Review of For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) by Nate W — 13 Jun 2010
Set in fascist Spain in the late 1930s, "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (based on Hemmingway's acclaimed novel) pits a small group of guerrillas together against the enemy and themselves as they prepare to blow up an enemy bridge.
The internal and interpersonal conflicts are kept in fine balance with the physical conflict of the impending mission, immeasurably helped by several strong performances (particularly Katina Paxinou), but the film does suffer from its exhausting faithfulness to the book.
Running nearly 2 hours and 50 minutes, it could have used a more pointed script. Fortunately, the material is quality stuff, no matter how fatiguing. It successfully avoids getting bogged down by the politics of the Spanish civil war, but focuses mainly on the characters.
Dramatically lit and shot in glorious Technicolor by "Gone with the Wind" lenser Ray Rennahan, "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is a beautiful piece of cinema. The High Sierra mountains of California stand in nicely for the Spanish wilderness.
This review of For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) was written by Nate W on 13 Jun 2010.
For Whom the Bell Tolls has generally received positive reviews.
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