If You Love Classic Literature, These 5 Ernest Hemingway Adaptations Are a Must-Watch
His works, written under the influence of a life filled with war, had a tremendous impact on 20th-century culture.
Ernest Hemingway is one of the most frequently adapted authors in literary history. His laconic style and his ability to tell stories of love, war, and human dignity attracted Hollywood directors even during his lifetime.
Several movies managed to convey the spirit of Hemingway's texts and have become masterpieces in their own right, from The Killers to the epic For Whom the Bell Tolls.
5. 'A Farewell to Arms', 1932
IMDb Score: 6.4/10
The story takes place during the harsh days on the front lines of World War I. Frederic, an American who volunteers with the Italian regiment, falls in love with an English nurse named Catherine.
Their relationship violates regulations and is disapproved of by both Catherine's best friend and Dr. Rinaldi, from whom Frederic shamelessly steals her. Nevertheless, the couple embraces their love, believing their feelings can overcome any obstacle.
The movie was released before the Hays Code was enacted and therefore seems unusually free-spirited for old Hollywood.
4. 'Across the River and Into the Trees', 2022
IMDb Score: 6.6/10
Colonel Richard, an American hero of World War II, learns that he has a fatal illness. Refusing to accept his fate, he disregards his doctor's warnings and embarks on a final journey to Venice for some duck hunting.
A young driver is assigned to spy on him, but the colonel quickly disposes of him. The duck hunt serves as a metaphor for the illusory Garden of Eden, where lost heroes strive on the brink of death.
The colonel's inner turmoil, stemming from his unwillingness to accept his own weakness after so many battlefield victories, is expressed through sensual close-ups, cold, meditative landscapes, and frequent changes in frame format, which capture confusion and doom.
3. 'For Whom the Bell Tolls', 1943
IMDb Score: 6.8/10
The setting is the 1930s during the Spanish Civil War. Robert, an American volunteer in the Republican army, is assigned to blow up a bridge near a mountain river. He joins a local guerrilla unit led by Pablo and his wife, Pilar, and is assigned an elderly guide.
There, Robert meets María, a recent captive who escaped when Franco's prisoner train was bombed. A powerful feeling blossoms between Robert and María, though duty always gets in the way.
For Whom the Bell Tolls is a colorful epic starring leading Hollywood actors. Sam Wood, one of the directors of Gone with the Wind, directed the movie.
2. 'The Killers', 1964
IMDb Score: 7.0/10
Two mercenaries who shot a former racecar driver decide to track down their anonymous client, unraveling the tangled misfortunes of the deceased Johnny North.
A couple of years ago, North retired from racing after an accident. He then participated in an armed robbery, betrayed his partners, and made off with the money. After meeting the victim, the killers realize that the rumors about the stolen money were spread by the true owner.
Despite the differences in details, the movie, like the original text, asks one question: what makes a person accept death so meekly? Don Siegel, the future director of Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz, and other films with Clint Eastwood, imbues The Killers with action.
1. 'To Have and Have Not', 1944
IMDb Score: 7.8/10
Europe is engulfed in World War II, and the Vichy regime, which occupies France, is fighting an underground resistance movement. However, fishing vessel captain Harry Morgan avoids politics, preferring to go with the flow of life on the island of Martinique.
Everything changes when a languid beauty and her bartender friend cross his path and push him to help the Resistance. Harry engages in a battle with the collaborators, determined to save his ship and France.
The adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel was released in the wake of Casablanca's enormous success. The celebrated Scarface director Howard Hawks developed the script with the writer.
