"From Here to Eternity" [1953] Quiz

Answer: Schofield Barracks

According to the credits, this was the location for the movie. Also, in the special features on the DVD, it is mentioned several times. Schofield Barracks is centrally located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The base was actually there during World War II, as it was where my father was stationed; it was there when the movie was filmed in 1952, and it is still an active army base today, as I have just recently visited there while on vacation.

The other locations are also on the island of Oahu as well. Wheeler Army Air Field is located adjacent to Schofield Barracks. Fort Shafter is located in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor, and Hickham Air Force Base is located near Honolulu.

However, Hickham Air Force Base did not exist during World War II and the United States Air Force had not been organized yet.

Answer: Allowed him to resign for the good of the army

The commanding general considered convening a court martial, but one of the inspectors general offered that if the commander so deemed, he could allow Holmes to resign for the good of the army. The commander agreed and said that the sooner that Holmes was out of the army, the better for all of them and the better for the army. What was interesting here, about the movie, was that the commanding officer allowed Captain Holmes to resign while in the book he was promoted for his actions.

The U.S. Army wouldn't cooperate with the making of the movie unless this part was changed, to present a more positive image of the army.

Answer: He hated officers.

Becoming an officer was the only way that Warden and Karen could see themselves ever being together. She could divorce her husband and then they could marry. However, Warden never submitted the paperwork to become an officer. Karen told Warden that he was already married to the army. Essentially, Warden wanted to be an enlisted man and couldn't stand the idea of being an officer.

This conversation took place near the end of the movie, and was the last time that Karen and Warden ever spoke.

Answer: Ernest Borgnine

Ernest Bornine has been known to be a comedic actor for many years, especially since starring in "McHale's Navy". However, in the role as "Fatso" Judson, the NCO in charge of the stockades, he was very serious. He did an outstanding job and is an excellent actor.

Answer: Pilot

Alma didn't want anyone to know that Judson had actually stabbed Prewitt during their fight and that Prewitt was AWOL when the attack on Pearl Harbor took place. In Alma's mind, she wanted to portray Prewitt as hero. However, Karen really knew different. She knew who Prewitt really was because Warden had told her about him.

Answer: Reenlistment Blues

Many songs were written, during this time period, that had the military as a background. "Reenlistment Blues" was just one of those that told the story of a lonely soldier, far from home, that really didn't have anything else to do with his life. As Prewitt had said earlier in the movie, "I'm a 30-year man."

Answer: Fort Bliss

This interaction took place as Warden (Burt Lancaster) and Stark (George Reeves) were about to go out for liberty one evening. This led Warden to start thinking that maybe Karen Holmes wasn't as desirable as he had originally thought. During the famous beach scene in the movie, Karen Holmes told Warden why she took up with a lot of men.

It was because her husband had started cheating on her and because of his drunkenness and adulterous ways, she gave birth to a stillborn baby.

Answer: Dynamite

Holmes was the regimental boxing coach and he wanted to win a championship in 1941 so it would look good for him and ultimately get him promoted. In the end, the attack on Pearl Harbor happened and there was no boxing championship in 1941.

Answer: Oregon

Alma wanted to return to Oregon after she had saved enough money to go home and build a new house for her mother and her. She also wanted to marry and live a proper life.

Answer: Mrs. Kipfer

Mrs. Kipfer was the pretentious woman who ran the New Congress Club. We met her when Maggio first carried Prewitt to the club and Prewitt became a member. Mrs. Kipfer was very adamant that the New Congress Club was a good social club where enlisted men could go to enjoy soft drinks, dancing, and recreation.

She made the point very clear that drinking wasn't permitted and offered her disapproval with Maggio because he was drunk when he and Prewitt arrived. In the book, the New Congress Hotel was a house of prostitution where the enlisted men went to drink and carouse with the other sex. For the movie, the site had to be toned down in order for the studio to make the picture.