"For Whom the Bell Tolls" (1943): This is Ernest Hemmingway's story of Germany and Italy attacking Spain in 1937, and the anti-fascists who fought against them. Nearly three hours in length (originally with an intermission), there ARE those "epic" moments (issues of freedom, sacrifice, etc.), but overall, it was released mid-WWII as a drama and romance of a very high level (equal to "The African Queen"). Handsome Gary Cooper and lovely Ingrid Bergman star with a cast of gritty mountain fighters, including the bawdy, tough-as-nails Katina Paxinou. Cooper is an explosives expert from America, who makes the private effort to join the anti-fascists. He sees the writing on the wall: if the Axis isn't stopped in Spain, they'll take Europe, England, and then America
which of course WAS the actual plan of Germany. Bergman is an accidental member of the fighters, who was saved by this disparate band. The main goal is to destroy a huge, important bridge spanning two mountains, which the Axis needs for transporting troops and weapons. Despite the almost lurid Technicolor (you CAN get it adjusted to something reasonable if you try) (or just switch it to b/w), this is an engaging, if sometimes drawn out story of one effort to destroy one location by a small group of fighters who are willing to die for their people and freedom. The characters and story are more complex and unpredictable than a typical Hollywood film, thanks to Hemmingway. The love story should be expected, but IS used as a device to establish "epic" issues. By the end, I was riveted to the increasingly tense outcome.
