Now a classic film, with prominent Greek participation, based on the famous book of the same name by Ernest Hemingway, and it completes 80 years since its premiere. A huge artistic and commercial success, topping the US box office that year with $11 million, it was nominated for nine Oscars, ultimately winning only one and that went to top Greek actress Katina Paxinou, who was the first foreign actress to win who was winning it.

The epic adventure “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, which may have some wrinkles, since the passage of eight decades since its first screening, has remained in the history of world cinema. And as it happens in American blockbusters, there is a lot of background, in addition to the epic spectacle, its resistance mood and the romance it offered is worth remembering.

Hemingway’s Choices

It all started with the success of Ernest Hemingway’s novel in 1940, which caught the eye of Paramount executives and forced them to pay $150,000 to buy the rights, a record sum for the time. As is well known, the American writer fought in the bloody Spanish Civil War, alongside communists and democrats, against Franco’s nationalists. After the deal, Life magazine published an interview with Hemingway, in which the famous author suggested the actors for the lead couple. He suggested his close friend Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman for the role of Robert, before she became the unstoppable star, the hottest name in Hollywood, to play Maria. The author had been impressed by her performance in the film “Intermezzo” the previous year, while the opportunity to show just before the premiere of the film “Casablanca”, where the great Swedish actress gave her change next to the great Humphrey Bogart, gave big boost to the Paramount blockbuster.

The “cold, unwavering” and the ballerina

The genius producer David O. Selznick, with whom Bergman had a contract, arranged for Hemingway to meet the Swedish actress, who gave her a copy of his novel with a dedication. Hemingway told her that she should cut her hair for the role of Maria, and she replied that she would “cut her head” for such an important role. The beauty of it was that the casting directors at Paramount didn’t want Bergman, considering her to be too “cold, callous and too tall” for the role of Maria. That’s why they hire the Norwegian ballerina and actress Vera Zorina, who very quickly proves to be unsuitable to stand next to Gary Cooper. Thus, immediately after the completion of the filming of “Casablanca”, Bergman will be called upon to save the day and give yet another memorable performance.

Technician

The film was directed by the acclaimed Sam Wood, with a long career in silent cinema and huge successes (“A Night at the Opera”, “A Day at the Hippodrome”, “A Woman’s Drama”, “Wounded Eagle”, “The Devil and Miss Jones’). However, it was also Bergman’s first color film. However, the use of technicolor did not excite the critics of the time, as they argued that the color was only suitable for light films and not for films with serious themes, where black and white dominated. However, the course and effectiveness of the film belied them.

Satisfying story

The film’s script, written by the great and prolific Dudley Nichols, takes us to Spain in the 1930s, where the civil war between Franco’s fascists and the democrats is raging. American Robert Jordan, an expert in explosives and blasting, comes to the mountain to help the democratic struggle. He joins Pablo and Pilar’s team, and undertakes the dangerous mission of blowing up a bridge. Also in the group is Maria, an innocent and scared girl who arouses Robert’s interest. During the march up the mountain, the sympathy of the two develops into a great love, at the same time as the battles become more and more fierce.

Heroic adventure and romance

Although the political differences of the warring parties are not prominently mentioned in the story and Franco’s name has disappeared, the three-hour film (12 minutes later removed) has all the makings of a charming heroic epic adventure, while the romance with Cooper’s love affair dominates with Bergman. An attractive lead couple, although Katina Paxinou in the unforgettable role of Pilar, will win impressions, especially from the critics’ side. Akim Tamirov, playing Pablo, was also wonderful.

The 9 Oscar nominations and Katina

The film received 9 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Art Direction, Music (for Victor Young’s brilliant and memorable soundtrack) and Second Female Role. Of the only one who finally won the film and was rightfully conquered by Katina Paxinou.

The Oscar ceremony and devastated Greece

On the night of the Oscars, Katina Paxinou was the honored person. The great actress, the first Greek woman to play on the big stages of Broadway, forcing audiences and critics to bow to her talent, will be awarded the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, for her portrayal of the legendary rebel Pilar, and will be applauded by those present. She herself, without forgetting Greece and the black occupation by the German forces, but also the Greek actors, will say with emotion: “I would like to dedicate this award to my colleagues at the National Theater of war-torn Athens”. to add “I hope they are all well.”

An important film, which left its mark on world cinema, brought together the admirable couple Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman and brought Greek acting to the world stage for the first time, through the leading Katina Paxinos, a self-luminous personality who escaped from the narrow artistic margins of our country.