From Here to Eternity (Rating: 7)

Tonight I pulled a classic movie from my Best Pictures collection. In 1953, From Here to Eternity garnered 13 Oscar nominations, and walked away with 8 wins, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Donna Reed), and Best Supporting Actor (Frank Sinatra). I started collecting DVDs of every film ever to be awarded the Oscar for Best Picture about 2 years ago. I'm proud to say I currently own all but four of these timeless pictures on DVD. Stunningly, nearly half of these films have gone unwatched by me so far. When it's blustery and cold outside, it's a good time to watch movies!

Everyone is familiar with the beach scene from this movie, featuring Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr sharing an unending kiss on the Hawaiian shores near Diamond Head. Did you know that this was a scene of infidelity? Lancaster portrays 1st Sgt. Milton Warden, overseeing Company "G" under Capt. Dana Holmes, played by Philip Ober. Kerr is the Captain's estranged wife. I'm sure it was very confrontational in 1953 to have such diablerie displayed on the silver screen!

According to Director Fred Zinnemann in his 1992 autobiography, "That scene, regarded as sensational and extremely provocative a mere 25 years ago, seems harmless and friendly by today's standards. Although it was shot very much as written, the movie censors, who knew the script by heart, nevertheless insisted on deleting four seconds of it. In later years I found that even more had been snipped out by theater projectionists, as a souvenir no doubt. For many years the tourist buses used to stop outinely at this point on the Hawaiian shore to let people admire the spot where Burt and Deborah made love in the waves."

Another syrupy storyline is the romance between Pvt. Robert E. Lee Prewitt, played by Montgomery Clift, and Alma "Lorene" Burke, played by Donna Reed. Lorene works at a local "members only" club that the men visit on weekend pass. Pvt. Angelo Maggio, impersonated by Frank Sinatra, introduces Prewitt to the club where he meets his princess. It isn't all flowers though, as Prewitt wants to get married, but Lorene doesn't want to marry a military man.

Sinatra turns in an Oscar winning performance as a plucky, drunken, loyal soldier, who will not back down to anyone. Sinatra is not only one of my favorite musicians of all time, he is also a favorite actor. Though I prefer Guys and Dolls over this film, his characterization is brilliant. I think Johnny Depp may have filched a tiny bit of his Captain Jack Sparrow humor from ol' blue eyes in this film.

The film was shot in black in white at the time when color films were competing for box office dollars. Truth be told, all big Oscar winners in 1953 were black and white films. From Here to Eternity has aged well. It's still an enjoyable film 56 years later. Rent it this weekend. In 2009 I give this film 7 out of 10.

Check out the original theatrical trailer: