FROM HERE TO ETERNITY provided truly career defining roles for Frank Sinatra as Prewitt's buddy and Donna Reed (IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE), as a not-so-wholesome "club hostess".
| Status: | Normal |
|---|---|
| Run time: | 113mins |
| Origin: | UNITED STATES |
| Aspect Ratio: | 1.33:1 |
| Run Time: | 113mins |
|---|---|
| File Size (Approx): | 1 GB |
Play It Again
by Jess Lomas, 5/02/2013 11:25:00 AM
Best known for the iconic kissing-in-the-waves scene, there’s a lot more to love about From Here to Eternity than Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster frolicking in the sand. Set on an American military base in Hawaii months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, it concerns Private Robert Prewitt (Montgomery Clift), a fine bugler and an even better boxer, newly transferred to the company. Captain Dana Holmes (Philip Ober) sets about trying to convince Prewitt to join the company’s boxing team, making his life misery until he relents to fight. Looking on is First Sergeant Milton Warden (Lancaster) who has grown tired of his Captain’s antics and fallen for his wife Karen (Kerr). Private Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra) is the comic relief as Prewitt’s reckless friend who can’t hold his drink,...
Best known for the iconic kissing-in-the-waves scene, there’s a lot more to love about From Here to Eternity than Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster frolicking in the sand. Set on an American military base in Hawaii months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, it concerns Private Robert Prewitt (Montgomery Clift), a fine bugler and an even better boxer, newly transferred to the company. Captain Dana Holmes (Philip Ober) sets about trying to convince Prewitt to join the company’s boxing team, making his life misery until he relents to fight.
Looking on is First Sergeant Milton Warden (Lancaster) who has grown tired of his Captain’s antics and fallen for his wife Karen (Kerr). Private Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra) is the comic relief as Prewitt’s reckless friend who can’t hold his drink, and has an ongoing spar with Sergeant Judson (Ernest Borgnine), the chief enforcer at the stockade. Finally, there’s Prewitt's love interest Lorene (Donna Reed), a gentleman’s club employee longing to return to her home town to lead an honest life.
This 1953 drama was based on the novel of the same name by James Jones, inspired by his own experiences serving in World War II. Daniel Taradash adapted the novel for the screen, and, together with director Fred Zinnemann, created an engrossing account of army life. The film perfectly encapsulates male camaraderie, the hierarchical exploitation of soldiers, and the solace found by many a lost man in this regimented way of living.
The bombing of Pearl Harbor scene is, in itself, reason enough to watch this movie. So caught up are we in the politics of the company and the romances blossoming that the Japanese planes startle us as much as they do the soldiers. It’s no surprise that the feature cleaned up at the Academy Awards, winning eight Oscars from its thirteen nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay. With a stand out performance from Lancaster, From Here to Eternity is a powerful and emotional time capsule of America on the brink of change.
4.5/5
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Member Reviews (25)
25 Member
Reviews
BennyRuss
says
What a legendary film. I was thoroughly impressed with it, especially Montgromery Clift and Deborah Kerr. They were the standouts :)
says
Really interesting to finally see this classic. A great story about life in a US Army base on Hawaii at the commencement of WW2. Surprised to find out the famous 'beach kiss with wave' scene was a 2 second segment about a love story that wasn't even the main storyline.
Catherine & Mark
says
Interesting story but it is really a story about stupid people doing stupid things. The ending was very unsatisfactory.
Josh
says
To an extent, it can drag and lead you to the anticipation of the inevitable climax, but the balance of many entertaining subplots and the great performances by Lancaster and Sinatra make 'From Here To Eternity' a terrific World War II film.
Clouseau
says
Excellent movie! I can see why it won all its accolades at the time. The other reviewer - Derek - explains the movie perfectly and I can't add much more to his thoughts about it. Not to be missed!
jeanne watt
says
old and dull
Aileen Susan Jeffery
says
Oh how wonderful to see a very young Frank Sinatra and the other well known actors in a movie I had heard about but had never seen before. It was truly wonderful to watch it.
Thank you for your service.
Susan Jeffery
P.S. I have really ehjoyed every movie I have had from you, and lots of the ones on my list are ones I saw when I was not even a teenager but loved them so much.
Erin P.
says
Kind of slow and boring by today's standards, but it's easy to see why it's such an enduring classic. Just don't watch it if you're already feeling depressed because it certainly won't help.
Paz A.
says
After all these years, and having seen it before, I still found the story engrossing. Burt Lancaster and Frank Sinatra are excellent. Still very good entertainment.
Ronald P.
says
Wonderful movie, well acted, several memorable moments.
Sacha S.
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Lorene J.
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Christiaan P.
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lucy
says
Elaine T.
says
Had not seen this movie in many years. Most enjoyable, second time round.
Nola S.
says
Derek
says
This is basically a movie about outsiders, people carrying emotional damage
from their pasts which is now imposing limits on their futures. The Montgomery
Clift character caused his previous sparring partner to go blind and now
doggedly endures the punishments heaped on him by his superiors who want
him to return to boxing for them. Frank Sinatra beautifully plays a larrikin
character driven to the end by his sense of personal pride. Burt Lancaster
(playing Burt Lancaster!) cannot rise above his own limitations even 'though it
would win him the woman he loves. Deborah Kerr's character's experiences in
her disastrous marriage are better explained in the book - here they are only
hinted at. One can then better understand her essential inner emptyness and
her ceaseless search for love. A beautiful exploration of these people and the
army life which both supports them but can also ruin them.
Jan B.
says
Jan B.
says
Ron
says
I was expecting more, some of the oldies have been great, but this was just an average story of several people with a not-so-pleasant life. A very young Frank Sinatra was interesting.
John
says
A swag of good actors in this one and it shows. Well directed and a great human drama. You tend to forget its in black and white the story is so good.
Gillian
says
Great black and white movie telling stories of more than one character.
Sam Abagi
says
A melancholy story about army-life, relationships and expectations. The beach scene is not to be missed - classic!
Trevor Harrison
says
Heinz V. O.
says