From Here to Eternity

From Here to Eternity, motion picture about the soldiers at a Hawaiian army base in the weeks before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Released in 1953, the film won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound Recording. Newly transferred from another base, bugler Robert Prewitt (played by Montgomery Clift) angers his commanding officer (Philip Ober) by refusing to fight on the base’s boxing team. The officer makes Prewitt’s life difficult by giving him the worst duties possible. Deborah Kerr won an Academy Award for her performance as the wife of the commanding officer, who has a passionate extramarital affair with Sergeant Warden (Burt Lancaster). Frank Sinatra’s acting career was revived after he won an Academy Award for his role as Prewitt’s spirited friend Angelo Maggio in this movie.

Director

• Fred Zinnemann

Cast

• Burt Lancaster (Sergeant Milton Warden)
• Deborah Kerr (Karen Holmes)
• Montgomery Clift (Robert E. Lee Prewitt)
• Frank Sinatra (Angelo Maggio)
• Donna Reed (Alma Lorene)
• Ernest Borgnine (Sergeant 'Fatso' Judson)
• Philip Ober (Captain Dana Holmes)
• Jack Warden (Corporal Buckley)
• Mickey Shaughnessy (Sergeant Leva)
• Harry Bellaver (Mazzioli)
• George Reeves (Sergeant Maylon Stark)
• John Dennis (Sergeant Ike Galovitch)
• Tim Ryan (Sergeant Pete Karelsen)
• Barbara Morrison (Mrs. Kipfer)
• Kristine Miller (Georgette)
• Jean Willes (Annette)
• Merle Travis (Sal Anderson)
• Arthur Keegan (Treadwell)
• Claude Akins (Sergeant Baldy Thom)
• Robert Karnes (Sergeant Turp Thornhill)
• Robert J. Wilke (Sergeant Henderson)
• Douglas Henderson (Corporal Champ Wilson)
• Don Dubbins (Friday Clark)
• John Cason (Corporal Paluso)
• John Bryant (Captain Ross)
• Joan Shawlee (Sandra)
• Angela Stevens (Jean)
• Mary Carver (Nancy)
• Vicki Bakken (Suzanne)
• Margaret Barstow (Roxanne)
• Delia Salvi (Billie)
• Willis Bouchey (Lieutenant Colonel)
• Al Sargent (Nair)
• Weaver Levy (Bartender)
• Tyler McVey (Major Stern)
• William Lundmark (Bill)
• Robert Healy (Soldier)
• Brick Sullivan (Military guard)
• Moana Gleason (Rose, waitress)
• Freeman Lusk (Colonel Wood)
• Robert Pike (Major Bonds)
• Carleton Young (Colonel Ayres)
• Fay Roope (General Slater)

Awards

• Academy Award for Best Picture (1953)
• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (1953): Frank Sinatra
• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (1953): Donna Reed
• Academy Award for Best Director (1953): Fred Zinnemann
• Academy Award for Best Writing—Screenplay (1953): Daniel Taradash
• Academy Award for Best Cinematography—Black and White (1953): Jean Louis
• Academy Award for Best Film Editing (1953): William Lyon
• Academy Award for Best Sound Recording (1953): John P. Livadary (Columbia Studio Sound Department)
• Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor (1954): Frank Sinatra
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Director (1954): Fred Zinnemann
• New York Film Critics’ Circle Award for Best Picture (1953)
• New York Film Critics’ Circle Award for Best Actor (1953): Burt Lancaster
• New York Film Critics’ Circle Award for Best Direction (1953): Fred Zinnemann

Quote

• Captain Dana Holmes (to Prewitt, on his refusal to join the boxing team): “Looks to me as if you’re trying to acquire a reputation as a lone wolf, Prewitt. You should know that in the Army it’s not the individual that counts.”