Rock Hudson

Jennifer Jones

Vittorio De Sica

Luigi Barzini

Georges Brehat

Oskar Homolka

Mercedes McCambridge

Elaine Stritch

Kurt Kasznar

Victor Francen

Alberto Sordi

Leopoldo Trieste

Franco Interlenghi

Bud Spencer

Eduard Linkers

Johanna Hofer

Eva Kotthaus

Charles Vidor

Piero Portalupi

John Moore

Franco Ferrara

Veniero Colasanti

Gastone Medin

Alfred Junge

Mario Garbuglia

Mario Nascimbene

Morris Rosen

Arthur Ibbetson

Charles Knott

Murray Spivack

Idelmo Simonelli

Audrey Granville

Larry Germain

James E. Newcom

Ben Hecht

Ernest Hemingway

Laurence Stallings

Gerard Wilson

David O. Selznick

John M. Foley

Oswald Morris

Drama

Romance

A Farewell to Arms

Selznick International Pictures

United States of America

CinemaSerf

It was always going to be hard enough to adapt this novel for the screen, and given Gary Cooper did an OK job with it in 1932, I am not quite sure why David O. Selznick concluded that is might be a ripe vehicle for Rock Hudson to reprise. He is the American "Lt. Henry" serving in Italy during the Great War when he meets British nurse "Catherine" (Jennifer Jones). They take an immediate shine to each other but needless to say the War has no time to stop and indulge their affection and the film follows the ups and downs as they try to stay alive and, ultimately, make it to safety with their as yet unborn child. The thing with Hemingway stories, I found, is that they rarely work on a big screen. They are detailed, descriptive and requiring of the reader to use their imagination to create the scenario that's all too easily replaced by the visuals here. That also requires the actors to deliver strong and intricate characterisations that deal with their own issues, sure, but with the issues of loyalty, of professionalism and of tough choices made amidst the atrocities of conflict. Neither of these two here have the gravitas to do those complexities justice and that frequently turns this gripping wartime romance into a not so gripping romance set amidst a war. There is quite an engaging effort from Vittorio De Rica as the inspirational surgeon "Rinaldi" and Elaine Stritch is also to be seen here before she became a lady who lunched. The film looks good, the wartime imagery potent and at times we get a little indication of the true horrors of this war, and of the strains it put on people both in and out of the military, but there's no getting away from the weak and rather insipid casting. Pity!

English

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A Farewell to Arms (1957) ORIGINAL TRAILER