A Bell for Adano
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A Bell for Adano
Plot
Director Henry King's adaptation of John Hersey's novel is a faithful telling of the story of Major Joppolo (John Hodiak), who is assigned to administrate the Sicilian town of Adano after World War II and attempts to return it to its pre-war tranquility. His initial actions include feeding and clothing the villagers, who have been left starved and destitute by the ravages of the war, and preventing the hanging of its former mayor, a Mussolini supporter, although he makes clear that any hints of Fascism will not be tolerated. Suspicious at first, the villagers finally come to trust Joppolo when he works to reclaim the town bell, stolen from the city hall and a symbol of its identity. Gene Tierney plays the fisherman's daughter that Joppolo falls for, while William Bendix is his compassionate orderly and assistant. A Bell For Adano is a low-key look at the effects of war that builds to a quietly powerful conclusion. ~ Don Kaye, RoviReview
With the passage of time, A Bell for Adano no longer has as much meaning for viewers as it did upon its release. What seemed a small but significant film in 1945 now comes across as a moderately entertaining but unexceptional sentimental little picture. This isn't meant to denigrate Adano, for it does have modest charms that will make the film very appealing to many. It just no longer has the topicality that gave it deeper meaning as World War II was drawing to a close. There are also some other flaws that have nothing to do with the intervening years; although the adaptation of John Hersey's novel is very faithful, the character of the general was softened for the film, which damages the thrust of the story and its conclusion. Too, the Italian supporting cast is a bit too artificially "colorful," and the legitimate issue of how much an individual or a community must bear the blame for collaborative activities is dismissed too readily. However, these flaws aside, the screenplay is generally solid and often quite moving. An unfortunately blonde Gene Tierney is not ideal casting, but John Hodiak turns in one of his finest performances, and there's great chemistry between him and William Bendix. Henry King directs with a sensitive touch and makes the most of the film's set piece scenes. Dated it may be, but Adano will please many looking for a "nice" old fashioned picture. ~ Craig Butler, RoviCast
- Luis Alberni - Cacopardo
- Gene Tierney - Tina
- Henry Armetta - Errante
- John Hodiak - Maj. Joppolo
- William Bendix - Sgt. Borth
- Richard Conte - Nicolo
- Roman Bohnen - Erba
Credit
Henry King - Director, Barbara McLean - Editor, Alfred Newman - Composer (Music Score), Joseph La Shelle - Cinematographer, Lamar Trotti - Producer, Louis D. Lighton - Producer, Norman Reilly Raine - Screenwriter, Lamar Trotti - Screenwriter, John Hersey - Book Author| A Bell For Nirvana (1983 Film), A Beginner's Guide to Endings (2010 Film) | |
| A Bell from Hell (1973 Film), A Better Life (2011 Film) |
Oxford Companion to American Theatre:
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A Bell for Adano
Bell for Adano, A (1944), a drama by Paul Osborn.[ Cort Theatre, 296 perf.] Major Victor Joppolo (Fredric March), an Italian‐American, arrives in Adano, Italy, during the war to head the Allied Military Government in that city. He is sympathetic to the needs of the Sicilians, but his commanding officer, who is stationed far away, is not. When the commander orders that carts not be allowed to impede modern traffic in the village, Joppolo ignores the order. His behavior is reported, and he is ordered transferred, but not before he has gotten the villagers one of the things they most want—a new bell to replace one that the Fascists melted down to make arms. Just as he is leaving, the new bell sounds for the first time. “It shakes the whole damned building,” Joppolo proudly tells his sergeant. With the war still raging, a realistic treatment of its brutalities was out of the question. In a sense, this play, based on John Hersey's novel, looked back to the romantic war plays of earlier times. Thus while the Leland Hayward production was unquestionably timely, it was also sentimental and idealistic.
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
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A Bell for Adano
This article is about the film. For the novel, see A Bell for Adano (novel).
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2009) |
| A Bell for Adano | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster for A Bell for Adano (1945) |
|
| Directed by | Henry King |
| Produced by | Louis D. Lighton Lamar Trotti |
| Written by | John Hersey (novel) Norman Reilly Raine Lamar Trotti |
| Starring | Gene Tierney John Hodiak |
| Music by | Alfred Newman |
| Cinematography | Joseph LaShelle |
| Editing by | Barbara McLean |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | June 21, 1945 |
| Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
A Bell for Adano (1945) is a film directed by Henry King starring John Hodiak and Gene Tierney. The film was adapted from the novel A Bell for Adano by John Hersey, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945. In his 1945 review of the film, Bosley Crowther wrote, "... this easily vulnerable picture, which came to the Music Hall yesterday, is almost a perfect picturization of Mr. Hersey's book."[1]
The story concerns Italian-American U.S. Army Major Joppolo, who is placed in charge of the town of Adano during the invasion of Sicily. The title refers to Major Joppolo's attempts to replace the 700 year old bell that was taken from the town by the Fascists at the start of the war to be melted down for ammunition. Through his actions, Joppolo also wins the trust and love of the people.
Some of the changes Joppolo brings in to the town include:
- Democracy
- Free fishing privilege
- The freedom of mule carts
- A bell from the American Navy to replace the town bell
The short-tempered American commander, General Marvin, fires Major Joppolo from his position when Joppolo disobeys an order to prohibit mule cart traffic in Adano, which has been disrupting Allied supply trucks, because the mule carts are vital to the survival of the town.
The character of Joppolo was based on the real life experiences of Frank Toscani, who was military governor of the town of Licato, Sicily after the Allied invasion.[2]
Production notes
- Production Dates: Early Nov 1944-mid-Jan 1945
- Location filming was done at Brent's Crags, CA.
- Hersey's novel was also the basis for Paul Osborn's 1945 Broadway play A Bell for Adano, starring Fredric March.
- On June 2, 1956, CBS broadcast a televised version of Hersey's story, starring Barry Sullivan and Anna Maria Alberghetti and directed by Paul Nickell, and on November 15, 1967, The Hallmark Hall of Fame broadcast a version starring John Forsythe and Murray Hamilton and directed by Mel Ferrer.
References
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (July 6, 1945). "A Bell for Adano (1945) The Screen; in military role". The New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B02EEDB133BEE3BBC4E53DFB166838E659EDE.
- ^ Martin, Douglass. The New York Times: F.E. Toscani 89, Dies; Model for Hero of 'Bell for Adano' 28 Jan 2001
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Oxford Companion to American Theatre
The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. Copyright © 2004 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Mentioned in
Motley
(American Theater)
Rita Lynn
(Actor, Western/Drama)
H.C. Potter
(Director, Comedy/Romance)
Leland Hayward
(American Theater)
John Richard Hersey
(American writer)
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