Ernest HemÂingÂway took a dim view of HolÂlyÂwood. He once said that the best way for a writer to deal with the movie busiÂness was to arrange a quick meetÂing at the CalÂiÂforÂnia state line. “You throw them your book, they throw you the monÂey,” he said.“Then you jump into your car and driÂve like hell back the way you came.”
But HemÂingÂway became a litÂtle more involved when it was time to film his 1940 novÂel For Whom the Bell Tolls, as this 1971 CBC interÂview with Ingrid Bergman reveals. HemÂingÂway sold the film rights to ParaÂmount PicÂtures in part because he wantÂed his good friend Gary CoopÂer, who had starred in A Farewell to Arms (which you can find in our colÂlecÂtion of 500 Free Movies Online), to play the lead role of Robert JorÂdan, an AmerÂiÂcan volÂunÂteer in the SpanÂish CivÂil War who is givÂen a danÂgerÂous misÂsion to blow up a bridge. CoopÂer was under conÂtract with ParaÂmount.
Bergman first came to HemÂingÂway’s attenÂtion when he saw the young Swedish actress in the 1939 HolÂlyÂwood remake of InterÂmezÂzo. Despite her Nordic appearÂance, HemÂingÂway thought Bergman would be perÂfect for the role of the young SpanÂish woman Maria in For Whom the Bell Tolls. As Bergman explains in the interÂview, HemÂingÂway sent her a copy of the book with the inscripÂtion, “You are the Maria in this book.”
The probÂlem was that Bergman was under conÂtract with anothÂer stuÂdio, Selznick InterÂnaÂtionÂal PicÂtures. But stuÂdios occaÂsionÂalÂly made arrangeÂments with one anothÂer to share actors, and David O. Selznick became conÂvinced that the high-proÂfile HemÂingÂway project would be great for his young proÂtĂ©gé’s career. So in typÂiÂcal fashÂion, Selznick pulled out all the stops. On JanÂuÂary 31, 1941 Selznick sent a note to Kay Brown, his talÂent scout who had disÂcovÂered Bergman in SweÂden, describÂing his efforts to win Bergman the part. In a pasÂsage quotÂed by DonÂald SpoÂto in NotoÂriÂous: The Life of Ingrid Bergman, Selznick writes:
I pinned HemÂingÂway down today and he told me clearÂly and frankly that he would like to see her play the part. He also said this to the press today. HowÂevÂer, he tells me also that at ParaÂmount he was told she was woodÂen, untalÂentÂed, and varÂiÂous othÂer things. NeedÂless to say, I answered these varÂiÂous charges.… I am also perÂsonÂalÂly superÂvisÂing a pubÂlicÂiÂty camÂpaign to try to jockÂey ParaÂmount into a posiÂtion where they will almost have to use her. You will be seeÂing these items from time to time. InciÂdenÂtalÂly, Ingrid wasÂn’t in town today, or I could have brought her togethÂer with HemÂingÂway. HowÂevÂer, we are arrangÂing for her to fly today to see HemÂingÂway in San FranÂcisÂco before he sails for ChiÂna. If he likes her, I am askÂing him to go to town with ParaÂmount on it. If she doesÂn’t get the part, it won’t be because there hasÂn’t been a sysÂtemÂatÂic camÂpaign to get it for her!
As part of SelznickÂ’s sysÂtemÂatÂic camÂpaign, he invitÂed Life magÂaÂzine to phoÂtoÂgraph Bergman’s lunch with HemÂingÂway and his wife, Martha GellÂhorn, at JackÂ’s RestauÂrant in San FranÂcisÂco. The magÂaÂzine pubÂlished a series of phoÂtos along with a capÂtion quotÂing HemÂingÂway as sayÂing, “If you don’t act in the picÂture, Ingrid, I won’t work on it.”
Despite SelznickÂ’s machiÂnaÂtions, ParaÂmount gave the part to one of its own conÂtract actressÂes, the balÂlet dancer Vera ZoriÂna. Bergman had to conÂtent herÂself with the female lead in a litÂtle black-and-white film called CasablanÂca. But after sevÂerÂal weeks of shootÂing the HemÂingÂway film in the SierÂra NevaÂda, ParaÂmount became unhapÂpy with ZoriÂna’s perÂforÂmance. Just as Bergman was wrapÂping up CasablanÂca, her wish came through and she was givÂen the role of Maria. For Whom the Bell Tolls became the blockÂbuster hit of 1943, and Bergman received an Oscar nomÂiÂnaÂtion for her perÂforÂmance. IronÂiÂcalÂly, though, it was her role in the low-proÂfile CasablanÂca that sealed Bergman’s fate as a film icon.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
SevÂen Tips From Ernest HemÂingÂway on How to Write FicÂtion
Six PostÂcards From Famous WritÂers: HemÂingÂway, KafÂka, KerÂouac & More
Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea AniÂmatÂed Not Once, But Twice
As a boy, I nevÂer underÂstood my father’s disÂdain for HolÂlyÂwood and all the stars with their awards shows. Now as I look back, with some age and I hope a litÂtle wisÂdom, I underÂstand his feelÂings. Like most young men, he was in the PacifÂic fightÂing the war, while all these peoÂple stayed home havÂing their ace lickÂing conÂtest.