Title: A Farewell to Arms
Year: 1932
Genres: Romance; Drama; War
Director: Frank Borzage

Cast:

• Helen Hayes as Catherine Barkley
• Gary Cooper as Lt. Frederic Henry
• Adolphe Menjou as Major Rinaldi
• Mary Philips as Helen Ferguson
• Blanche Friderici as The Duchess
• Lucien Littlefield as The Priest
• Gilbert Emery as The Major
• Walter Catlett as Bonelli

Synopsis:

During World War I, American ambulance driver Lt. Frederic Henry is wounded on the Italian front and sent to a Swiss hospital, where he meets British nurse Catherine Barkley. A tender romance blossoms amid the horrors of war. Henry soon returns to service but is disillusioned by the brutality around him. After a disastrous retreat, he deserts and reunites with Catherine in neutral Switzerland. There, they marry and welcome a child, but their happiness is shattered when Catherine falls ill during childbirth, forcing Henry to confront profound grief and the fragility of love in times of turmoil.

Trivia:

• Based on Ernest Hemingway’s 1929 novel, this was the first major sound adaptation of the work.
• Although nominated for Best Picture and Best Cinematography at the 1933 Academy Awards, it did not win in either category.
• Director Frank Borzage was celebrated for his sensitive handling of the central romance against a backdrop of conflict.
• Cinematographer Charles Lang’s expressive use of shadow and rain became a hallmark of early 1930s Hollywood dramas.
• The film’s U.S. copyright was not renewed and it now resides in the public domain, leading to numerous restorations and releases.