A Farewell to Arms (1957)

★ 5.9 2h 32m IMDb

An English nurse and an American soldier on the Italian front during World War I fall in love, but the horrors surrounding them test their romance to the limit.

A Farewell to Arms

Where to Watch

Not available for streaming right now

Rent / Buy

Rent

Not available for rent

Buy

Not available to buy

Cast

Rock Hudson
Rock Hudson as Lt. Frederick Henry Died 1985 · Winnetka, Illinois, USA Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three d...
Jennifer Jones
Jennifer Jones as Catherine Barkley Died 2009 · Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Phylis Lee Isley (March 2, 1919 – December 17, 2009), better known by her stage name Jennifer Jones, was an American actress. A five-time Academy Award nominee,...
Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio De Sica as Major Rinaldi Died 1974 · Sora, Frosinone, Lazio, Italy Vittorio De Sica (7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement. Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: Sciuscià and Bicycl...
Oskar Homolka
Oskar Homolka as Dr. Emerich Died 1978 · Vienna, Austria-Hungary [now Austria] Oskar Homolka (August 12, 1898 – January 27, 1978) was an Austrian film and theatre actor. Homolka's strong accent, stocky appearance, bushy eyebrows and Slavic-sounding name led many to believe he wa...
Mercedes McCambridge
Mercedes McCambridge as Mrs. Van Campen Died 2004 · Joliet, Illinois, U.S. Carlotta Mercedes McCambridge (March 16, 1916 – March 2, 2004) was an American actress. Orson Welles called her "the world's greatest living radio actress". She won an Academy Award for Best Supporti...
Elaine Stritch
Elaine Stritch as Helen Ferguson Died 2014 · Detroit, Michigan, USA Elaine Stritch (February 2, 1925 – July 17, 2014) was an American actress, singer, and comedienne, known for her work on Broadway and later, television. She made her professional stage debut in 1944 a...

Audience Reviews

CinemaSerf 6/10 Nov 25, 2023
It was always going to be hard enough to adapt this novel for the screen, and given Gary Cooper did an OK job with it in 1932, I am not quite sure why David O. Selznick concluded that is might be a ripe vehicle for Rock Hudson to reprise. He is the American "Lt. Henry" serving in Italy during the Great War when he meets British nurse "Catherine" (Jennifer Jones). They take an immediate shine to each other but needless to say the War has no time to stop and indulge their affection and the film follows the ups and downs as they try to stay alive and, ultimately, make it to safety with their as yet unborn child. The thing with Hemingway stories, I found, is that they rarely work on a big screen. They are detailed, descriptive and requiring of the reader to use their imagination to create the scenario that's all too easily replaced by the visuals here. That also requires the actors to deliver strong and intricate characterisations that deal with their own issues, sure, but with the issues of loyalty, of professionalism and of tough choices made amidst the atrocities of conflict. Neither of these two here have the gravitas to do those complexities justice and that frequently turns this gripping wartime romance into a not so gripping romance set amidst a war. There is quite an engaging effort from Vittorio De Rica as the inspirational surgeon "Rinaldi" and Elaine Stritch is also to be seen here before she became a lady who lunched. The film looks good, the wartime imagery potent and at times we get a little indication of the true horrors of this war, and of the strains it put on people both in and out of the military, but there's no getting away from the weak and rather insipid casting. Pity!

Similar Movies