I've always loved this book. I saw this movie the last time when I was in a college Literature class. My memory was that it was a Cinemascope film on a conventional screen. When Tyrone Power got into bed, the bed was about three feet long, as was his body. Anyway, I now remember that this is pretty much a dull film. It is talky and not very well edited. While the bullfight scenes were interesting, they were narrated by Power so we would know what was going on. The one thing that was personal is Ava Gardner. I couldn't take my eyes off her. Especially when she was in her party girl mode, she is utterly striking. I also enjoyed Errol Flynn, the Hemingway of the story. His character has some life. Power as Jake Barnes is a limp fish in this one. He is so laid back that he wet-blankets every scene. Of course, a war injury has left him impotent and he will never have Lady Brett. This sad fact is there in the beginning and everyone knows, so he has pretty much given up. There are a couple times when he thaws out, but it is hard to feel a lot of sympathy for him. In the book, he is portrayed in such sad terms. I'd forgotten that Robert Evans played the bullfighter, Romero. I am haunted by his cockeyed look as he peers into the crowd. It is the strangest look. One thing that does come out of this is that I have decided not to become a bullfighter anytime soon. This film hasn't been available for a long time, so when it was released, I got it right away. It was just out of curiosity and I have to admit I was disappointed.
