A Bell For Adano (1945)

During WWII, an Italian-American U.S. Army major (John Hodiak) is placed in charge of the small seaside Italian village of Adano. His duty is to assist the townspeople's transition from fascism to democracy among other things. But a bell that was taken by the fascist government and melted into ammunition and was a symbol for the town's daily life may be what's needed to restore order to the town. Based on the Pulitzer prize winning novel by John Hersey and directed by Henry King (12 O'CLOCK HIGH). This is a delightful dramedy that shows what can be done when one abides by common sense rather than adhering to the rule books, even if it means a personal drawback. There is an unusually adult relationship between the married Hodiak and a young girl (Gene Tierney, who's charming despite her dicey Italian accent) who's waiting for her fiancé to return from a prisoner of war camp. Their need for companionship when separated from their loved ones takes precedence over social convention. The film's cinematic highpoint is the return of the Italian POWs to the women who've been waiting for them, affectingly handled by director Henry King. The strong score is by Alfred Newman. With William Bendix, Richard Conte, Glenn Langan, Harry Morgan, Marcel Dalio, Hugo Haas, Eduardo Ciannelli, Fortunio Bonanova and Roy Roberts.