Por Quem os Sinos Dobram

Hollywood doesn't seem able to put Hemingway's works on the screen. This is a romanticized version of guerillas fighting in the mountains during the Spanish Civil War. It is supposed to be a "classic" but there are too many weaknesses to give it that status. There is no real tension. Bergman (gorgeously photographed) and Cooper fall in love instantly and we are never in any doubt about that. They are surrounded by some of the talkiest guerilla fighters hiding out in a murky cave (where much of the technicolor action takes place), each with thick accents that don't seem to match their characters. Katina Paxinou certainly does a stunning job as Pilar--and Akim Tamiroff is more than adequate--but the film becomes weary after the first hour and gets bogged down in too much talk before it finally zeros in on its main action sequence involving the blowup of a bridge. Again, Hollywood fails to inject a Hemingway story with enough human interest and fails to make us care enough about these characters. Transition to the screen just doesn't work when it comes to Hemingway whose writing style is best confined to the novels he wrote. The only bright note is Victor Young's pseudo-Spanish score which gives the picture its only lift. Not the film it was hyped to be at the time, depending on its status as a best-seller by Hemingway for a built-in audience. Satisfaction not guaranteed unless you are a huge fan of Bergman and Cooper.

I have read most of Hemingway's novels and enjoy him for the romantic he is (why is it some people view him as a realist?). However, when I see this film, as well as the Tyrone Power version of THE SUN ALSO RISES, I am left wondering if the problem with Hollywood adaptations of his work was that they were TOO faithful. That's right, all you Hemingway lovers: too faithful. The man's dialog works on paper, but when spoken by the actors--good actors at that--it becomes downright silly.

Hemingway once wrote a play, THE FIFTH COLUMN, that was snickered by theatre-goers in 1937. He learned his lesson and never wrote another play. Some of the Hollywood scriptwriters might have also learned, if not from the reviews of THE FIFTH COLUMN, at least from the film of THE KILLERS: the best way to adapt Hemingway is to steer away from his dialog, not stick so close to it.

That said, I must confess I enjoy this film like the others...though I can't help but chuckle at it sometimes.

This is a fine film, very popular in its day for depicting the desperate fight for freedom that even civilians engaged in by choice, at a time when democracy was in fact truly threatened and there was a very real possibility it would disappear from the earth. Because of the bravery of so many men and women of that time, the freedom that many today take for granted was assured. But it is by no means permanent.

The film is relatively heavy but certainly many modern films about current events are equally heavy. One is either involved or not but I found it a great story of a small group of people who have survived a great deal of pain in life and who have little to lose. The film presents the characters very well, allowing us to like and understand them. It was shot in Technicolor on realistic locations and beautifully designed by William Cameron Menzies. The music by Victor Young is outstanding.

In case anyone may not know, Ingrid Bergman was the choice of Ernest Hemingway. In fact, he went out of his way to see to it that the ballet dancer and actress Vera Zorina, who was originally cast and who had begun shooting the film, was replaced by Bergman. Hemingway also wanted Gary Cooper and no one else to play Robert Jordan. How can these actors be 'miscast' when the author who created the characters felt they were perfect for the roles?

The picture narrates how an American professor(Gary Cooper) enlisted to the International Brigades (Brigade Lincoln) resolves to join himself with a group of rebels during Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) : The guerrilla is formed by a bunch of peasants : Vladimir Sokoloff , Akim Tamiroff , Arturo Cordoba , Katina Paxinou and he then falls in love with the gorgeous Ingrid Bergman . He's ordered by the Republic's authority blowing up a bridge and he'll have to confront a lot of dangers and risks and stifle the facing off among the members of the motley commando .

Runtime film is overlong , the run is about two hours and half but isn't dreary . It's based on Ernest Hemingway book magnificently translated to Cinemascope big screen . The movie has tension , drama , a love story , derring-do, warlike adventures , heroic events , romantic tale and although sometimes is slow-moving , isn't boring , neither tiring . Cooper and Bergman are attractive and romantics , both protagonists were especially selected by Hemingway . The secondary cast is impressive : Tamiroff , Vladimir Sokoloff , Joseph Calleia , Fortunio Bonanova but Kattina Paxinou -actress myth in Greece- is top notch, thus she won the Academy Award , Oscar , as the best support cast for her role as the impulsive , lusty and brave guerrilla woman . Exceptional and glimmer cinematography by Ray Rennahan and enjoyable music by Victor Young . The motion picture was well directed by Sam Wood. The picture was prohibited in Spain by the censorship until recent years . Rating: Very good . Above average .

Set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, the prelude to WWII, this is one of the great action/adventure films of all time and the best screen adaption of any Hemingway novel. Cooper and Bergman set the sparks flying like Bogie and Bacall, and are sexier on screen without ever taking their clothes off than any of todays red hot lovers stark naked. Coop's hat alone deserves an honorary Oscar for Best Costume. Old pros like Vladimir Sokoloff, Akim Tamiroff and Fortunio Bonanova (whom film buffs will recognise as the opera coach from "Citizen Kane") keep that inimitable Hemingway dialogue moving at a brisk pace and Katina Paxinou, who copped the Best Supporting Actress award, is the embodiment of one of Hem's greatest characters. I have the 156 min version taped off cable and the added footage makes you hungry to see the whole 170 minute version (if it still exists). Don't miss this one. Four stars.