For Whom the Bell Tolls
by Sam Wood
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Akim Tamiroff, Arturo de Córdova, Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman, Vladimir SokoloffDirector: Sam Wood
Brand: Universal Studios
Cinematographer: Ray Rennahan
Producer: Sam Wood
Producer: Buddy G. DeSylva
Writer: Dudley Nichols
Writer: Ernest Hemingway
Writer: Jeanie Macpherson
Writer: Louis Bromfield
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 170 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1998-11-17
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of For Whom the Bell Tolls
Movie Review: Casts Made In Heaven
Summary: 5 Stars
Casts were chosen by the author Hemingway himself. That short comment on this film opening was really the miracle. Particularly Gary Cooper as American dynamiter Roberto and Ingrid Bergman as hapless young girl Maria could happen only through the number of miracles.
SPAIN IN YOUR BACKYARD
As the movie opening says shooting took place Sonora Pass in California not in Spain. Isn't it ironic because Sierra Nevada Mountain Range itself was named by Spanish reminding them of the homeland mountains when they occupied the part of California.
BONDED BY MOVIE DEAL
At that time movie actors were strongly tied by contracts and that prevented both Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman from the role Hemingway wanted on the film. To win him the movie company had to pay huge money and Maria took it by accicent. She even cut her own hair to be Maria eventually sacrificing the next movie
role.
DELETION OF POLITICAL ASPECT
That is why the movie became successful and became a very entertaining one. The movie focus on the love development between Maria and Roberto which was excellently shown though a bit old-fashioned. Bergman's Maria was so natural and you can see how far she was into the role. But the time provided another politics: American hero fighting against Dictatorship an ally of Nazi and Facists. That worked far better than any of government sponsored war propaganda I suppose.
SUPPORTING ACTORS and ACTRESS
Supporting actors and actresses did the job quite well particularly I think ANSELMO was well performed. PABLO was also nicely acted particularly Pablo grinning at the scene of falling snow is truly scary reminding me of Jack Torrarence of SHINING.
PILAR is a bit of letdown but not bad.
THE ENDING
I suppect there was alternative version where Roberto could survive but the ending place it quite vague. Old fashioned theatrical ploy. I see why BUTCH CASSIDY and SUNDANCE KID ends the similar way.
THE BRIDGE
Why must an American explode the bridge at THE BRIDGE AT RIVER KWAI? The answer might be here.
REAL AMERICAN DYNAMITER
Hemingway might have probably heard of the story of American dynamiter somewhere and combined his own self to create the hero Robert Jordan. THE GOOD WAR interviews the model of Robert Jordan, Irvin Goff. It is said Maria was created by the image of Ingrid Bergman.
Verdict: Very entertaining movie
Rating: 91 out of 100 The presence of Ingrid Bergman alone contributes 10 point plus.
Recommended for any of classic movie fans.
Summary of For Whom the Bell Tolls
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS - DVD Movie