1 Bergman Steals It
Gary Cooper was a friend of Hemingway and pushed for a script faithful to the book. I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised to see that it is very close to the book plotline. All the characters are fleshed out. Ingrid Bergman played a Spanish girl raped by the fascists after they kill her parents. It's a meaty role, and you would think a blond Swede could never pull it off. Well you don't know young Bergman till you see her as Maria. What a beautiful young actress she was.
All the actors were good repeating Hem's short simple sentences, some of them rather formal in order to simulate a Spanish dialect. If we look back to the Americans that volunteered to fight Franco in 1937, you have to wonder what possessed them to leave their cushy jobs in academia or the arts to get into a bloodbath. Perhaps it was the appeal of Communism, which for so many Depression weary intellectuals looked attractive. The battle between the Republic backed by Stalin versus Franco backed by evil personified, Hitler, it seemed to be a crucible. The rest is pure American romanticism, which has its roots way back, before Huckleberry Finn.
2 For Whom the Bell Tolls
Received my used/like new DVD in excellent condition. As advertised, it was like new. Not a flaw in the entire DVD. Proud to add it to my collection.
3 DVD is a mixed blessing over the laserdisc
I own the film on Laserdisc, and I would have jumped at the chance to own the DVD for its improved color. However, I note that the overture and entre-acte on the DVD omit a superb collection of studio stills . Sad, since those little plums make the laserdisc an unforgettable version that the DVD makers deemed unnecessary. A great film, whose transfer to DVD is again marred by makers intent on money instead of class. I may still buy the DVD, but I am wary of any other cuts that may have occurred in the DVD version.
4 GREAT... but...
... why these complaints about a widescreen-version? 20th Century-Fox released the first CinemaScope film in 1953(The Robe) in order to outdo TV.... True, there were occassional try-outs like Napoleon in 1927, but the widescreen-system as we know it; came in 1953.
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS is a great as it can get. Bergman in particular shows us natural acting a`la Brando - years before he came to the Hollywood scene... Unfortunately; the two weeks-shooting of Norwegian Vera Zorina as Maria is NOT included on the DVD. Ingrid raplaced her when the ballerina tiptoed through her role; but actually was given the sack because of Cooper, Wood and even Hemingway`s personal interests in Bergman. It would have been nice to see the difference between Vera and Ingrid.
The production is lavish and the dialogue intelligent. It was not well-received in 1943 and suffered under the success of Casablanca. However; I think Bergman is at her peak as MARIA and not as ILSA hehehehe
5 Full screen - are you kidding me?
I cannot believe this film is released on DVD in full screen format only, and not in a widescreen format. Full screen is fine for films that are primarily shot indoors, but to do this to a movie with such scenic grandeur is a crime. This format totally destroys the cinematography and grand vistas of the orignal. Have a heart and release a widescreen version!
6 Great Film: Not Deserving of "Full Screen" treatment
Read all other reviews of this film for film's brilliance, Gary Cooper's performance, etc. . However, what is bothersome, as good a reproduction this film is, is that it's reproduced in Full Frame NOT theatrical format as when the film was released or widescreen which, particularly in the case of such a brilliant film as this, it is a cinematic crime not to release a true to intent vesion of any film as visualized/composed by the Director and cinematographer. I cannot understand companies that go to all the trouble to make a film like this transfer to DVD so well and overlook the obvious: showing the film's original parameters as well.
There are other film's I refuse to purchase simply because of the destruction of the film's composition that Full Frame productions foist upon the artists who created such cinematic greats. Had a truer visual format been availableI would have purchased it, however, this is one exception that I had to buy because of the overall brilliance of the work. Here is hoping that the future will bring a even greater reproduction of the original intent of the film's entire LOOK.
7 Hard to Pinpoint
The most annoying part of the mvie is the casting. Robert Jordan is supposed to be a young blonde man, in his late 20's about, and Maria is supposed to be a 19 year old Spanish girl. Obviously, the movie missed that. The other actors fit farely well, but a lot of the accents were horrible.
Also, the book always seemed to somehow use the love between Maria and Robert as a subplot. Robert's conflict with Pablo was just as important. The movie, however, is purely a love story. Overall I thought the book was decent, but slow moving. The movie was worse. Almost 3 hours of nothing.
On a final note, to the person who said Jordan should be showing some signs of pain, and that it's ridiculous that he's so calm, read the book. His nerve is severed from the break. Can't feel a thing.
8 Music score is superb
If you enjoyed A Farewell to Arms as a movie, you'll no doubt enjoy this gem. Although quite long, this movie is a true and solid adaptation of the amazing and extraordinary book. I particularly enjoyed the intense music score - you just don't get that in today's movies. Although Cooper and Bergman are good, the true stellar performance belongs to that of the lady(I don't know her name - obviously) who plays Pilar, who deservedly won The Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Bergman, with her blonde hair, blue eyes, and immaculate makeup job, doesn't exactly fill the role of the Spanish cave-dwelling, recently [attacked] Maria. The only annoyance with Cooper came when, after the horse falls on him and breaks his leg, he tells Maria to go on without him while exhibiting no semblance of pain whatsoever. I know Robert Jordan is stoic and ascetic, but anyone who breaks his leg and is about to die will be in at least some pain - come on.
Having said that, I still found the movie to be powerful and provocative - just not as much as the book. But, of course, that goes without saying.
9 A Love Story and An Anti-War Film
The more I watch FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS the more I appreciate it. Although the movie drags a bit in places - especially in the beginning - the suspense and action eventually build to a magnificant climax making the wait worthwhile.
The film deserves its many Academy Award nominations. Gary Cooper is an excellent choice for Robert Jordan, an idealistic college instructor who joins the loyalist cause as a demolition expert. Ingrid Bergman is so good in the role of the young Maria that it is actually possible to forget that she is Swedish and not Spanish. I can't remember ever seeing much better acting than that of Cooper and Bergman in their final scene together. Of course there are many other memorable moments in this movie such as El Sordo's last stand on a hill against the Fascist forces.
Katina Paxinou received an Academy Award for best supporting actress as Pilar who is one of the guerilla leaders and a thoroughly liberated female Gypsy.
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS is faithful to Hemingway's novel. The special effects are excellent for their time. However, the army tanks in particular seem to be very unconvincing.
Sam Wood was an outstanding director. He also directed PRIDE OF THE YANKEES and the original GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS with Robert Donat and Greer Garson.
Above all FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS is a love story. It is also an anti-war film and a story told mostly about guerillas fighting on the losing side in the Spanish Civil War.
10 A Classic!
It's excellent. The movie has the best acted and scripted characterization that I've seen in a movie. It's set in the Spanish civil war in 1937. A Canadian national, played by Gary Cooper is sent on a mission to blow up a bridge. He needs the aid and cooperation of the local people. Ingrid Bergman plays an innocent Spanish girl who is hanging with the locals after having been released or escaped from being jailed by the fascists.
11 a great Hemingway adaptation
When Hemingway picked Cooper and Bergman for this 1943 film, he couldn't have done better. They're heavenly to look at, and the chemistry between them is palpable. The dialogue has retained the style of the book, and they make it so natural, which is not an easy feat. Set in 1937 Spain, this Civil War story is an action packed adventure, but above all, it's a love story.
Terrific cinematography by Ray Rennahan, a good atmospheric score by Victor Young, and a slew of interesting character actors (Katina Paxinou won the Oscar for best supporting actress) back the magnificent leads.
Cooper is not only gorgeous, but gives a subtle, lovely performance, and Bergaman, looking younger than her 29 years with her short, curly hair, is luminous...I love the scene where she gets her first kiss, and says "I always wondered where the noses went".
Directed by Sam Wood, who a year earlier had directed one of Cooper's most famous films, "The Pride of the Yankees" (and in '45, was to team again with Cooper and Bergman in "Saratoga Trunk"), did a wonderful job with Hemingway's novel...it stands up to many viewings, and is a must for Cooper and Bergman fans.
12 Gary Cooper plays a good Hemingway Hero!
A very young Cooper stared with Helen Hayes in " A Farewell to Arms". In this film he does even better! Ingrid Bergman was a very young girl and captures the war torn raped Spanish girl so well. This is the screen version of a novel that is a Nobel recognized masterpiece with two of Hollywood's all time stars in lead roles. It is what they mean by a "Classic Film". How I know a classic tragedy is that I dread and hope at the same time when I play it!
13 Nice color, oddly multicultural cast, pure Hollywood.
I've never seen a movie based on Hemingway that came anywhere close to the miracles he achieved in prose. The best was the first 10 minutes or so of The Killers (Willilam Conrad & Charles McGraw - two actors who could actually speak Hemingway). This movie comes somewhere between that and Snows of Kilimanjaro (fine story, rotten movie). A classic of the period in terms of color, lighting, makeup, spectacle, etc., but it is so sound stage artificial and all those accents: Spaniards played by Greeks, Russians & Yanks. Yoicks. Definitely for those who love Cooper & Bergman doing their star-turn schticks.
14 Best Hemingway Film Adaptation
For me, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS is the finest screen adaptation of any of Hemingway's novels. Not only does it star Gary Cooper -- the most complete interpreter of the Hermingway hero on screen -- but it has a luminous performance from Ingrid Bergman in the role of Maria. When it opened in 1943, a criticism centered on the fact that it did not specifically mention Franco. However, what might have been a germane criticism back then is now a genuine plus. Had this been focused on Franco, it now would be a dated period piece. Instead, this story of doomed wartime love remains achingly moving. And its theme of "no man is an island" is still haunting, and the final images stay with you long after the film is over. Cooper's presence is especially fascinating, since this is an ensemble piece, and never once does he use his inconic aura to break free of the ensemble and dominate the screen. Highly recommended.
15 Terrific and sad
I read the book For Whom The Bell Tolls before I saw the movie. The movie is terrific and sad but the book is better, isn't the book always better? But this movie is a classic for very good reasons. It's a beautiful movie, I recomend it to anyone.
16 INGRID AND GARY FOREVER
No doubt about it ! This DVD deserves a perfect 5 (this is the second that I give after ROBOCOP director's cut). 130 minutes of absolute pleasure with actors who were real stars : Ingrid Bergman and Gary Cooper. The colors are wonderful, the scenery superb and the musical score terrific. But I hear someone out there complaining : Gosh ! It's a 1943 movie, an antiquity. Don't be afraid, you will not be disappointed. There are also in this movie explosions, gunfires and even torrid love scenes. Just observe how Ingrid Bergman plays with her hair in order to seduce Gary and you will forget all the actual little starlets. This story of a three-days love affair during the spain civil war is about idealism, self-sacrifice and hope. Themes that , I agree, are not specially "in" in 1998 but were developed by Ernest Hemingway, one of the best american writers. A healthy DVD in order to clean our eyes and ears.
