From Here To Eternity

1953's From Here to Eternity is one of those rare films that shows military life pretty close to how it actually is. It deals with a lot of problems that military members deal with: Drinking, infidelity, being overworked and underappreciated, an absent officer. I was expecting a war movie, but got a much better film instead. It is about the lead up to Pearl Harbor and follows two stories, one about a young private played by Montgomery Clift, a new transfer to his company who is persecuted for not playing politics within his company. His only friend is a trouble maker played by Frank Sinatra in a great supporting role. The other storyline focus's on Clift's 1st Sgt, played by Burt Lancaster, who falls in love with his commanding officer's wife, played by Deborah Kerr and must choose between her and the career he loves just as much as her, if not more. The acting in this movie is amazing and even includes my friend Ernest Borgnine in a small role as an abusive brig warden. All of the main cast were nominated for Oscar's and Sinatra and Donna Reed won them in the supporting categories. The film also swept most of the other awards, including Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Editing, and Screenplay. I even noticed George Reeves in one scene, who is known as the second most famous Reeves to play Superman. This is the film that Pearl Harbor could have been if it wasn't directed by Micheal Bay. I was very impressed with Lancaster and Clifts performances. Lancaster plays Sgt Warden as a soldier that will do anything to take care off his men, something the commanding officer doesn't do. Clift plays Private Pruitt with a naturalistic style that was just catching on at the time. He also looks like Dennis Quiad to me. That's pretty irrelevant though. The movie's iconic scene of Lancaster and Kerr kissing on the beach as waves crash was good, but not even close to the best moment in the film. Check this one out if you get the chance.