Fred Zinnemann’s 1959 adaptation of the famous book of the same name written by James Jones was an overwhelming critical success, winning eight Academy Awards out of 13 nominations, including best picture and best director. It tells the story of a group of American soldiers stationed at Hawaii in the days leading up to the Pearl Harbor attack, documenting the everyday boredom of military service and the inner workings and power struggles between privates and their officers. Private Robert Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) gets transferred to a rifle company on the island of Oahu. His superior, Captain Dana Holmes (Philip Ober), wants Prewitt, a respected boxer, to join the boxing team and improve his chances of a promotion. Prewitt, who has blinded his friend and sparring partner in the ring some time back, refuses, which leads to their ongoing resentment. Holmes wants to force Prewitt to box by any means necessary, and Prewitt’s only supporter is Private Angelo Maggio (Frank Sinatra, who won an Oscar for the best supporting actor), and occasionally Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster), a level headed First Sergeant who is having an affair with Holmes’ wife Karen (Deborah Kerr). Prewitt and Maggio frequent a gentleman’s club where Prewitt meets and falls in love with Lorene (Donna Reed, who also won an Oscar for her supporting role), an employee of the club. The film follows their intertwined fates and failings as, unbeknownst to any of the protagonists, the Japanese prepare to attack Pearl Harbor. With the powerful enemy knocking on their door, our heroes are too caught up in their personal warfare to take notice.
Jennifer Lawrence might join Chris Martin on tour
