A Bell for Adano

This article is about the film. For the novel, see A Bell for Adano (novel).

A Bell for Adano
Theatrical poster for A Bell for Adano (1945)
Directed by	Henry King
Screenplay by	Lamar Trotti Norman Reilly Raine
Produced by	Louis D. Lighton Lamar Trotti
Starring	Gene Tierney John Hodiak William Bendix
Cinematography	Joseph LaShelle
Edited by	Barbara McLean
Music by	Alfred Newman
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	June 21, 1945 (1945-06-21)
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

A Bell for Adano (1945) is a film directed by Henry King starring John Hodiak and Gene Tierney. The film was adapted from the novel of the same title by John Hersey, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1945. In his review of the film for The New York Times, Bosley Crowther wrote, "... this easily vulnerable picture, which came to the Music Hall yesterday, is almost a perfect picturization of Mr. Hersey's book."

Plot

The story concerns Italian-American U.S. Army Major Joppolo, who is placed in charge of the town of Adano during the invasion of Sicily. The title refers to Major Joppolo's attempts to replace the 700-year-old bell that was taken from the town by the Fascists at the start of the war to be melted down for ammunition. Through his actions, Joppolo also wins the trust and love of the people.

Some of the changes Joppolo brings into the town include:

• Democracy
• Free fishing privilege
• The freedom of mule carts
• A bell from the American Navy to replace the town bell

The short-tempered American commander, General Marvin, fires Major Joppolo from his position when Joppolo disobeys an order to prohibit mule cart traffic in Adano, which has been disrupting Allied supply trucks, because the mule carts are vital to the survival of the town.

The character of Joppolo was based on the real life experiences of Frank Toscani, who was military governor of the town of Licata, Sicily after the Allied invasion.

In A Bell for Adano, Major Joppolo and his men are given the task to bring back peace to the war-torn Italian town of Adano. His task is to administer the equipment that gets into the town without any intervention from troops. He wants to restore the bell that is central to the life of the people in Adano

Cast

• Gene Tierney as Tina Tomasino
• John Hodiak as Maj. Victor P. Joppolo
• William Bendix as Sgt. Borth
• Glenn Langan as Lt. Crofts Livingstone
• Richard Conte as Nico
• Stanley Prager as Sgt. Trampani
• Henry Morgan as Capt. N. Purvis
• Monty Banks as Giuseppe
• Reed Hadley as Cmdr. Robertson
• Roy Roberts as Col. W. W. Middleton
• Hugo Haas as Father Pensovecchio
• Marcel Dalio as Zito
• Fortunio Bonanova as Chief of Police Gargano
• Henry Armetta as Errante
• Roman Bohnen as Carl Erba
• Luis Alberni as Cacopardo
• Eduardo Ciannelli as Maj. Nasta

Production notes

• Production Dates: Early Nov 1944–mid-Jan 1945
• Location filming was done at Brent's Crags, near Malibu, California.

Stage adaptation

Hersey's novel was also the basis for Paul Osborn's 1945 Broadway play A Bell for Adano, starring Fredric March.

Television adaptations

On June 2, 1956, CBS Television broadcast a version of Hersey's story, starring Barry Sullivan and Anna Maria Alberghetti and directed by Paul Nickell. On November 15, 1967, Hallmark Hall of Fame broadcast a version starring John Forsythe and Murray Hamilton and directed by Mel Ferrer.

Radio adaptation

A Bell for Adano was presented on Star Playhouse October 11, 1953. March starred in the adaptation.

External links

• A Bell for Adano at AllMovie
• A Bell for Adano at IMDb
• 1952 Best Plays radio adaptation of novel at Internet Archive