Ernest Hemingway's 1939 novel, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, stands among the great pieces of American literature. Sam Wood's direction of the script by Dudley Nichols stars Gary Cooper as Hemingway's pain-ridden, love-torn hero, Robert Jordan, a Montana schoolteacher who risks his life to fight Franco's forces during the Spanish Civil War.
Jordan joins a group of Spanish guerrilla fighters whose mission is to blow up a bridge behind enemy lines. Ingrid Bergman plays Maria, a beautiful Spanish refugee who has been rendered mute by the trauma of a rape. Over the course of four days, Maria and Jordan fall head over heels in love, a plotline that subsumes the fighting and the war itself. Still, it is Katina Paxinou as Pilar, the hen mother of the guerrilla troop, who steals the show in her Oscar-winning performance.
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS is not to be missed by any Hemingway fan.
Francisco Franco himself attempted to prevent Paramount from releasing FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS. While the film itself is painstakingly apolitical, Franco was concerned that the film would raise interest in the book, which stood decidedly opposed to the Fascist regime.
Paramount spent three years publicizing FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, making it one of the most eagerly awaited flicks in history. Thirty thousand fans wrote in to the studio to offer their own opinion on casting choices.
Akim Tamiroff and Katina Paxinou won the first annual Golden Globe Awards (in 1944) for Best Supporting Actor and Actress, respectively.
The film cost $3,000,000 to produce and $150,000 for the rights to Hemingway's book.
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Full Frame - 1.33
Dual Layer
Audio:
Dolby Digital Mono 2.0 - English
Additional Release Material:
Film Highlights
Trailer - 1.Original Theatrical Trailer
Text/Photo Galleries:
Production Notes
Cast & Filmmakers' Biographies
DVD-ROM Features:
Website Links
Director of Photography
Ray Rennahan: American Director Of Photography
Story
Ernest Hemingway: American author, TO HAVE AND HAVE.../A FAREWELL TO ARMS
Production Designer
William Cameron Menzies: Epic director of the Silent Era
Review 1:
"...Nominated for Oscars in virtually every category....Cooper is every bit the romantic hero..."
Source: Total Film
p.85 03/01/2000
Review 2:
"...[A] blend of golden age Hollywood magic and ponderous storytelling..."
Source: USA Today
p.4D 09/15/1995
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