Review of From Here to Eternity (1953) by Michael H — 22 Dec 2011
From Here to Eternity is one of the strongest and most moving classics I've watched, and not just because of its tragic love stories. It displays the hopes and aspirations of all the characters involved - namely, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra, Deborah Kerr, Burt Lancaster, and Donna Reed - in a poignant, yet unsentimental manner, and then proceeds to deftly show how these same individual hopes are suppressed with stifling tragedy.
I really enjoyed the way that From Here to Eternity showed these individuals fighting against a blind fate, which ultimately defeats them (and in the case of Sinatra and Clift, kills). For this clarity and depth to be effective in any classic, the performances have to be good.
Needless to say, they were more than just good here: they were exceptional and unforgettably convincing. Montgomery Clift was just about perfect as the stifled and seemingly brittle loner Prewitt, and Deborah Kerr seemed to bring new meaning to infidelity to her role as Karen.
Add to all this the dialogue, the mood, and of course that famously recognizable romantic scene on the beach, and you have all the makings of a great classic. It deserves at least a 4 out of 5 stars.
This review of From Here to Eternity (1953) was written by Michael H on 22 Dec 2011.
From Here to Eternity has generally received very positive reviews.
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