Kings Go Forth

This film is done quite well. Frank and Natalie's roles are well done-the surplus of war scenes detracts a bit from the love story and the ending is a surprise, but it's a great film. Remember the age difference b/w Sinatra and Wood!!

Kings Go Forth (1958)

I shouldn't have loved this movie as much as I did. But it touches on those basics of love and life and rivalry and goodness I couldn't help be manipulated. And it's set in Villefranche, one of my favorite places in the world, and it's set during WWII, when life for Europe was its most on fire. And there I was, crying and loving it.

"Kings Go Forth" is actually a slightly late in the game WWII flick that shifts attention at first to luxuriating soldiers in the south of France just as the war was ending. It's not as much about war (though there are some remnants of fightings which are tense). It's more about a bunch of decent guys, two of them in particular, and their misunderstandings. And it's about love. The south of France and the Mediterranean is about as decent a setting for romance as you get. It's idealizing (everyone loves the Americans in their Jeeps, which must be half true, but not entirely), and it's all sunny weather and champagne. Except that love is never easy, and it gets more and more intense, sad, and profound. Yes, profound.

Tony Curtis is terrific as usual. As Brit Harris he is charming, funny, and clever. Natalie Wood in one of many great roles between "Rebel Without a Cause" and "West Side Story" is rather perfect, except maybe her French accent. But she represents, as Monique Blair, something perfectly innocent and yet ravaged by war. The other lead, the main character Sam Loggins, is played by Frank Sinatra, and Loggins also loves Blair. At first Loggins is noble and lets Harris win the girl's heart, but then it gets complicated.

There is a fabulous last war scene for the climax, featuring a special mission needing just two men--our leads, now enemies and distrustful. But in the heat of their battle, Harris gives some real wisdom about character, and Loggins shows true compassion. It's war, the worst and the best of it. And it's the worst and best of love, too, with an ending just slightly hanging in mid-air.

Director Delmer Daves pulls off a lot of great, nicely felt films. They often lack an edge of innovation or of real probing triumph, but this is one of those that brings a lot of issues, including racism at its simplest, to a believable story. Don't brush this movie off. And don't be put off by the first twenty minutes or so when the establishing scenes seem like just another good war film. This one goes places, at least for the romantic.

I'm still upset about this film. Its been over for 15 minutes and I'm still having bursts of tears and I want to settle down so I can go upstairs to sleep. Its a good war movie and a great love story about a triangle between Wood, Sinatra and Curtis. Sinatra plays the guy a lot of us feel like in high school when the slickster scum (Curtis) moves in on the one you're crazy about. The racial issue is not nearly as important as the basic trianglular struggle, with a not meagre war plot well mixed in. Obviously Wood does not remotely look half black (as she is supposed to be) and her French accent leaves a bit to be desired but she is beautiful, Curtis is handsome and Sinatra plays quite well the man whose beauty lies within. Most of today's movies are 50 cent scripts with 50 million dollar special effects and no class. This movie is the exact opposite on all counts. Super acting, story and heart. Made me cry more than once. This is why I like old movies better than new. A movie that its makers could be proud to offer their maker.

Veteran Hollywood director Delmer Daves was just on the verge of a dramatic change of career switching from masculine fare like war films and westerns to films for the ladies when he made this rather subdued war film set in the French Riviera towards the end of hostilities in the Second World War which combines elements of both, along with an unusual race angle with Natalie Wood's part recalling her role in 'The Searchers'.

Frank Sinatra and Tony Curtis (who plays a complete jerk) aren't exactly actors you would expect to see in such rugged surroundings, but as photographed in black & white by Daniel L. Fapp and scored by Elmer Bernstein it has a solid technical base; although the scene where Curtis plays the trumpet like Bernstein's jazz score evokes the fifties rather than than the forties.

Frank Sinatra made an awful lot of World War II pictures, though he never looked terribly convincing dressed in battle uniform (especially the helmet, which covers most of him). Here, he's a no-nonsense Lieutenant with the U.S. Army stationed in France, fighting the Germans as well as Corporal Tony Curtis, an educated, self-assured trust fund kid on the run from his life of privilege. They spar a bit before becoming buddies, but when Curtis quickly and skillfully steals Sinatra's girl away...well, war is hell. The girl is played by Natalie Wood--she's French by way of West Virginia and Philadelphia!--and there's some hesitant talk early on of her being from a white mother and a black father (it gives Frank momentary pause, but Tony thinks of her ancestry as a novelty). The European locations are well-chosen, though director Delmer Daves' staging is sometimes poor (Frank is struck by Natalie the first time he sees her--which is to say, the back of her head!). The battle scenes are also disappointing, hurt mostly by choppy editing, and when Sinatra and Curtis take on a treacherous plan of attack near the end, we're not sure why these two were picked (other than the fact they're the stars). Not a very good movie, but not a boring one either. Wood's accent is for the birds, but Curtis fills the bill nicely and Sinatra does a solid dramatic turn. His narration is overused, and he has more chemistry with the woman playing Wood's mother than Nat herself; but, for a wartime soaper, a fairly interesting occasion. **1/2 from ****