Rating of
3/4
"From Here To Eternity" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 03/30/12
From Here To Eternity is something of a classic and relaunched the career of Oscar winner Frank Sinatra who allegedly got the part because a friend of the family made an offer that couldn't be refused...It's a rather soapy affair as it follows the trials and tribulations of a group of soldiers posted at a base in Pearl Harbour in the days leading up to the Japanese attack. To be honest, it's not really the kind of film I usually enjoy; the love scene between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr is one of the most famous ever filmed, but I personally much preferred the on base drama between he, stubborn conscientious objector Montgomery Clift and likable sidekick Sinatra than the romantic melodrama that punctuates it. But that's probably just because of that pesky Y chromosome. The plot could easily have descended into corn territory, but strong performances from all the main characters keep it just the right side of cheese, and it's infinitely more sophisticated and mature than the cinematic war crime that is Pearl Harbor.
