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I had to get a copy of this old World War II classic movie "From Here To Eternity" made in the early 50's with a great cast featuring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Cliff, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, Ernest Borgnine & more. The plot centers around the love lives and struggles of several U.S. army men in the days leading up to and including the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor Hawaii on December 7th, 1941. A winner of 8 Academy Awards, this picture is as much a romantic drama as a war movie like "In Harms Way" and other such movies. Look for a cameo appearance by guitar great Merle Travis singing "The Reinlistment Blues" ! I have always enjoyed this film, and I recommend it to other classic movie fans, but I was surprised to see the occasional "white specks" of an older unrestored video print. This DVD version of the film comes with an audio commentary from Tim Zinnemann and Alvin Sargent, a "Making-of" featurette, and an exerpt from "Fred Zinnemann: As I See It" about the film's director, theatrical trailers, filmographies, and production notes as extra features. This DVD also provides alternate languages and subtitles. A very nice package !Read full review
This movie is on the top 10 list of almost everyone in the World War II generation. Based on the novel by James Jones, it was almost impossible to be made in 1953. But Fred Zinneman did it and won the Best Director award in the process. This movie is the story of a number of characters. (1) Frank Sinatra begged to have the part of Maggio, the buck private who challenged the stockade director Fatso Jackson (Ernest Borgnine) as he played the piano. Jackson got even with Maggio when he was court martialled and was sent to the stockade. For this part, Sinatra only made $8,000 but won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for that year. (2) Montgomery Clift was not the first choice to play Robert E. Lee Prewitt, because Columbia Pictures president Harry Cohn wanted either Aldo Ray or John Derek. But the director wanted Clift, and he got him. Prewitt played a great bugler that asked for a transfer to this post after he maimed a friend in a boxing match. Captain Dynamite Dana Holmes wanted Prewitt to join the boxing team, but Prewitt refused. Holmes persecuted Prewitt severely because he wouldn't change his mind. (3) Donna Reed was also not the first choice to play Lorene, a hostess at a local nightclub. Zinneman wanted Julie Harris, but Cohn wanted Reed and prevailed. It's a good thing because Donna Reed won Best Supporting Actress that year. Lorene was just a good girl from Oregon who wanted to earn enough money to buy herself and her mother a nice home in Oregon. She got more than she bargained for when she became involved with Robert Prewitt. In the end, she claimed to be his fiancee but she really wasn't. (4) Deborah Kerr was also not the first choice to play Karen Holmes, the captain's wife. Joan Crawford was supposed to play Karen but withdrew when she didn't like the wardrobe. Challenged by the role, Deborah Kerr had only played nice girls previously. But here she was a bored wife who got even with her husband's philandering by cheating herself with men at every post where they were located. Here, she had what is considered one of the sexiest love scenes in the ocean with 1st Sgt Warden (Burt Lancaster). (5) Burt Lancaster was the first choice to play 1st Sgt Milton Warden, but he almost didn't get the job because he wasn't available. Zinneman was all set to sign Edmond O'Brien, but suddenly Lancaster became available. Warden was the real captain of the post because he prepared all of the paperwork and was the actual manager of Company G because Captain Holmes was too busy philandering. He became the love interest of Karen Holmes but got cold feet when she wanted him to get his commission. This movie was nominated for 11 Oscars and won 8. Besides the three acting and directing awards mentioned above, the movie also won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Black and White Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Screenplay, and Best Editing. I especially enjoyed the musical group that sings "Re-enlistment Blues" throughout the movie. This is a great movie for all ages--but especially for those around during WW2.Read full review
It's just an excellent movie! Top of the line actors with top of the line performances. The story is well written although I understand it was changed from the book to get past the censors of the time. As a senior I also enjoyed seeing many of the secondary actors who I recognized from later performances such as Jack Warden (The Naked City) and George Reeves (the original TV Superman) and several more.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Filmed in B/W, set in pre-Pearl Harbor WWII, this is a multi-Academy-Award-winning movie. Quintessential Burt Lancaster and Best Actor winning performance by Montgomery Clift. Bigg surprise is the memorable heavy-drama performance by Frank Sinatra in a DRAMATIC non-singing role! In this depiction of days leading up to Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, which all but destroyed the US Navy's South Pacific Fleet, viewers see the 'asleep-at-the-wheel' military non-chalance which made the surprise attack so effective. If you don't have this movie in your DVD collection, get it.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
I love classic movies and this one has one of the best beach scenes ever filmed hands down. The movie was brand new but unfortunately did not come with any liner notes. It seems to be the case with most oldies unless it's a deluxe special edition and cost a whole lot more. Anyhow, if you're looking as with most of my picks you already know the movie but the packaging for this one just be aware is the bare bones even though it says special edition but the DVD extras, the movie itself and the price can't be beat. Enjoy! : )
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