Reel Memories No. 91 – From Here to Eternity

By William V. Reynolds
Columnist

Occasionally a film comes along that does justice to the book which is the source. Unfortunately,
a film cannot tell the story in the same manner as the book. Such a film would be an epic of such
proportions that the public would not sit still for it. It’s impossible to render a book of one
thousand pages or more into a coherent film.
However From Here to Eternity (1953) is a powerful rendering of James Jones novel. The film
has a powerful cast even though some of the players are not typecast according to former roles.
But maybe that’s a good thing. Many actors express the need to broaden their repertory of
characters.
The setting is pre-World War II Pearl Harbor. Robert E. Lee Prewitt (Montgomery Clift), a misfit
from the hills of Kentucky, finds himself battling the officers of the peacetime Army. When he
transfers into a new outfit in Hawaii, he refuses to box on the boxing team for his outfit. As result
he gets every sloppy detail available. And finally winds up in the stockade for his efforts where
he meets Sgt. ‘Fatso’ Judson (Ernest Borgnine) whose sadistic treatment of prisoners will
ultimately lead to his demise.
Meanwhile Sgt. Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster) is having an affair with Karen Holmes
(Deborah Kerr), the wife of Capt. Dana Holmes (Philip Ober) whose only interest is in hanging
out at the officer’s club and winning the next title for his company boxer.
Frank Sinatra makes a comeback in this film as Pvt. Angelo Maggio who takes a great deal of
abuse from Fatso. This part is definitely not typecast since Sinatra was best known for his singing
in the movies.
Prewitt, who has been indulging in promiscuous sex, alcoholism, and gambling in an attempt to
deal with his situation, meets a prostitute, Alma ‘Lorene’ Burke (Donna Reed, also not a
typecast) and falls in love with her. His obsession with Lorene leads to conflict when he goes
AWOL to be with her.
While Prewitt is AWOL with Lorene, the Japanese pull their sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. The
attack convinces Prewitt that he needs to get back to his company. The climax of the film shows
us what happens as a result of this action.
Today we give a reel memories salute to From Here to Eternity.
William V. Reynolds is the author of “Murder in the Okefenokee” available at
doubleeagleenterprises.com and Amazon.com, or ask for it at your favorite bookstore.