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Synopsis
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 mother hen 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.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
When Hemingway picked Cooper and Bergman for this 1943 film, he could not have done better. They are heavenly to look at, and the chemistry between them is palpable. The dialogue has retained the style of the book, and they make it sound 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 is 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 Bergman, looking younger than her 29 years, with 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 for "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.
18 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I bought this for a friend, and to be honest the film didn't do a lot for me, but the real purpose of my review is to alert potential buyers to an oddity about the DVD that could lead them to believing it is faulty. I sent the DVD back to Amazon because the first chapter (supposedly containing the titles etc) appeared to have sound but no vision at all. The replacement was the same. However I let ths one play on and eventually the opening titles appeared. It seems there is a very long empty gap at the beginning where the screen is completely blank. Normally an overture is accompanied by a colour wash or something visual, but not in this case. Beware!
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film has got to be one of the classics,in my opinion.Set in the Spanish civil war,it is a story of love and courage and also high drama.The charectors are hugely engaging in both depth and humour.Many have said it is a dark story,and,partly that is true,but,there is also a great depth to the human emotions on show.The action pieces are even by todays standards are exciting giving more than just cgi+pyrotecnics that seem to dominate todays cinema.
All in all a classic piece of cinema,only one more thing to say-BUY IT!.
All in all a classic piece of cinema,only one more thing to say-BUY IT!.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Hemingway novel, good TO SEE, NOT A TIME WASTED
A masterpiece just missed for a little. To make beautiful the film looks just enough of the beautiful Ingrid Bergman, but the usual coldness of Cooper, an excellent Katina Paxinou... Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2010 by Massimo Santilli
Oh dear oh dear - boring and poorly directed.
Cooper gets his just deserts for poking his nose into someone else's war.
Bergman keeps whittering on about her cropped hair, not appreciating that she looks much... Read more
Bergman keeps whittering on about her cropped hair, not appreciating that she looks much... Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2009 by MrViewer
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS
I was bored. Unfortunatelly, because I am a huge fan of both G. Cooper and I. Bergman...
Published on 27 Mar 2009 by J. Simunovic
"Any Man's death diminishes me "
"Because I am involved in mankind;
and therefore send to know
for who the bell tolls.
It tolls for thee."
Spain 1937. Read more
and therefore send to know
for who the bell tolls.
It tolls for thee."
Spain 1937. Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2007 by bernie
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