The title of the film "From Here to Eternity" comes from a stanza in a Rudyard Kipling poem. What is the name of the poem?

The title phrase of the film From Here to Eternity comes originally from Rudyard Kipling's 1892 poem 'Gentlemen-Rankers'. It is about soldiers of the British Empire who have "lost [their] way" and are "damned from here to eternity".

The time period presented in the film From Here to Eternity wasn't a golden moment for America. It involves events before a sneak battle attack where America is caught napping.

From Here to Eternity (1953) is a clever film set before and around Pearl Harbor that really isn't about the battle. The film has a brief part near the end where the attack by Japan is shown. But this film is really more about romance and how people handle their emotions. It is a film with a military setting, dealing with adult situations (infidelity, miscarriage, brutality, etc.). It is a movie presented in a frank, realistic manner especially for the 1950's. This is why its title is so appropriate.

Also, this movie was able to resonate with audiences, earning eight Academy Awards. The image of Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr embracing on a sandy beach while waves cascade over the lovers (symbolizing lovemaking) helped to make the movie a very great success. And it is now a well known fact that most viewers when they think of this film must fondly recall the iconic Lancaster and Kerr scene from their memories. It just cannot be helped.

See: https://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/gentlemen_rankers.html

More Info: www.tcm.com

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21 Comments

Julia Belinda Reid

The film is based on the novel, "From here to Eternity", by James Jones. James Jones was inspired by the Rudyard Kipling poem, "Gentleman Rankers", particularly this line: "Gentleman-rankers out on a spree/ Damned from here to Eternity/ God ha' mercy on such as we/. . . That's how Jones got the title for his book. Technically, the movie's title is from the book.

zwm

Got mixed up with To Help and Back.

magoutsiders

It wasn't a surprise to FDR. He helped plan it. He knew we would have to enter WWII and needed something to get the people behind the war. You can't fight a war if the people are not for it. He also needed a reason to break his 1940 promise that we would not enter the war. Could this be the main reason for him committing suicide?

filmnut

The Attack on “Pearl Harbor’ was a much better disguised “ False Flag” Operation as the provocation was a well laid trap to draw the Japanese into the Second World War. As to the 9/11 debacle that was most likely conceived by Donald J. Trump and executed by Rudi Giuliani and George W. Bush !birthdayboy,

filmnut

As opposed to “ An Officer and a Gentleman “.

tbear

Guessed wrong!

birthdayboy

Some people may say that the attack on Pearl Harbor could have been avoided if it had not been for a series of SNAFUS. there's enough blame to go around, but be that as it may, what's done is done. It falls to poor intelligence, or else information was ignored.

Richard D. Boyle

Great literary trivia. In 1955, I was lifeguarding at one of Indiana’s State Parks when James Jones showed up and put on an impromptu diving exhibition off the 3 meter board. Later I had the opportunity to talk and give him a ride to the other side of the lake. I asked him if he got his title from the Whiffenpoof Song and he grinned and said “No, I lifted it from the great Kipling...I didn’t think he’d mind”. Then he seriously talked about his admiration for Kipling and especially for this particular poem in connection with his book. I was a 21 year old IU English major at the time concentrating on 19th and 20th century American literature. Pretty memorable day for me. I think I was probably the only one there that day that recognized him.