William Holden and Nancy Olson - the almost-lovers from Sunset Blvd - are reunited in this war movie, directed by the man who made Casablanca. In fact, it's a remake of Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, first filmed in 1932 and updated to the Second World War. Holden's battle-scarred GI falls for Olson's nurse during the Italian campaign; he is then reported missing after a terrible battle. It's nothing special, despite Holden's romantic appeal. A further remake followed in 1957 that reverted back to Hemingway's original title.

During the winter of 1943, the German Army halted the American advance in the mountains of Italy; back-and-forth combat decimates Joe Peterson's platoon. On leave in Naples, Joe meets WAC lieutenant Eleanor MacKay; initially cool, she begins to melt during a bombing raid. Their romance develops despite Joe's periodic returns to the front. But whether he'll come back in the end becomes more than doubtful.