From Here to Eternity

Rating

Director

Fred Zinnemann

Screenplay

Daniel Taradash (Novel: James Jones)

Length

118 min.

Starring

Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, Philip Ober, Mickey Shaughnessy, Harry Bellaver, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Warden, John Dennis, Merle Travis, Tim Ryan, Arthur Keegan, Barbara Morrison

MPAA Rating

Approved (PCA #16582)

Review

Set against the backdrop of a military compound in Hawaii, From Here to Eternity tells the story of two men looking to carve a little piece of satisfaction out of their lives in the service.

Burt Lancaster takes one of the film’s two lead roles. First Sergeant Milton Warden is a pencil pusher. He is an administrative secretary for Captain “Dynamite” Holmes (Philip Ober) who prizes championship boxers above strong military discipline. When Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt(Montgomery Clift) walks through his door, he sees the opportunity for a much-needed championship win, a prospect he is certain will lead to his promotion.

Clift, playing the film’s second lead, gives the determined“Prew” a conscience. Determined to escape the past where he permanently blinded a fellow while boxing, he refuses to let Holmes bully him into playing, even if that means his fellow enlisted men treat him terribly. Things aren’t as bad as they might at first appear for the young bugler (a renowned one at that) when he makes friends with Pvt. Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra).

From Here to Eternity focuses predominantly on the rigors of standing up for one’s principles against great odds. When pressured to conform, a soldier often acquiesces to avoid the dangers of rebellion. However, Prew is not that kind of person. He’s the kind of soldier Warden takes great pleasure in molding. Though he never attempts to stop the unfair treatment, Warden does what he can to indirectly motivate Prew to stick to his guns. Even when he’s trying to convince Prew to cease his resistance, we can tell from Lancaster’s stern, yet impassioned performance, that he’s surreptitiously encouraging him.

Warden knows his position well but also isn’t ready to rock the boat. He knows the wrong move can cost him immeasurable status in the current machine. Nevertheless, through Prew’s defiance, he sees where his own life and career have failed to measure up to his own expectations of soldiers. Foolhardily, he takes the only step he can and seeks a secret relationship with the forlorn wife of his Captain. Karen Holmes (Deborah Kerr) is beautiful but leery of upsetting the balance. Though she knows her husband has been having affairs for years, she at first finds it difficult to accept Warden’s advances.

Love also blooms for Prew who, through Angelo’s connection with the New Congress Club (a sort of female escort service), meets the beautiful Lorene (Donna Reed). They both know they are right for one another but each one has their position to think of and Lorene at first rebukes Prew thinking of her work for the Club.

From Here to Eternity brings each of its characters to a point of metamorphosis all spurred on by one man’s perseverance. Director Fred Zinnemann moves the production along at a suitable pace, though little about his style is readily noteworthy. The filmmaking techniques are hopelessly traditional while the story and performances contribute the most to the film’s success.

Clift gives a terrific performance that’s bolstered by Lancaster’s. Kerr is a bit too stern at times but Reed is superb. It’s hard to think of the sweet mother of The Donna Reed Show in such a role but she makes it work surprisingly well.

From Here to Eternity isn’t your typical war film as there is precious little combat actually going on. Instead, it’s the calm before the storm that concludes the film: the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. The battle, which lasts only a few minutes, has virtually no bearing on the plot. Instead, it serves as an exclamation point on a story that speaks volumes on the power of human courage and tenacity.

Review Written

November 2, 2006