Force Of Arms (1951)

WWII is only peripheral to this wartime romance which owes some allegiance to Hemingway’s A FAREWELL TO ARMS. Set in Italy during WWII, a soldier (William Holden) exhibits remarkable bravery in the war zone but when he falls in love with a WAC (Nancy Olson), he becomes tentative on the battlefield, often second guessing himself which causes casualties. Directed by Michael Curtiz, the film brings up some interesting points and questions which it pushes aside for a prolonged sappy ending. Still, for the first 2/3 of the film, there’s some good dialogue and strong acting from Holden and Olson. Max Steiner’s score seems less lethargic than usual. With Frank Lovejoy, Gene Evans and Paul Picerni.