Tonight on TV: There are movies you need to see to understand the genius of Gary Cooper

For Whom the Bell Tolls the main project in the career of American director Sam Wood: besides being praised, the film had a personal meaning for the filmmaker, who was touched by the idealistic hero of the story fighting for the republican cause. But the 1943 feature also has another feature: it was Ingrid Bergman’s first technical film… who barely starred in it! Paramount originally cast Gary Cooper and Vera Zorina in the lead roles, with the latter before filming several scenes. However, Ingrid Bergman will have the opportunity to change it in front of this dear admirer Gary Cooper – to the delight of Ernest Hemingway, the author of the book from which the film is made, who has made public his desire to see them on his characters. big screen

In For Whom the Bell Tolls, it’s 1930 and the Spanish Civil War is raging. Robert Jordan, an American, joins the Republican camp and is assigned a high-risk mission: he must blow up a vital bridge. Brought to the mountains by a small group of republicans who are responsible for helping him, he meets the chief Pablo, his wife Pilar, who leads the dance, and the young Maria, who has been taken by the latter. A bright romance is born between Maria and Robert and complicates everything.

For Whom the Bell Tolls, released three years after the publication of Ernest Hemingway’s novel of the same name, was a huge success on release – particularly in France with 8,274,596. Staying true to the original work, this is an unparalleled adaptation in film history.

Filmed with modesty and emotion, the feature film portrays a great love story against the background of war, carried by a duo of legendary actors: Gary Cooper, reserved, and Ingrid Bergman, luminous, immense and fascinating and moving as ever. Not surprisingly, they were both nominated for Best Actor/Actress Oscars. But they are not the only ones: Katina Paxinu – who will also win the prize – and Akim Tamiroff will also be supporting actors. Nominated a total of nine times, the feature film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

But what also distinguishes Pour qui sonne le knell is its sober staging, its brilliant color and photography, its extraordinary shots and its spectacular moments that heighten emotions: here we are dealing with one of the most beautiful works of cinema, a classic. which you can’t miss.

For Whom the Bell Tolls, Dudley Nichols with Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman, Akim Tamiroff…

from the age of 12

Tonight on ARTE at 20:55.