A BELL FOR ADANO

Gene Tierney, John Hodiak, William Bendix, Glenn Langan, Richard Conte, Hugo Haas, Marcel Dalio.
Directed by Henry King.

A Bell for Adano was released in May 1945, just as World War Two in Europe was ending. Made in 1944, it anticipates the end of the war with attempts to resettle parts of wartorn Italy.

The film offers the background of Italy’s participation in the war, the alliance with Nazism, the reaction of the partisans.

John Hodiak portrays a major in charge of restoring order to the town of Adano, symbolically having to supply the bell which is the way of ordering life in the town. William Bendix, typically, is his assistant. Gene Tierney is the daughter of a fisherman. Richard Conte is a returning prisoner of war.

The film recreates the atmosphere of the town – but in something of a Hollywood way.

The film was directed by Henry King, a veteran of silent films and many prominent films of the 1930s. At this time he made a number of commercially successful films including Song of Bernadette and the portrait of the president, Wilson.

1. How enjoyable a film? How humane? A war film, a film about people and relationships?

2. The quality of the film from the mid-forties, its immediate postwar impact? Today? Americans, Italians? The fooling in its sentiment of the time, now? The universal values of the film?

3. How well did the film reconstruct the Italian war, occupation, the details of occupation? The visual presentation of war, suffering? Focusing all this in the life of one town? The people and their suspicions, their hunger, their emotional reactions? How credible?

4. The impact of American entry and occupation? The contrast with the Fascists? The film's presentation of Fascist will and its judgment on it? Popular support for the Americans? The details of the support, the lives of the ordinary people, the clergy, the fishermen, the build-up towards the end of the war?

5. How important was the bell, in itself, people's reactions, the bell as a symbol?

6. The film's focus on the Major: what kind of man was he, strengths and weaknesses, his human quality, his response to the people and the situation? His attraction to the girl and his relationship with her? The build-up into love? The background of the navy, the army, the manoeuvres to get the bell, reliance on friends, the relief, their going? The Major and his attitudes towards the rules? The credibility?

7. The importance of the character of the Sergeant, William Bendix’s style, his role in assisting the Major. his contribution to the plot?

8. The Sergeant, the M.P., the 1etters? The portrayal of the American officers, friendship and clashes? As filling out the authenticity of the story?

9. How attractive was the girl, Gene Tierney as credible in this role, her life in the town, her response to the Major, her family?

10. The importance of the role of Richard Conte, his return, the telling of the story?

11. The portrayal of heroism during the war? The nature of true heroics?

12. What comment on war and its impact did this film make?