Dir. Charles Vidor/John Huston (unaccredited), 1957, US, 152 mins
Cast: Rock Hudson, Jennifer Jones, Elaine Stritch, Vittorio De Sica, Mercedes McCambridge
There can be few authors whose work suffers as much at the hands of Hollywood than Ernest Hemingway. For an author so revered and admired, only a handful of adaptations have captured the brilliance of his work with To Have and Have Not being the best of a very bad bunch.
A Farewell To Arms was a deeply personal text for its author, reflecting on Hemingway's actual experience during the 'war to end all wars'. Although all the filmed versions have been undeniably heavily diluted by the limitations of cinema, they all still at least retain many of the themes discussed in the original source novel.
The 1957 version of A Farewell To Arms (the second of three adaptations to date) was originally to be directed by John Huston who was replaced at a late stage by Charles Vidor. Huston's work on the film is rumoured to have been retained although it is not apparent which scenes he had completed before he left the set. It is rumoured that Huston wanted to place more emphasis on the battle scenes, while the films legendary producer David O. Selznick preferred to concentrate on the love story. This is unfortunate as the end result is a film that has far too much dialogue and not enough action.
Being a David O. Selznick's production the style is very much the epic with the production having the feel of a World War One version of Gone With The Wind. Even the titles ape the flowing, epic feel of Selznick's earlier success with the films title sliding purposefully across the screen. The locations and sets look every inch the epic but are pointless if the majority of the performances and characterisations are not compelling and believable.
The performances are surprisingly low key with only the occasional lurch into melodrama. Rock Hudson, often cast in light roles as the square jawed leading man, is given the perfect opportunity to emote and delivers an intensely moving performance. However this only works if he has a convincing muse to play off. Jones, as Hemingway himself attested before disowning the film, is far too old for the part and delivers a weak, generic performance. The fact that she was married to the producer at the time of production perhaps offers a solution as to why a more suitable actress wasn't cast. The always dependable Elaine Stritch practically steals the show as the acid tongued, quick witted Nurse Ferguson.
Vidor ultimately fails to identify what makes A Farewell To Arms a great piece of literature. It is not that Hemingway believes the well worn adage that 'War is Hell' but that he actually believes that it is a necessary evil.
Jonathan Wilkins
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