A wartime drama adapted from a literary masterpiece has been hailed as “a beautiful and tragic story”, and viewers can now stream it on BBC iPlayer. The film, based on Ernest Hemingway’s acclaimed novel, chronicles the journey of Frederic Henry – an American ambulance driver serving with the Italian Army during the First World War, who becomes romantically entangled with British nurse Catherine Barkley.
Against the backdrop of wartime turmoil, their intense love affair unfolds, ultimately confronting the devastating consequences of conflict and heartbreaking loss. The 1932 production stars Gary Cooper, Helen Hayes, Adolphe Menjou and Mary Philips, under the direction of Frank Borzage. The picture secured Academy Awards for both cinematography and sound, whilst also earning a nomination for Best Picture.
Despite being nearly a hundred years old, Farewell to Arms continues to captivate cinema enthusiasts, boasting an impressive 88% rating on film review platform Rotten Tomatoes, where audiences have awarded it top marks.
One viewer commented: “Artfully beautiful acting from Helen Hayes and Gary Cooper; Farewell to Arms is a beautiful and tragic story that builds the drama to the very end.”
Another remarked: “Although somewhat dated, the performances by Cooper and Hayes make up for it, and the camera work was interesting when Cooper was wounded and you saw from his viewpoint.”
A third enthusiast declared: “Unquestionably, this is one of my favorite romance films of all time. The set pieces, gorgeous cinematography, epic scope, and absolutely incredible chemistry between Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes are all just fantastic.
“It functions on two levels: an epic romance and a powerful anti-war statement. There isn’t anything else to say, this is an absolute masterpiece.”
A fourth critique, awarding it five stars, shared: “The beauty of this film lies not in the tragic romance, but rather a beautiful mise-en-scène that will take you right into the heart of the golden age of Hollywood.
“A spirited performance from Helen Hayes and the down-to-earth gentlemanly nature of Gary Cooper will keep the audience engaged, but it is the ability of the director to capture the golden age that will still keep the audience spellbound, 80 years on.”
Yet one critic said: “It’s terrible, but perhaps allowances have to be made for the year of production… the jumpy script may be a holdover from silent movies, of which Miss Hayes was a veteran.
“I’d guess the screenwriter left gaping holes in the plot line. Pile Cooper’s wooden acting style on all that and you have a rather poor presentation of Papa Hemingway’s book.”
A Farewell To Arms is now available on BBC iPlayer.
