From Here to Eternity: 1953

From Here to Eternity is set in 1941 Hawaii, months before the Pearl Harbor attack, and follows the lives of three soldiers as they deal with the grueling aspects of military power abuse. Prewitt (Montgomery Clift) transfers to the G Unit Regiment after losing his place as top bugler in his old unit to someone with less talent but better connections. At first, the commanding officer Holmes is excited to have Prewitt as Prewitt is a middle-weight boxing champion and Holmes wants to win the boxing championship this year, but when Prewitt clearly and repeatedly states that he will not fight, his life becomes miserable, filled with extra duties and abuse from higher ranking members of the unit. Holmes supports this abuse as he hopes it will break Prewitt. Holmes, as well as other characters, expose the ugly side of the Army, one where higher ranking men use their power against subordinates. I couldn't help be feel sorry for Prewitt; he has good reasons for not wanting to fight and no one in power really seems to care. The ones who do care are unable to help him. Yet Prewitt doesn't want sympathy. No matter what disgusting duty he's given or what punishment he faces (such as trekking up and down a mountain with an extra heavy pack), Prewitt does each without breaking. He's completely stoic, facing each challenge with determination. Only towards the end of the film do we see him start to crumble, and the circumstances have become more than any one person could handle.

In addition to Prewitt's story, From Here to Eternity also follows the life of Sergeant Warden (Burt Lancaster), second in command and Holmes' right-hand man. Warden despises Holmes and cares more about the men in their unit than Holmes does, and in his position, Warden is able to influence Holmes at times for lesser, more reasonable punishments. But Warden's story is more about falling in love with the commander's wife, Karen (Deborah Kerr). We learn early in the film that the commander is unfaithful to his wife and really only stays married because officers should have wives. Any love that was present between the commander and his wife is definitely gone and has been for awhile. Karen and Warden's relationship includes an iconic scene from film, often replicated in humorous ways:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W6AGM-LxGY

Warden and Karen's relationship at times seems melodramatic, but Kerr is so elegant throughout the entire film that it's easily forgiven. She moves with such grace, which makes her cheating husband seem so much more despicable. When Karen shares the history of her marriage with Warden, Kerr's portrayal of a heartbroken, devastated woman is powerful in that at the end, the character still seems strong. Kerr makes her more of a fighter than a delicate flower that must be nurtured. 

Although Prewitt and Warden's stories dominate the film, there is a third character who plays an essential part in capturing the audience's emotions and depicting the brutality of military stockades. Private Maggio (Frank Sinatra) is a goofball who seems to be in the Army because he couldn't find anything else to do. He's often stuck with the more mundane duties, and he's the first one to befriend Prewitt, even defending Prewitt when the bullying begins. Maggio's quick temper and desire for good times quickly lead to his downfall, though, and this likable character faces perhaps the most brutal treatment in the film. Sinatra's charm fits the character perfectly, but I must admit I'm glad the role was small. Maggio was a little over the top as a character, and as a comic relief, he's helpful at times but too much would have detracted from the film as a whole.

Sinatra as Maggio with Lorraine (Donna Reed)

Source: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/frank-sinatra/images/5928480/title/frank-sinatra-donna-reed-from-here-eternity-photo

The film ends with Pearl Harbor and the start of WWII. Of course, that means there is no happy ending for these characters. But the film isn't so much about the ending for these characters but what they face along the way. It's the lives they lead until Pearl Harbor that are more important than what their future holds. From the beginning, the audience knows, more or less, how the story is going to end because of history. Unlike other war films that have won Best Picture up to this point, From Here to Eternity captures the time just before the war, when war seemed possible yet still so far away. The soldiers are more carefree in this film, focused on getting weekend passes and meeting girls than surviving. In that sense, From Here to Eternity becomes Best Picture worthy because it's just so different.