PLAYHOUSE 90: FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS (TV)
Summary
One in this dramatic anthology series. This episode features a two-part adaptation of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Ernest Hemingway. The story begins in Madrid in 1937 at the height of the Spanish Civil War. American soldier and demolitions expert Robert Jordan, aiding in the resistance to the fascist Spanish forces, is ordered by a Russian general, Golz, to go behind enemy lines and destroy an enemy bridge, preventing them from sending reinforcements during a brutal bombardment of the city. Although Robert has reservations about the mission, he agrees to take it on. He remotely scouts the bridge in question, suspended over a deep gorge. He makes note of the personnel guarding the bridge and surrounding structures, and plans to recruit resistance fighters from the local hills to aid him in his mission. He and his guide Anselmo make their way through the wilderness, stopping at a cave entrance. They speak about their individual willingness to kill, and find they have differing views. Anselmo brings Robert to meet Pablo, leader of a guerilla resistance cell, and Pablo disapproves of Robert’s demolition plans, as it may interfere with his operations. Robert is led back to Pablo’s camp, where he meets Rafael, a gypsy guerilla fighter. He also meets a woman, Maria, who draws his interest. She has very short hair, and she explains that it was shaved off while she was in prison and has taken months to grow back. Rafael explains that they liberated her from a prison transport train. There is some attraction between them, but both try to distance themselves for each other; Maria claims that she wants nothing to do with him, and Robert wants to focus on his mission. He also meets Pablo’s wife Pilar, who harbors a hatred for Rafael. She approves of Robert’s mission. She recognizes Maria’s attraction towards Robert and asks that he take her to a safer place when the mission is over. She reads his palm and seems distressed by what she sees, but will not share it with Robert. Pablo inspects the bridge and declares that he will not allow his people to assist Robert, who insists on going anyway. Anselmo retorts by calling Pablo a coward, and Pilar voices her objections as well. Pablo believes that destroying the bridge is “idiocy” and believes it would pose too great a risk to attempt. Pilar argues with him as he posits that there is a “safety in danger,” and that he is unwilling to risk his life to help foreigners. Pablo leaves, mocking Pilar for her attempts to command the situation. Rafael reveals to Robert that the men expected him to kill Pablo, although he is unwilling to do so. They go out to see Pablo, who apologizes and goes back inside to eat; Rafael points out that Robert has missed his opportunity to kill him. Pilar leads Robert back inside and he speaks with Maria again. Afterwards Robert talks to Pilar in private; he thinks that Pablo’s “weakness” could warrant his murder if necessary, but Pilar believes he exercised good judgment in his refusal and advises against killing him. That night, Maria visits Robert outside of the warren while he sleeps. He awakens and invites her into his sleeping bag with him; she does so but notes that she feels “ashamed.” She says that she wants to leave with Robert instead of being put in a haven after his mission, voicing her desire to be his “woman.” She implies that she was raped in prison and believes that this will prevent Robert from loving her, but he asks her to kiss him, although she claims she doesn’t know how to. They share a passionate embrace together, and he promises to love her, even if only for a short time. Later that night, Robert is awoken by planes flying overhead. He believes the enemy is on the move and sends Anselmo and Rafael out as scouts while he and Pilar visit El Sordo, commander of another nearby resistance cell. Pilar tells Robert that Pablo has referred to him in private as a “good boy,” and that he has lately been overcome by the fear of death. She also advises Robert to spend as much time alone with Maria as he can, implying that his own death is rapidly approaching. Later, Robert and Maria lie together in a field, alone, sharing passionate protestations of their love for each other. They return to see Pilar, who understands that the two of them have had sex and seems to approve. Pilar makes vague prophecies, but Robert tires of her talk of gypsy mysticism. The next day, Robert returns from further reconnaissance during a torrential rainstorm. Pablo, inebriated, makes fun of Robert and insults him and Maria. During his drunken ramblings, Pablo wishes that he could bring those he killed back to life, even the fascists. Soon Pablo irritates Robert further; he calls him “coward” but this seems to have no effect on him. Pablo practically dares Robert or any of his men to kill him. One of them strikes him several times, but Pablo is undeterred. He wanders off, warning that the mission to destroy the bridge will claim all of their lives. Pilar changes her mind and believes that Robert should be killed. The other men seem to agree, calling him “poisonous.” Robert offers to murder him, but they wish to decide by random selection. However, before they can finish Pablo returns, alerting them to a sudden unexpected snowfall, allowing them and El Sordo’s men to track the enemy more easily. Pablo says he has changed his mind and offers to help in the mission to blow up the bridge. Pilar believes that he overheard their plan to murder him and has decided to try to save his own life. The other men reluctantly accept his offer of help, but some are still wary of Pablo and threaten him if he should change his mind again. That night Robert finds and shoots an enemy mounted scout venturing near the camp. Pablo rides the horse off to hide it and throw off other enemy scouts. Everyone scrambles to cover up their position and set up a machine gun sentry. Rafael returns, ignorant of what has transpired, and Robert yells at him, ordering him to take position on a hill and watch for enemies. Four cavalry arrive and follow the tracks left by Pablo, followed by a force of twenty. They tensely await the cavalry’s approach as part one concludes. Part two opens as the rest of the cavalry move on, leaving the resistance cell safe for the time being. Robert and Agustin continue their watch until morning. While eating breakfast they discuss Robert’s newfound relationship with Maria. Agustin confesses that he cares deeply for Maria as well and tells Robert to treat her well. Robert laments that he has such little time with Maria, and wishes he could have a lifetime to spend with her. Fighting breaks out at El Sordo’s camp; Agustin wants to go help but Robert advises that they stay put, believing that there is nothing they can do to help. Agustin argues with him, but Pilar comes out and agrees with Robert. Both of them are deeply saddened by the loss of El Sordo as a plane arrives to bombard the camp and obliterate it entirely. Later, Robert and Rafael prepare the dynamite for the upcoming mission, now two days away. Anselmo and a party of scouts return to report on activity at the bridge: the fascists are in the process of mobilizing an entire armored division. Robert asks Andres to relay this information to General Golz back in Madrid, advising that he call off his attack. However, they must still be prepared to blow the bridge should the attack go forward. Pablo compliments Robert on his intelligence and confidence, but Robert seems wary of him. The night before the attack, Robert and Maria speak alone in the forest. She reports that Pilar said that Robert believes that they will all die in the attack, but Robert doesn’t want to talk about it. He notes that his love for her has reinvigorated his drive to fight for the freedom and dignity of men. Maria talks about her desire to be Robert’s wife and her plans to try to fit in with American society once they return there. She again talks about the abuses she suffered in prison, although since meeting Robert they do not trouble her as much. She also describes witnessing her parents being shot to death and her subsequent capture, including the shearing of her hair. Robert is disturbed by her story, and feels his hatred towards the enemy intensify because of it; he promises Maria that they will kill many of them in revenge. Maria also informs him that her rape may have left her unable to bear children, but Robert is undeterred, as he considers them already married. Pablo vanishes into the night, and Pilar alerts Robert and Maria of his disappearance. They find that Pablo has stolen the detonator caps to prevent the dynamite from exploding. Robert is furious but believes he can improvise another way to set off the dynamite. However, they also find that he has damaged the detonator, further complicating the mission. That morning, Robert and the other men prepare the dynamite, using leftover grenades as makeshift detonators, pulling their pins remotely from the other side of the bridge using wires. Pilar tries to put Robert at ease before the mission, dismissing her earlier portents as “gypsy nonsense” and assuring him that “all will be well.” Robert gives the order and everyone moves out. They encounter Pablo outside, and he announces that he has found additional men to aid in the mission. Motivated by the death of El Sordo and the “loneliness” he feels from abandoning his comrades, Pablo offers his assistance as well. Pilar believes him when he says he is ready to fully accept the consequences of leading them again, including the possibility of his own death. They reach the outskirts of the gorge and review their attack plans. Pablo wishes Robert good luck. Maria is left to look after the horses and Robert promises to return to her. Robert’s message to General Golz reaches him too late to stop a mobilization of planes overhead; he implies that the mission at the bridge now holds far less importance because of it. Robert and Anselmo approach the bridge, but Anselmo is unwilling to shoot the sentry, as he recognizes him as a childhood friend from his old village. Anselmo confesses that he has always run from every battle he has been a part of, but Robert offers him reassurances and Anselmo steels himself. Everyone moves into position and awaits the proper time to enact their plan, barely avoiding notice from the various guards. The aerial bombardment begins and Robert and the other men begin gunning down the bridge sentries. Pablo and Pilar’s units provide cover and blow up the surrounding structures while Robert and Anselmo lay the dynamite under the bridge. Rafael takes out enemy soldiers with a thrown grenade, but is shot immediately thereafter. The fighting continues as Pablo and his men fend off more enemy troops. Robert and Anselmo continue setting up the dynamite as Pilar returns with the dying Rafael, trying to move him back across the bridge. However, Rafael believes he will only slow them down and insists that they leave him on the bridge. Pablo shoots an ambulance driver against the wishes of his men, and then turns his gun on them. Robert finishes wiring the dynamite as a tank rolls up to the bridge. They manage to destroy the bridge, taking the tank down with it. However, Anselmo is killed in the blast, and Robert is grieving and enraged. He falls back to Agustin’s position and they continue the attack with their machine gun. However, Robert and Agustin soon see the enemy planes flying overhead, and realize that the destruction of the bridge was for naught. Pablo regroups with them as another tank rolls up the hill. He and Agustin fight over their escape plan before Robert breaks them up. Robert reunites with Maria as they prepare to retreat. Pablo leads the horses as they try to avoid the firing range of the enemy soldiers. During the retreat Robert is knocked off his horse and injured, but is brought to the rest of the group. He says that his leg is broken, but they plan to take him with them anyway. In private he tells Pablo that his injuries are more severe than he is letting on, and asks him to take Maria away when he gives the order. He speaks with Maria alone, asking her to leave him behind, explaining that “if one of us goes, both of us go.” He asks Agustin to take care of Maria, and Robert is left with a firearm to defend himself. They leave and Robert struggles to stay conscious, aware that his death is imminent. The story ends as Robert fires upon incoming enemy troops. Includes commercials. (This program was originally broadcast in two parts. The first part aired on March 12th, 1959 at9:30 PM. The second part aired on March 19th, 1959 at 9:30 PM.)
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: March 12, 1959 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:53:56
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:43616
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1956-1960
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV – Commercials – Allstate insurance
- TV – Commercials – American Gas Association products
- TV – Commercials – Camel cigarettes
- TV – Commercials – Elgin watches
- TV – Commercials – Kleenex tissue products
- TV – Commercials – Tempo hairspray
- TV – Promos – “Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic”
- TV – Promos – “Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse”
CREDITS
- Fred Coe … Producer
- Russell Stoneham … Associate Producer
- John Frankenheimer … Director
- A.E. Hotchner … Writer
- Ernest Hemingway … Based on the novel by
- Eugene Cines … Music by
- Maria Schell … Cast, Maria
- Jason Robards Jr. … Cast, Robert Jordan
- Maureen Stapleton … Cast, Pilar
- Nehemiah Persoff … Cast, Pablo
- Steve Hill … Cast, Agustin
- Eli Wallach … Cast, Rafael
- Vladimir Sokoloff … Cast, Anselmo
- Herbert Berghof … Cast, General Golz
- Milton Selzer … Cast, Fernando
- Joseph Bernard … Cast, Primitivo
- Syd Pollack (See also: Sydney Pollack) … Cast, Andres
- Nicholas Colasanto … Cast, Eladio