A World War II veteran returns to his hometown and finds himself struggling between his career ambitions, the conformity of Middle America, and the temptation of vice, in this adaptation of James Jones' celebrated novel. Jones' previous work, From Here To Eternity had been filmed to great success in 1953, resulting in 8 Academy Awards, including one for Frank Sinatra. MGM attempted to duplicate this by casting Sinatra in another Jones vehicle, teaming him up with A-list director Vincente Minnelli.
Minnelli, originally a former theatre director and costume/set designer, was best known for his work in the musical genre, including Meet Me in St. Louis, An American in Paris, Gigi, The Pirate, Brigadoon, and The Band Wagon. But despite his prominent status in Hollywood (and two Oscars for his direction), he resisted being pigeonholed, and frequently alternated making musicals with comedies and melodramas. Some Came Running stands as one of his darkest and most cynical films, penetrating the hypocrisies that lie underneath the happy face of small town life in the prosperous Eisenhower era.
Sinatra stretched himself here as well, taking on a somewhat against-type role as a vulnerable and sensitive writer, instead of simply relying on his charm. He's joined by fellow singer-turned-actor (and Rat Pack member) Dean Martin, who plays a gambling womanizer, and relative newcomer Shirley Maclaine (in an Academy Award-nominated performance) as what is best described as a floozy (with a heart of gold, naturally).
Despite exhibiting a significant level of visual restraint compared to his livelier productions, Minnelli uses the widescreen format and color scheme to great effect here, culminating in a set piece at the film's climax that pulls out all the stops. Extensive location work in Indiana and Kentucky, and Minnelli's own childhood experiences in the Midwest add to the authenticity of the production.
Film runs approximately 2 hrs, 15 minutes.
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