BACK FROM ETERNITY

US, 1956, 97 minutes, Black and white.
Robert Ryan, Anita Ekberg, Rod Steiger, Phyllis Kirk, Gene Barry, Keith Andes, Beulah Bondi, Fred Clark, Cameron Prud'homme, Jesse White.
Directed by John Farrow.

Back From Eternity was directed by John Farrow (The Sea Chase, John Paul Jones and many Alan Ladd action adventures) from his original film of 1939, Five Came Back. Five Came Back was one of the earliest of the air disaster films. In the '50s there were a number of air disaster films, the most prominent being the John Wayne vehicle The High and the Mighty. This film has an interesting, somewhat offbeat cast.

The RKO production values are rather modest and studio bound. Much of the characterisation seems stereotyped now. The film has the expected characters and action adventure and takes a rather religious tone towards the end, especially with the Rod
Steiger character 'playing God' with decision as to who should survive and then giving his life for others.

1. The entertainment value of the airport genre? The popularity of disaster films in the various decades? The impact of the original in the '30s? The context of the remake in the '50s?

2. RKO production values: atmosphere of South America. locations, the jungle, black and white photography? The Franz Waxman score?

3. The casting and the blending of individual styles: Robert Ryan as laconic. alcoholic hero? Anita Ekberg as the statuesque blonde beauty? Rod Steiger doing another mannered eccentric impersonation?

4. The introduction to the characters: the blonde migrant and the Las Vegas boss. stopping her gambling. wanting her out of the country? The gangster and getting his boy to South America, his relying on his henchmen, his being shot? Martha and the professor going on holidays? Judd and Louise and the prospect of their marrying, business deals?

5. The introduction to the pilots - Latin American airlines, seedy pilots, Bill and his reputation as an air ace in the war, his story about the death of his wife, drinking? Joe as the earnest, by-the-book new pilot? The hostess and her covering? Grimsby and his management?

6. The takeoff and the ordinary aspects of the flight, interaction of characters?

7. Vascal and the officer? The $10.000 and his going to be executed? His manner on the plane ? explaining the shrunken heads (in preparation for their being lost in the jungle)? The background of his assassination?

8. The storm, going to the higher altitude, Krimp and the gun, the fire, the loosening of the door, the hostess falling out, the instruments going haywire, the firing of the flares? The crashlanding?

9. The group coping, the various jobs, the reactions amongst the group? The gun as the emblem for being in charge and Vascal giving it to the Captain? The hunting and tracking. the meals. the sleeping? The emotional praying of the Lord's Prayer? The focus on particular phrases of the prayer responding to the characters? The professor keeping his diary, the games, talk, friendship? The two women washing and their fighting. jealousy, laughter? Krimp and his wanting the gun, taking it and going off? Being killed? Pete's death? Judd and his drinking, his jealousy of Joe and the attraction towards Louise? Tommy being lost? The fixing of the plane?

10. The crisis and the issues of who was to leave? The background of the head-hunters? Vascal becoming the law, applying the law, applying the logic of who should survive, 'playing God'? Bill and his having to go as pilot, Joe taking the plane? The girl offering to stay behind? The effect of her friendship and talk with Bill? His being changed by her? The professor and his wife opting to stay behind, having lived their life? Louise and her offering to stay, Judd and his anger and Vascal shooting him? Tommy as survivor?

11. The calling off of the search by the authorities?

12. The title of the film and the final takeoff? The professor and his wife embracing and Vascal mercy-shooting them? The light suffusing Vascal as he was about to die? Religious symbolism of his giving his life for others?

13. The perennial themes of danger, surviving, coping, clashes? Hopes? The perennial popularity of the disaster genre?