The Pride and the Passion

Rating:
Summary: Forget Grant, Sinatra & Loren; check out the GIANT CANNON
Review: "The Pride and the Passion" is one of those films that Hollywood makes from time to time that simply defy explanation. You start with a novel by C. S. Forester ("The African Queen," "Horatio Hornblower," etc.), having Stanley Kramer as the Producer/Director and get Cary Grant, Sophia Loren and Frank Sinatra to head your cast. The result is a 132-minute film in which the most interesting thing is the giant cannon. To be fair, this was only Kramer's second film as a director; "The Defiant Ones," "On the Beach," "Inherit the Wind" and the rest of his best films are ahead of him at this point.

The story of "The Pride and the Passion" is set during Napoleon's campaign in Spain, when a giant cannon has been abandoned by the Spanish troops after they were defeated by the French. Miguel (Sinatra), a Spanish peasant, insists the people should use the gun to destroy Avila, a fort occupied by the French. He not only convinces them to move this giant cannon (it is really, really big) but enlists the help of Captain Anthony Trumbull (Grant) of the English Navy, who actually knows how to fire the monster. Meanwhile, Juana (Loren), who is supposed to be with Miguel, is attracted to Trumbull. Ironically, this movie would be a lot better if you got rid of the three stars. Their love triangle just gets in the way of the drama of the defeated people rising up against their conquerors (with a really BIG cannon). I assume Grant's character represents the "Pride" and Sinata's the "Passion," which leads me to wonder why they did not find a way of working Sophia Loren into the title as well.

Rating:
Summary: Forget Grant, Sinatra & Loren; check out the GIANT CANNON
Review: "The Pride and the Passion" is one of those films that Hollywood makes from time to time that simply defy explanation. You start with a novel by C. S. Forester ("The African Queen," "Horatio Hornblower," etc.), having Stanley Kramer as the Producer/Director and get Cary Grant, Sophia Loren and Frank Sinatra to head your cast. The result is a 132-minute film in which the most interesting thing is the giant cannon. To be fair, this was only Kramer's second film as a director; "The Defiant Ones," "On the Beach," "Inherit the Wind" and the rest of his best films are ahead of him at this point.

The story of "The Pride and the Passion" is set during Napoleon's campaign in Spain, when a giant cannon has been abandoned by the Spanish troops after they were defeated by the French. Miguel (Sinatra), a Spanish peasant, insists the people should use the gun to destroy Avila, a fort occupied by the French. He not only convinces them to move this giant cannon (it is really, really big) but enlists the help of Captain Anthony Trumbull (Grant) of the English Navy, who actually knows how to fire the monster. Meanwhile, Juana (Loren), who is supposed to be with Miguel, is attracted to Trumbull. Ironically, this movie would be a lot better if you got rid of the three stars. Their love triangle just gets in the way of the drama of the defeated people rising up against their conquerors (with a really BIG cannon). I assume Grant's character represents the "Pride" and Sinata's the "Passion," which leads me to wonder why they did not find a way of working Sophia Loren into the title as well.

Rating:
Summary: Forget Grant, Sinatra & Loren; check out the GIANT CANNON
Review: "The Pride and the Passion" is one of those films that Hollywood makes from time to time that simply defy explanation. You start with a novel by C. S. Forester ("The African Queen," "Horatio Hornblower," etc.), having Stanley Kramer as the Producer/Director and get Cary Grant, Sophia Loren and Frank Sinatra to head your cast. The result is a 132-minute film in which the most interesting thing is the giant cannon. To be fair, this was only Kramer's second film as a director; "The Defiant Ones," "On the Beach," "Inherit the Wind" and the rest of his best films are ahead of him at this point.

The story of "The Pride and the Passion" is set during Napoleon's campaign in Spain, when a giant cannon has been abandoned by the Spanish troops after they were defeated by the French. Miguel (Sinatra), a Spanish peasant, insists the people should use the gun to destroy Avila, a fort occupied by the French. He not only convinces them to move this giant cannon (it is really, really big) but enlists the help of Captain Anthony Trumbull (Grant) of the English Navy, who actually knows how to fire the monster. Meanwhile, Juana (Loren), who is supposed to be with Miguel, is attracted to Trumbull. Ironically, this movie would be a lot better if you got rid of the three stars. Their love triangle just gets in the way of the drama of the defeated people rising up against their conquerors (with a really BIG cannon). I assume Grant's character represents the "Pride" and Sinata's the "Passion," which leads me to wonder why they did not find a way of working Sophia Loren into the title as well.

Rating:
Summary: Star Power? Gun Powder!
Review: A Most unusual missfire! Stanley Kramers epic really falls short in almost all aspects of film making.

The casting of Frank Sinatra is unreal for the part of the crusading rebel. Cary Grant seems real tired with his lines and also seems to hope that no one in the audience is listening to them. Fiery Sophia Loren looks great and also she looks great and I suppose she looks great.

The real star? a Big Gun that is pushed , pulled and lifted through the whole film. Acting by this gun far exceeds the rest of the cast.On your way to Avila..the film seems to fall into the pit of absurdity.You can stay for the whole trip however dont have any solid food before the opening credits.

Rating:
Summary: A True Spectacle - and how about the music?!
Review: A much maligned film that still manages to really impress for one major reason -- it is a true SPECTACLE, with that monstrous CANNON dominating every scene, whether it is actually onscreen or not!

Made during the decade of good old-fashioned, honest film epics, The Pride and the Passion manages to transcend its obvious flaws. It's amazing to watch this immense gun pushed and pulled by hundreds of Spanish freedom fighters across the actual terrain where the story takes place. The film is structured around several very impressive action sequences: 1.) the initial destruction and the raising of the gun 2.) the near-disaster of floating the gun on the river 3.) the attack on the French camp, complete with roaring fire-balls rolling down the hills 4.) the destruction of the French pontoon bridge 5.) the treacherous mountain pass 6.) the grueling ascent/descent over the mountain, with those incredible shots of the cannon "on-the-loose", shearing off trees as it zooms downhill (!) 7.) the Holy week procession (with the cannon disguised as a gigantic religious float, 8.) the final battle at Avila, as the gun is used to blow apart the city's walls.

In between, we are treated to the Frank's big impassioned speech in the bullring, the knife fight where the bullying Jose Nieto and Cary Grant mix it up under the windmills, and lots of heated verbal exchanges between Frank and Cary (fueled, of course by their mutual "hots" for Sophia Loren, who always manages to smooth things over).

The script has its problems, but it still manages to convey the nearly fanatical dedication of the Spanish fighters, keenly contrasted with the technical, objective expertise of the British military officer (Grant). When Cary finally steps forward to admonish the Bishop for his refusal to allow the desperate Spaniards to repair the cannon inside of the cathedral, we see that "cold" Cary actually has been swept up by the emotions of the Spaniard's cause, as he so eloquently pleads on their behalf.

And the script does contain one REALLY COOL line, as the cruel, jaded French General (Theodore Bikel), just before the big final battle, asks his aide why the Spaniards seem so INTENT on dying, on "soaking the land with their blood".....and the aide calmly replies: "perhaps because it is THEIR land......."

And the MUSIC by the unique, eccentric George Antheil, the "Bad Boy of Music" as he was called (try to locate a copy of his 1945 autobiography of the same name...what a nut!). Antheil seemed indeed to have found his true calling writing in a flashy, grandly-romantic, visceral Spanish idiom. The hauntingly beautiful "Juana's Prayer" as she prays in the cathedral and lights candles, and the following Holy week Processional, one of the true glories of all film music (which owes more than a little to the "bell-tolling" music of Mussorgsky's "Boris Goudonov") are but two of the highlights.

Yeah, Frank seems hopelessly miscast, even though he does a very convincing job of underplaying his role (he HATED making the film, as he was desperate to get back to Hollywood and wallow in misery over Ava Gardner). Question: if we DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FRANK SINATRA outside of this film, what would we think of his performance? The problem is that we DO know everything about Frank's life and career, and it was a mistake for Kramer to cast him for that very reason. I've never understood why many people don't like Cary Grant in the film; he seems to be exactly what's needed in the role. And Sophia Loren does her best with a very predictable role.

But it's the sense of overhwelming grandeur -- the instinctive need of the human spirit to defy tyranny and fight to the bitter end---symbolized by the film's EPIC SCALE -- the masses of humanity, travelling across the magnificent, foreboding terrain...and that massive, monolithic CANNON, representing the last hope of the Spanish people in their heroic struggle against Napoleon---all carried along by the blazing music of Mr Antheil....that makes this film, despite all of its flaws, a truly memorable cinematic experience.

PS. In contrast to one of the other reviewers, I find the visual and audio quality of the DVD release very fine, with the exception of a little speck that shows up occasionally on the right side of the screen. Overall volume could have been boosted a bit; otherwise- excellent.

Rating:
Summary: Favorite Bad Movie
Review: At age 13 I saw this epic on the giant screen of the State Lake Theater in Chicago's Loop and thought that it was absolutely the best movie of all time. Forty-five years later, I still love it, especially restored to wide-screen glory on inexpensive DVD. Some things are as wonderful as I remember them: the glorious music by George Anthiel,the gorgeous cintematography and locations, the earthy beauty of Sophia Loren in the first year of her American career. Unfortunately, maturity makes it impossible to overlook the fact that the three principals are egregiously miscast and that the screenplay is even worse than their acting. Catch 22: If you watch the movie without sound, you miss the music, and the soundtrack album is long out of print.

Rating:
Summary: Favorite Bad Movie
Review: At age 13 I saw this epic on the giant screen of the State Lake Theater in Chicago's Loop and thought that it was absolutely the best movie of all time. Forty-five years later, I still love it, especially restored to wide-screen glory on inexpensive DVD. Some things are as wonderful as I remember them: the glorious music by George Anthiel,the gorgeous cintematography and locations, the earthy beauty of Sophia Loren in the first year of her American career. Unfortunately, maturity makes it impossible to overlook the fact that the three principals are egregiously miscast and that the screenplay is even worse than their acting. Catch 22: If you watch the movie without sound, you miss the music, and the soundtrack album is long out of print.

Rating:
Summary: Epic scope and action compensate for improbable casting.
Review: Compelling story and great production values. So what if Grant and Sinatra are miscast. The story is both compelling and exciting. The final scenes of the peasants storming Avila are still emotionally powerful. I loved it when I saw it in the theatre as a child and I love watching the video today. A real guilty pleasure! How about a DVD version?

Rating:
Summary: Pride and the Passion
Review: Good entertaining family film for any age group for any time of year.The stars performance's are the best that you can get,with a good strong plot throughout the film.

Rating:
Summary: Terrible "pastiche" (one of Hollywood's worst ever...) !
Review: Having read the book on wich this sorry mistake is based ("The Gun" by C.S.Forester wich is quite good on his own mind... and quite a different plot too!...) I blundered on and got the DVD... What a failed film! even back then in 1957 it must have been a shock for real connoisseurs of the period...
I am a diehard fan of the XIXth century, ans specially I love the early part of it... (That counts against me of course, I am too much of a purist... or let's say too well informed to swallow ANYTHING...).
The sorry script and an awful casting: really Sinatra looks as much a spanish guerrillero as Woody Allen in "Bananas"... (but "Bananas" is suposed to make you laugh on purpose...) , Cary Grant (dressed in an awful cabaret "uniform") does his best to save his part... and Loren look beautifully inept throught it... (Why they made her "dance" flamenco eludes me completely... one of the most embarrasing scenes I have ever seen in film... at least we have been spared her dancing feetwork...), combined ruin what could have been a little known period of warfare...
The result is utterly unbelievable from start to finish...
And last but not least the TERRIBLE uniformology used... I still have nightmares about the silly tricolor pennants of the lancers of a strange french cavalry unit commanded by what looks as an officer of dragoons and consists of a strange mixture of cuirassiers and lancers... and ALL of the infantry are supposed to be Old Guard Grenadiers... AWFUL (Take a look at "The Duellists" (THE BEST ONE EVER!) or even "Waterloo" or "War and Peace" to see the diference in aproach to authenticity...).
I rated the thing two stars because there are even worse films... and then it's in color, and "the gun" looks the part (one star!)... (how I laughed when they load the gun and fire it... really funny how a single guy manages to lift the BIG BALL of "stone" into the mouth of the gun...) and then Loren is young and awesome... and er... young and beautiful... and er... young and lovely... etc. (just to justify the second star! not to be sexist!)
ONLY FIT OR RECOMMENDED FOR AGES FOUR TO SIX ON A RAINY AFTERNOON (IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A RAINCOAT...)
Get instead "The Duellists" and enjoy a good film! for the same period of history... hats off for Ridley-Scot !!!