It was a supporting actor who provided the sole sensation of the 1953. In the early 1950'ss Frank Sinatra suffered a series of setbacks in both his professional and private life, and it was die to his poor circumstances that he agreed to play the secondary role of Private Maggio in "From Here To Eternity."
His touching, vibrant performance as a carefree young soldier who falls victim to the sadistic attentions of Sergeant Fatso Judson (Ernest Borgnine) won him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and his career was galvanised to such an extent that he soon acquired the affectionate nickname of 'Chairman of the Board.'
As had been foreseen, Zinnemann's film collected the lion’ share of the evenings awards and it's final count of 8 Oscars matched the all-time record held by "Gone With The Wind."
Cast Burt Lancaster Sgt Warden Montgomery Clift Robert Prewitt Deborah Kerr Karen Holmes Doona Reed Lorene Frank Sinatra Maggio
Synopsis
In the summer of 1094 Prewitt is transferred to Schofield Barracks, Honolulu where right away he runs into trouble. The commanding officer Cap Holmes knows that Prewitt was a top middleweight boxer in his former outfit, and expects him to fight for his company. Prewitt refuses because he had once blinded a sparring partner and has vowed never to fight again.
For this Prewitt is given the 'treatment' by the members of his company the only man who befriends his is a tough little private Angelo Maggio.
First Sgt Warden, contemptuous of Capt Holmes makes a play for Holmes' beautiful wife Karen and they quickly fall in love. Prewitt falls in love with Lorene a pretty prostitute who is interested in only making enough money to return to the States and marry a rich, respectable husband.
Meanwhile Maggio gets in trouble and is thrown into the stockade, where he is brutally treated and then mortally injured by Sgt Fatso. Maggio manages to escapes but dies in the arms of his friend Prewitt, who vows vengeance and kills Fatso in a knife duel. When Prewitt is badly wounded he find refuse in Lorene's apartment.
On the morning of December 7, 1941, the Japanese pull their sneak attack on Pearl Harbour. Prewitt is killed accidentally, trying to get back to camp, Warden forgets love and romance for professional soldering, Karen and Lorene ironically return as the grieving women.
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