Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

MusicChat It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

Twilightfa Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

writers_reign In many ways Frank Borzage was the Douglas Sirk of the late twenties/early thirties churning out the same kind of fodder albeit without the gloss that Sirk was able to achieve via colour. Here Borzage weighs in with the very first adaptation of an Ernest Hemingway book - both Hems novels and short stories were eventually adapted for the screen) and on the whole he makes a decent fist of it. The novel itself was barely in the bookstores when the film was made which meant that literate filmgoers would have room to criticize the films' several departures whilst non-readers would accept it on its own terms. Leading lady Helen Hayes was primarily a stage actress - indeed so eminent was she that a Broadway Theatre was named after her - who made a late impact on the screen in Airport some thirty years after 'Farewell'. Watching the film for the first time some 80 years after its initial release I was unable to detect much real chemistry between Coop and Hayes albeit it was good to see Coop doing vulnerable, not a quality readily associated with him but if anyone walks away with the movie it is Adolph Menjou as Rinaldi, Frederic Henry's surgeon friend who, for various reasons, contrives to keep the lovers apart and even break them up. Certainly worth seeing without being memorable.

Larry41OnEbay-2 Some interesting facts in a story loosely based on Hemingway's experiences, but he didn't like it. 1) Semi-autobiographical novel by Ernest Hemingway, published 1929, still in print. 2) The title is from a 16th century poem by George Peele. 3) Hemingway was an American ambulance driver for Italian army during WWI.4) Hemingway, known for being ornery cuss had little use for people in the film industry. But he did like Cooper and they became close friends for the rest of their lives.5) The studio shot two different endings so theater owners could pick which their audience would like best. Hemingway hated that but liked the $24k for the rights.6) Helen Hayes, although happily married at the time had a crush on Cooper admitting in her autobiography… 'like half the women in the world, I was, in the words of the Noel Coward song, "Mad about the boy."'7) Helen Hayes, First Lady of the American Theater, was born in year 1900 in Washington D.C. a) On stage at age 5; Broadway at 9 and by age 18, she was a star. b) In 1928 she married playwright Charles MacArthur, they moved to Hollywood and she won her first Oscar for THE SIN OF MADELON CLAUDET (1931). c) She won a Tony Award the first year they were presented, in 1947, for HAPPY BIRTHDAY. d) She won Televisions Emmy award in 1952 & 1958. e) She returned to films as the Dowager Empress in ANASTASIA (1956) and won another Oscar for her role in AIRPORT (1970). f) Her son is actor James MacArthur (of HAWAII FIVE-O fame). 9) Gary Cooper born on the Montana ranch of his wealthy father, and educated in a prestigious school in England — Cooper was a rugged frontiersman with the poise of a cultured gentleman. a) Because he failed at political cartooning he sought work as a cowboy extra in movies. b) While making THE WINNING OF BARBARA WORTH movie star Clara Bow also took an interest in Cooper seeing that he was in more of her films. c) Silent films taught him how to act. d) Cooper's first talkie success was THE VIRGINIAN (1929), in which he developed the taciturn, laconic speech patterns that became fodder for every impressionist on radio, nightclubs, and television. e) Cooper alternated between tie-and-tails parts in DESIGN FOR LIVING (1933) and he-man adventurer roles in THE LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER (1935) for most of the 1930s. f) In 1941, he was honored with an Oscar for SERGEANT YORK, and was nominated for, PRIDE OF THE YANKEES. g) Even those co-workers who thought that Cooper wasn't exerting himself at all when filming were amazed to see how, in the final product, Cooper was actually out-acting everyone else, albeit in a subtle, unobtrusive manner. h) Some of my favorite Cooper films: MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN, MEET JOHN DOE, BALL OF FIRE, FOUNTAINHEAD. i) In the 1950s he made mostly westerns like HIGH NOON, Cooper retained his box-office stature. Privately, however, he was plagued by illnesses finally dying of lung cancer in 1961. 10) Adolph Menjou, who plays Cooper's drinking buddy and an Army surgeon actually served as a captain in the Ambulance Corps for 3 years during WWI. a) Made more than 100 films moving from silent film leading man to talkies and later supporting roles. b) Menjou was Oscar nominated for THE FRONT PAGE the year before tonight's film in 1931. He played the newspaper editor later played by Cary Grant in the remake HIS GIRL Friday. c) In the 1950's Menjou was a "friendly witness" before the HUAC commission. d) His last notable film was the classic anti-war picture PATHS OF GLORY (1957) playing the villainous WWI General for director Stanley Kubrick.11) Director Frank Borzage was one of the early major directors of Hollywood and like his contemporaries JOHN FORD, HOWARD HAWKS & KING VIDOR they all made the transition from silents to talkies but only Borzage won an Oscar as a director in both eras. His Academy Award for Best Director was for his earlier romantic WWI film, SEVENTH HEAVEN.Remade with Rock Hudson and Jennifer Jones, A Farewell to Arms (1957) and as a TV miniseries with George Hamilton and Vanessa Redgrave, "A Farewell to Arms" (1966).In reality, she (the nurse) dumped Hemingway as he was 5 years younger (too young in her eyes) and she went back to the older Italian man!!! Hemingway was so hurt that when he wrote the novel he killed her off.

wes-connors Helen Hayes is a World War I nurse who falls for wounded soldier Gary Cooper. The war, and Adolphe Menjou, threaten to come between them...This film features some startling, indelible images. The acting is also first rate. Mr. Cooper and Ms. Hayes make their characters' courtship very believable - with performances transcending what could be acted, or shown on-screen, at the time. Their closing scene is classic. Mr. Menjou leads a strong supporting cast; interestingly, his interest in Cooper looks highly ambiguous, intentional or not. Arguably, Menjou's character shows more interest in him than her.The story is just a little too soapy; and, it lacks a certain cohesion. It's unsteady, at times. Yet, director Frank Borzage elicits some dazzling performance and images in "A Farewell to Arms".Peace. ******** A Farewell to Arms (12/8/32) Frank Borzage ~ Helen Hayes, Gary Cooper, Adolphe Menjou, Mary Philips

Petri Pelkonen There's World War I going and Lieutenant Frederick Henry is fighting for his life.The war becomes secondary when he meets and falls in love with nurse Catherine Barkley.Having big emotions for another person during the war is dangerous since there's the chance of losing that person.They're both afraid.He may not admit that, but they're both afraid.Frank Borzage's A Farewell to Arms (1932) is based on Ernest Hemingway's novel.It won two Academy Awards from best cinematography (Charles Lang) and best sound, recording (Franklin Hansen).It would have deserved awards for acting, as well.The charismatic Gary Cooper and the admirable Helen Hayes do a fantastic job as the leading couple.Then there's also the great Adolphe Menjou as Major Rinaldi.The dialogue is brilliant.Lots of lovely words are spoken about love.I know there are many people who would say a movie from 75 years back is too old for them.I'd say that's their lost.A Farewell to Arms offers great feelings from the first meeting till the tragic ending.