From Here to Eternity (1953)

In Hawaii in 1941, a private is cruelly punished for not boxing on his unit's team, while his captain's wife and second-in-command are falling in love.

Director:

Fred Zinnemann

Writers:

Daniel Taradash (screen play), James Jones (based upon the novel by)

Stars:

Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr

Won 8 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Burt Lancaster	...	Sgt. Milton Warden
Montgomery Clift	...	Robert E. Lee Prewitt
Deborah Kerr	...	Karen Holmes
Donna Reed	...	Alma aka Lorene
Frank Sinatra	...	Angelo Maggio
Philip Ober	...	Capt. Dana Holmes
Mickey Shaughnessy	...	Sgt. Leva
Harry Bellaver	...	Mazzioli
Ernest Borgnine	...	Sgt. 'Fatso' Judson
Jack Warden	...	Corp. Buckley
John Dennis	...	Sgt. Ike Galovitch
Merle Travis	...	Sal Anderson
Tim Ryan	...	Sgt. Pete Karelsen
Arthur Keegan	...	Treadwell
Barbara Morrison	...	Mrs. Kipfer

Storyline

It's 1941. Robert E. Lee Prewitt has requested Army transfer and has ended up at Schofield in Hawaii. His new captain, Dana Holmes, has heard of his boxing prowess and is keen to get him to represent the company. However, 'Prew' is adamant that he doesn't box anymore, so Captain Holmes gets his subordinates to make his life a living hell. Meanwhile Sergeant Warden starts seeing the captain's wife, who has a history of seeking external relief from a troubled marriage. Prew's friend Maggio has a few altercations with the sadistic stockade Sergeant 'Fatso' Judson, and Prew begins falling in love with social club employee Lorene. Unbeknownst to anyone, the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor looms in the distance.

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Plot Keywords:

boxing | bugler | u.s. army | dysfunctional marriage | awol | 

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Taglines:

The Original Pearl Harbor Story (2002 DVD Release)

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 August 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

De aquí a la eternidad

Filming Locations:

Diamond Head, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,650,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$30,500,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

3 Channel Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

To keep from overrunning Harry Cohn's 120-minute dictate, Fred Zinnemann was forced to forego some scenes he particularly prized. One was a scene near the end where Prewitt mistakenly believes Pearl Harbor is being attacked by Germans.

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Goofs

The Japanese aircraft attacking the US fleet are actually represented by stock footage of US Navy Dauntless and Avenger aircraft.

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Quotes

Angelo Maggio: Let's go to a phone booth or something, huh? Where I will unveil a fifth of whiskey, I have hidden here under my loose, flowing sports shirt.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: SCHOFIELD BARRACKS HAWAII 1941

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Connections

Referenced in Inherent Vice (2014)

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Soundtracks

Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out the Barrel)
(1927) (uncredited)
Music by Jaromir Vejvoda
Played on piano by Fatso

User Reviews

Montgomery Clift shines From Here to Eternity

"From Here to Eternity" contains the best performance delivered by an actor of any gender on celluloid. Montgomery Clift is assertive, funny, tough, sensitive and charismatic in the pivotal role of Robert E. Lee Prewitt, the rebellious loner with the streak of nobility. It is easy to see why James Dean idolized him after seeing his portrayal in the film. It is also a shame modern actors don't mention his name more often when listing their influences. As often noted, he preceded Brando by two years (he first appeared in Red River, released in 1948; Brando bowed in The Men in 1950)and created the arch-type of the 1950's rebel. But due to his intelligence, Clift also informed his characters with a sense of purpose. He didn't simply rebel. For instance, in Eternity, he apologises after an angry outbreak at his girlfriend. Instead of appearing weak, he impressed me all the more for doing so. It makes him appear more mature than the typical rebel. In another instance, when he feels his friend Maggio is being unfairly attacked, he "stares down" the attacker proving he looks out for his friend, another attractive quality. When the non-coms dole out extra punishment to him to force him to box, he refuses to file a complaint but likewise refuses to comply to their demands. Such moments distinguish Clift from other, more typically macho Hollywood leading men of the era and contributed greatly to Eternity's long initial run at the box office and its status as a classic piece of Hollywood cinema. It is time someone set the record straight and restored Montgomery Clift's name to its rightful place in the pantheon of Hollywood's great leading men. For proof, look no further than From Here to Eternity.