116 FROM HERE TO ETERNITY
role. Both Cohn and Zinnemann wanted Eli Wallach to play Angelo Maggio, but
Wallach had to turn down the role due to a scheduling conflict. According to a
myth pop u lar ized by Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather (1972), Frank Sinatra
was given the Maggio part only after his Mafia associates strong- armed the film’s
director. Though he certainly had lifelong Mafia connections, Frank Sinatra won
the Maggio part in a more prosaic fashion: he lobbied hard for it in order to extri-
cate himself from a career slump. After agreeing to a pay cut (to a $1,000 a week),
Sinatra eventually overcame Cohn’s skepticism about his acting abilities and got
the coveted role.Production
Some filming took place on sets constructed on Columbia’s backlot (e.g., the New
Congress Club), but most of From Here to Eternity was shot on location in Hono-
lulu, Hawaii, in 41 work days between 7 March and 5 May 1953. Settings include
vari ous buildings within Schofield Barracks at Fort Shafter; the Royal Hawaiian
Hotel; Kuhio Beach Park, Waikiki Beach; Waialae Golf Course; and Hālona Beach
Cove on the southeastern tip of the island (where the famous scene featuring War-
den and Karen kissing in the surf was filmed).Plot Summary
In 1941, Pvt. Robert E. Lee “Prew” Prewitt (Montgomery Clift), a career soldier and
bugler, transfers to Com pany G at Schofield Barracks on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Having heard that Prewitt is a gifted middleweight boxer, Capt. Dana “Dynamite”
Holmes (Philip Ober) tries to convince him to be a part of his team, but Prewitt
won’t join the regiment. Prewitt has given up boxing, in part due to his overwhelm-
ing guilt for having injured his sparring partner. In an effort to change Prewitt’s
mind, Holmes makes life difficult for the boxer by ordering court- martial papers.
However, First Sergeant Milton Warden (Burt Lancaster) suggests using punish-
ment to influence Prewitt. As the other noncommissioned officers (NCOs) follow
Holmes’ lead, Prewitt finds his only support in Private Angelo Maggio (Frank Sina-
tra). To make matters worse, Warden begins a sordid affair with Holmes’ wife
Karen (Deborah Kerr). As their relationship deepens, Warden asks Karen about
her previous affairs, which have been communicated to him by another officer, to
see if she will be honest with him. Karen admits to multiple infidelities and tells
Warden about her miscarriage. She also reveals that Holmes has also had multiple
trysts during the course of their marriage. Due to Holmes’ negligence during her
medical emergency, Karen is unable to bear any more children. Karen entices War-
den with an offer of a future marriage: if Warden attains the title of an officer, then
she can divorce Holmes. As he considers this proposal, Warden allows Prewitt the
weekend off. Prewitt visits Lorene (Donna Reed), an escort attempting to move up
the social ladder, whom he has come to care for. After a fight breaks out that initi-
ates an internal investigation, Holmes’ scheme against Prewitt is discovered and
the base commander orders a court- martial. Holmes resigns as a result. Maggio,
who has been placed in a stockade, escapes only to die moments later next to Pre-
witt while telling his friend of how Judson abused him. Prewitt reacts by angrily