Rating: 
Summary: Most Excellent Movie Ever!
Review: This is truly the most excellent movie I have ever seen! Forget Lenny Matlin and all such critics! The actors Cary Grant, Sophia Loren, and Frank Sinatra do fantastic portraits of their characters. Frank Sinatra is especially great in his use of a Spanish accent playing a heoric peasant trying to save the city of Avila, Spain from the babarian French. Sohia Loren is never more beautiful or passionate. Cary Grant portrays a British Navy captain with grace and finesse. Actor Theodore Bikel does a great job playing the sadistic French commander trying to stop the Spanish guerillas.Based on the novel "The Gun" by C.S. Forester, the drama is filmed on location against a beautiful landscape. The suspense and drama are well scripted and directed. Released in 1957, Newsweek magazine called it, "One of this year's best." And truly it was. It is one of those great movies from the times when the film industry was interested more in drama and art and not in senseless violence and explicit sex! I remember watching this movie on television several times when I was young and I always enjoyed it. The themes of freedom, nationalism, and the love of country over one's own needs are at the heart of every country whether the country is Spain or America! For those of us who remember this great movie, adding a copy to our video library is a must! Those who have not seen this movie are missing a great film of valor and courage! The film's tittle THE PRIDE AND THE PASSION truly describe this drama.
Rating:
Summary: Action, Scope and Lots of Extras...What more do you want?
Review: This movie is BIG. It was made back when a cast of ten thousand meant going out and hiring ten thousand people. And, that is just what Stanley Kramer did! I saw this movie in it's origional release in 1957 and loved it then. Today, compared to the blockbuster epics that followed in the 60's, it's still an exciting presentation. I've heard lots of complaints about Frank Sinatra's accent, but I don't know what kind of accent folks felt he should have used. Cary Grant is a bit stiff, but then his character IS described as a cold piece of English mutton, so I guess he WOULD be rather stiff. Sophia Loren in her first big-time English language movie was impressive, even if she probably didn't understand all of the English words she was required to speak. Theodore Bickel is one of the smoothest villians you'll ever see. The matter of fact way he goes about his paperwork while ten Spanards are being hanged outside his office window is chilling. And, this guy is no coward, either evidenced by his continuing to command in the final battle after being hit by scrapnel. The final scene is a knockout. One of the best movie scores of the era. Watch it with a beer in one hand and a tub of popcorn in the other. You'll love it.
| 
