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A Farewell to Arms

"One of the great love stories of all time!"

An English nurse and an American soldier on the Italian front during World War I fall in love, but the horrors surrounding them test their romance to the limit.

Top Cast

  • Rock Hudson

    Rock Hudson

    Lt. Frederick Henry

  • Jennifer Jones

    Jennifer Jones

    Catherine Barkley

  • Vittorio De Sica

    Vittorio De Sica

    Major Rinaldi

  • Luigi Barzini

    Luigi Barzini

    Court Martial Colonel

  • Georges Brehat

    Georges Brehat

    Captain Bassi

  • Oskar Homolka

    Oskar Homolka

    Dr. Emerich

  • Mercedes McCambridge

    Mercedes McCambridge

    Mrs. Van Campen

  • Elaine Stritch

    Elaine Stritch

    Helen Ferguson

  • Kurt Kasznar

    Kurt Kasznar

    Bonello

Overview

An English nurse and an American soldier on the Italian front during World War I fall in love, but the horrors surrounding them test their romance to the limit.

Rating

6.0 / 10
58 Reviews
1 Popular

1 Reviews

  • CinemaSerf
    CinemaSerf
    6 Nov 25, 2023

    It was always going to be hard enough to adapt this novel for the screen, and given Gary Cooper did an OK job with it in 1932, I am not quite sure why David O. Selznick concluded that is might be a ripe vehicle for Rock Hudson to reprise. He is the American "Lt. Henry" serving in Italy during the Great War when he meets British nurse "Catherine" (Jennifer Jones). They take an immediate shine to each other but needless to say the War has no time to stop and indulge their affection and the film follows the ups and downs as they try to stay alive and, ultimately, make it to safety with their as yet unborn child. The thing with Hemingway stories, I found, is that they rarely work on a big screen. They are detailed, descriptive and requiring of the reader to use their imagination to create the scenario that's all too easily replaced by the visuals here. That also requires the actors to deliver strong and intricate characterisations that deal with their own issues, sure, but with the issues of loyalty, of professionalism and of tough choices made amidst the atrocities of conflict. Neither of these two here have the gravitas to do those complexities justice and that frequently turns this gripping wartime romance into a not so gripping romance set amidst a war. There is quite an engaging effort from Vittorio De Rica as the inspirational surgeon "Rinaldi" and Elaine Stritch is also to be seen here before she became a lady who lunched. The film looks good, the wartime imagery potent and at times we get a little indication of the true horrors of this war, and of the strains it put on people both in and out of the military, but there's no getting away from the weak and rather insipid casting. Pity!

Trailers & Clips

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