For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)

Five Kleenexes! at least

I'm not a fan of war films. There is too much shooting for me in this and I wondered if Hemingway had a love affair with guns. It's very long and some of the sets look really fake. Sometimes I lost track of the characters.

However I had to give it five stars! Why, after all these criticisms? One, for the theme. Although these specific characters were fictional, they were based on real people who gave their lives fighting for their principles. Not the least of these heroes and heroines was an American who gave up his academic career, as did a lot of others, to go to Spain to help the locals fight fascism. This is a story worth telling.

Secondly, the cast is perfect! It's said that Hemingway personally selected Cooper and Bergman and they are wonderful. Gary Cooper was such a special man, his presence alone makes the film worth watching. The young Ingrid Bergman adds her own luminous qualities to the character of Maria. You can see why the American guy fell for her in spite of his resolve not to become personally involved. They are magic together, in spite of the age difference and one quickly forgives the fact that she doesn't look at all like a Spanish peasant. Who cares? The scene where they have their last night together could have been excessively, embarrasingly maudlin if played by lesser actors, but these two really pull it off. Anyone who can sit through the scene where she is forced to leave Cooper without shedding at least a few tears must have no heart.

The Greek woman who plays the amazingly strong Pilar, is certainly memorable, too, as is the Russian who plays her loose cannon of a husband, Pedro.

It is a little dated and, as I said earlier, very long. But it is worth sitting through (it took me two evenings) and you'll remember it for a long time. Bring Kleenex! March 30, 2008

strobe lights in a cave

This is a wonderful movie, but the dvd has flickering light in some scenes especially on dark colors. a vhs tape would be more watchable. November 20, 2007

Gary Cooper Grandad of Indiana Jones

This is my second favorite film of all time next to The adventures of Robin Hood(1938) staring Errol Fynn.This movie has everything action adventure and romance .I never
get tired of watching Gary Cooper who in my opinion is the grandaddy of Indiana Jones, no one else can wear the classic fedora and pre-world war 2 leather bomber jacket like Cooper. Ingrid Bergman (I always had a crush on her ) plays a 19 year old spainish girl ,it's hard to believe she was 27 when she made this film in late august 1942.I'm half way through reading Ernest Hemingway's book For whom the bell tolls,the book has more graphic sex than in the film .In the film Cooper and Bergman have smoking hot chemistry ,it looks like at any moment they are going to be go at it in the sack. I hope paramount will release a 2 disc DVD set in 2008 in time for it's 65th anniversary .I posted a few photos on amazon I hope you like them. October 9, 2007

Very fine acting...but a flawed movie

Review of DVD: This is a nicely restored version of the film, with reasonalbly good color (a bit contrasty sometimes), with good sound. DVD extras are adequate, but sparce by modern movie standards.

All the principles did give fine performances. While Katina Paxinou gives a fine, Oscar winning performance, I believe Akim Tamiroff as the undependable and annoying Pablo is the finest in the cast. But Pilar is a much more likable character.

Discussion of the movie: Cooper and Bergman are fine, independent of each other. But the romantic attraction did not seem believable to me, especially how quickly Bergman's character was smitten by Cooper's. Cooper looked, well, middle aged (he's about 42 here), when younger men were available (a rivalry might have added something here). Fortunately, while young, she doesn't look 19 (her character's age, she's about 28). Remember, her character is falling for Robert Jordan, not Gary Cooper, and any attraction built up in the book is not added in this adaptation. There was absolutely no suspense in what was going to happen between these two. For me, the romance story simply got in the way of action, and the Pablo/Pilar conflict. What was Pablo going to do? Can he be trusted? July 2, 2007

For Whom the Bell Tolls

A splendid adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel, this rousing, romantic adventure tells the tale of a love between a Spanish-born guerilla and an outsider who's joined the cause out of political solidarity. Featuring solid performances by Cooper and the ravishing Bergman--who gets off one of cinema's most famous kissing lines ("I always wondered where the noses went")--Wood's film is an absorbing treat. Katina Paxinou even picked up an Oscar for her fiery performance as de facto rebel leader Pilar. This "Bell' tolls for thee. June 22, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...