For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)
Director: Sam Wood
Starring: Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman
Honors:
This colorful adaptation of the widely popular Ernest
Hemingway novel would become one of the most widely acclaimed pictures of 1943.
A war feature with a heavy focus on a romance depicted by front lining stars
Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman made this one of the more anticipated films of
the year. With its beautiful Technicolor production, admired performances by
the main and supporting casts, and its ties to one of Hemingway’s more heralded
works, For Whom the Bell Tolls was a
grand feature of its day.
For Whom the Bell
Tolls is a drama of an American soldier battling in Spanish Civil War who falls
in love while carrying out a guerrilla mission that he knows will endanger his
life. American teacher turned soldier Robert Jordan (Gary Cooper) is recruited by
the Republic forces during the Spanish Civil War to strategically destroy a
bridge at the same time as their major attack to cripple an enemy stronghold. To
aid him of his mission Robert joins forces with a group of guerrilla freedom
fighters. Trouble rises within this group as their leader, Pablo (Akim
Tamiroff), proves to be a drunken hindrance who would rather sabotage the
mission than endanger his life and is usurped by his strong willed wife Pilar
(Katina Paxinou). Amongst this group of gypsy-like fighters Robert falls in
love with Maria (Ingrid Bergman), a young Spanish lady who suffered the loss of
her parents and her innocence to the Republics fascist enemies. Their love
blossoms deeply as the moment of strike comes closer to action. Strong omens
abound about the danger Robert’s future is in as he and the group blow up the
bridge and must fight off the enemy soldiers. Robert is shot in the attacks as
the enemy soldiers move in on his team as they attempt to escape after carrying
out the mission. In duty and love Robert sends Maria and the rest to safety as
heensures their escape sacrificing himself in the heroic process.
The film’s locations are exquisite. The colors are
beautiful. The romance is deep and heartbreaking. For Whom the Bell Tolls was a studio prestige picture, complete
with elaborate art direction and rich Technicolor cinematography. With a
lengthy 170 minute runthe feature was originally presented in road show format
complete with overture and intermission before being cut back for wide release.
Both Bergman and Cooper were at the peak of their careers at this point further
adding to the pictures great appeal to the mass audiences at the time. However
the film would stray clear of Ernest Hemingway’s main political views woven
within the novel to help picture remain less overwrought by the political
realities in the world at the time.
Cooper and Tamiroff |
When Ernst Hemingway’s novel first published in 1940, which
was inspired by the author’s own experiences in the Spanish Civil War,
Paramount near immediately jumped at the chance to purchase the film rights for
future production. The book proved to be a triumph for the author as the book
was an immediate success, one of the very best sellers of its time. As
Hemingway sold the rights for $150,000 he made one condition, that Gary Cooper
be cast as Robert Jordan, which legend states was whom Hemingway had in mind
while writing his masterpiece work. Initially with Cecil B. DeMille attached to
direct, the reigns of the picture would be passed along to Sam Wood who most
recently worked with Cooper on his Academy Award nominated The Pride of the Yankees.
The role of Maria became a highly sought after role within
Hollywood, similar to the Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind, but many actresses refused to cut off their
hair even for a praised role such as this. Production began with Vera Zorina, a
28 year-old ballerina under studio contract, as Maria. At the time Ingrid
Bergman was working on a small production entitled Casablanca, which garnered her great reviews and became the
defining role of her career. As filming commenced on For Whom the Bell Tolls on location in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
it became clear that Zorina was not providing the performance wished for in the
role. Bergman assumed the role with great eagerness at the support of Cooper
and even Hemingway, stating she would not just lop off her hair for the role,
but further exaggerating to say she would even lop off her head if they wished
to play Maria. With Bergman in the role the romance between Robert and Maria on
screen became more passionate and emotional. They found the right actress for
the part.
The film focused on this on screen romance and the mission
that Robert and the men needed to carry out, leaving out the strong political
undertones that Hemingway laced throughout his novel. Hemingway had plenty to
say and express when it came to fascists, communists, and capitalists that
could have stirred people the wrong way, but the studio was mindful enough to
see where the audience’s attention should be focused on. It was this kind of
drama, action, and romance that audiences sought for in movies of the period
and the film would go on to be a huge box office and critical success.
Paxinou (pictured with Bergman) won an Oscar and Golden Globe for her work. |
The film was showered with praise including nine Academy
Award nominations. Along for being in the running for best picture all of the
major players were nominated for their on screen performances. Cooper and
Bergman both saw nominations, losing out to Paul Lucas (Watch on the Rhine) and
Jennifer Jones (The Song of Bernadette) respectfully. Supporting players of
Akim Tamiroff and Katina Paxinou also receive nomination honors for their work
as Pablo, the troubled, drunken freedom fighter, and Pilar, his strong willed
wife. Paxinou would walk away with the lone Academy Award honor. However, at
the newly formed Golden Globe Award, hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press,
both Paxinou and Tamiroff would be awarded with the highest achievement for
their supporting performances. These awards manifests just how highly thought
of the performances in For Whom the Bell
Tolls were in 1943.
Perhaps the film holds much more significance for audiences
when it initially released than it does looking back on it several decades
later. The feature appears to be lacking as it plays as a drawn out love story
within a drawn out plot to destroy a bridge by explosives. Separated for the
deeper emotional perceptions of the novel and the separation of time from its
release, this feature suffers from being a bit too long and slow.
That is not to say the film is not good. Perhaps it is not for
most contemporary audiences. The performances could be looked upon as a bit
forced as time goes by, but For Whom the
Bell Tolls was a picture that was made for and enjoyed by an audience of
the 1940s while war was very much in the minds of all in everyday life. Now,
far separated from times of World War II, the story does not impact audiences
the same way it had to a world under the conditions of that time.
The presentation of a glamorous roadshow picture also added
to the prestige of the picture as many movie goers lapped up the idea of going
to the theater as a major event complete with all the bells and whistles that
made the feature seem more important than it really was. Time has not been the
kindest to the picture story-wise, but it still shines on as a beautiful piece
of celluloid that flickers wonderful imagery on the screens of today. The
resonance of story and its romance just does not appear to have quite the same
impact as it once had when the actors were in their prime and the timing was
right.
For Whom the Bell
Tolls still remains as shining example that Hollywood studios in the midst
of World War II was able to put out a high quality of prestige picture even in
a world of cut backs and rationing. Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman literally
shine on the screens of 1943 as they still do today in this feature. Together
they shared performances in this heartbreaking romance that can still stir
audiences.
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