FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS SYNOPSIS:

During the Spanish Civil War, an American allied with the Republicans finds romance during a desperate mission to blow up a strategically important bridge.

Based on the best-selling controversial novel by Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls graces the screen with legendary stars Gary Cooper (Beau Geste, High Noon) and Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca, Joan of Arc). The story follows expatriate American demolition expert Robert Jordan (Cooper) who aides anti-fascist freedom fighters of Spain. Assisting him is a band of warriors including the strong-willed Pilar (Katina Paxinou in an Academy Award®-winning performance), the dangerously undependable Pablo (Akim Tamiroff, The General Died at Dawn) and the lovely, innocent Maria (Bergman). As danger mounts, Robert and Maria develop a closeness that blossoms into one of the silver screen’s greatest love stories. Epic in scope yet intimate in feeling, For Whom the Bell Tolls was nominated for 9 Oscars for the wartime year of 1943, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Cooper), Best Actress (Bergman) and Best Supporting Actor (Tamiroff), and remains a shining example of Golden Age Hollywood moviemaking at its finest.

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OUR FILM REVIEW

The 4K scan of restoration elements has produced an image framed at 1.37:1 and presented in 1080p resolution using the AVC codec. All previous dirt and dust have been eliminated from this transfer, and the color has the creamy hues that distinguished Paramount’s Technicolor look of the 1940s. The image is sharp and clear throughout, and black levels are particularly impressive, important since so much of the film occurs in a cave or during the night. The movie has been divided into 11 chapters.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 sound mix is very good though I sometimes found the sound quality lacking a little bass (though once shooting and explosions occur, that’s no longer a problem). Certainly, dialogue is clear and has been mixed with Victor Young’s Oscar-nominated score and the various sound effects to make an effective monophonic soundtrack. There are no age-related anomalies with hiss and the like to distract from the listening experience.

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SPECIAL FEATURES ​

• DISC ONE - BLU-RAY​

  • The Roadshow Edition with Overture and Intermission

  • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian David Del Valle and Film Historian/Producer Dan Marino

  • Theatrical Trailer