For Whom the Bell Tolls
Directed by Sam Wood
Written by Dudley Nichols based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway
1943/USA
Paramount Pictures
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Maria: I do not know how to kiss, or I would kiss you. Where do the noses go?[/box]
This epic adaptation of the Hemingway novel has a lot to recommend it.
Robert Jordan (Gary Cooper), an American volunteer on the anti-Fascist Republican side of the Spanish Civil War, is tasked to blow up a bridge in the mountains at the moment when the Nationalists are set to attack. He proceeds to the site and installs himself with a group of fellow rebels, mostly comprised of local gypsies led by Pablo (Akim Tamiroff). Pablo vehemently refuses to participate in blowing the bridge because he fears the group will be hunted down following the sabotage. But Pablo’s “woman”, the fiery Pilar (Katina Paxinou) proves to be the one with the true confidence of the other men and they vote to help Robert. Meanwhile, Maria (Ingrid Bergman), who has taken refuge with the group after her rape and the murder of her parents by the Nationalists, immediately becomes deeply smitten with Robert.
Pablo secretly lusts after Maria and is incensed and humiliated by his ouster as the group’s leader. He buries himself in drink and plots to sabotage the mission. Robert and Maria fall in love. The rest of the film is taken up with skirmishes between the little band and Nationalist soldiers, an effort to get more horses for their eventual escape, and the mission itself. With Vladimir Sokoloff, Alberto de Cordova, and Joseph Calleia as other rebels.
The biggest problem with this film is its great length, 170 minutes with an intermission. The story does not strictly justify that length and the first time I watched the movie it lost me midway through. This time however I was more in the mood to pay attention and I found my focus was rewarded by the outstanding performances and good action sequences. Gary Cooper is perhaps too old for the role of Roberto but I thought the love affair was moving and he certainly had the chops for a strong, silent, but brave hero.
It is the supporting performances that shine, however. Both Tamiroff and Paxinou are just wonderful. Paxinou is magnificent in her film debut, charming and deadly serious by turns. It is a shame she didn’t work more. I’ll bet she was a powerhouse on the stage doing classical Greek tragedy. Tamiroff has you almost feeling sorry for him, traitor and coward as he is. If you have the patience for something sweeping and rather grand, you could do far worse.
Katina Paxinou won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in For Whom the Bell Tolls. The film also received eight nominations: Best Picture; Best Actor; Best Actress; Best Supporting Actor (Tamiroff); Best Cinematography, Color (Roy Rennahan); Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Color; Best Film Editing; and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (Victor Young).
Trailer
