Review of From Here to Eternity (1953) by Stuart K — 30 Apr 2014

Directed by Fred Zinnemann (High Noon (1952), Oklahoma! (1955) and A Man for All Seasons (1966)), and based upon the 1951 book of the same name by James Jones. This is a powerful and emotionally charged war drama set before, during and after a pivotal moment during World War 2 when everything changed.

It has a brilliant ensemble cast and it's a film which still stands strong today. Set in late 1941 at the Schofield Barracks on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The film focuses on three soldiers, Private Robert E.

Lee Prewitt (Montgomery Clift), who always seems to get picked on by Captain Dana "Dynamite" Holmes (Philip Ober). With Prewitt acting out against everyone, First Sergeant Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster) is under pressure to have Prewitt placed under court martial, which he doesn't do.

Prewitt is supported by his best friend and fellow army buddy Private Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra). Meanwhile, Warden is having an affair with Holmes's wife Karen (Deborah Kerr), while Prewitt falls for Lorene (Donna Reed).

It's a complex story, but it does pay off, and the big climax is only a footnote to the drama that the characters all face, the bigger picture seems insignificant compared to their dramas and woes.

This was the big Oscar winner of 1953, and unlike other years where the wrong films seem to win, this truly deserved it.