"For Whom the Bell Tolls" is Friday Afternoon Movie

Join us to watch “For Whom the Bell Tolls" (1943) starring Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman at Bernardsville Public Library on Friday, June 22 at 2:00 pm. Based on Ernest Hemingway’s "For Whom the Bell Tolls," the film is about an American International Brigades volunteer, Robert Jordan (Cooper), who is fighting in the Spanish Civil War against the fascists. During his desperate mission to blow up a strategically important bridge to protect Republican forces, Jordan falls in love with a young woman guerrilla fighter (Bergman). Bergman's intense, yet naturalistic performance earned her first Oscar nomination. Interesting side note: “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is Senator John McCain’s favorite book.

Bosley Crowther, The New York Times reviewer in 1943, wrote about the movie, "With such fidelity to the original that practically nothing was left out except all of the unmentionable language and the more intimate romantic scenes, Ernest Hemingway's wonderful novel of the Spanish civil war, 'For Whom the Bell Tolls,' has been brought to the screen in all its richness of color and character."

Viewers are encouraged to linger after the film showing to talk about it. Books and other supporting materials put together by Ed English, head of the Friends' movie committee, will be distributed, and we always have spirited discussions about character, motivation and style!

Bernardsville Library's movie series is funded by gifts to the Friends of the Bernardsville Library. The movies are shown on the fourth Friday of the month at 2:00 pm. They are selected for cultural enrichment and for appeal to a wide variety of tastes and interests in the community. Next month's film, "The Big Sick" will be shown on Friday, July 27 at 2:00 pm.

There is no charge to attend the movies; advance sign-up is requested, but not required. To register online go to www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link from Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.