Grant, Sinatra, and Loren as Cannon Fodder

One Of A Kind If Nothing Else: The Pride and the Passion (1957)

Surprising for stunt work and expose to real danger by a triad of stars you'd have thought would be doubled for anything other than standing or sitting. Cary Grant knife duels, takes falls backward (looks painful), and immerses himself in Spain river water to plant explosives (he was 53 at the time). There's a night raid on enemy encampment where Grant and Frank Sinatra run through fire and leap upon burning wagons, while Sophia Loren charges the French fort w/o apparent regard for cannon blast around her. All this is to say that The Pride and the Passion began in terms of full commitment on the part of its stars that, according to producer/director Stanley Kramer, faded as time and hardship (plus budget overrun) sapped strength.

Pride has been scorned since as a bomb, which it was only to extent of costs exceeding what Kramer and UA could hope to get back. The idea of this miscast lot dragging a cannon across Spain is fodder for those who'd question Hollywood's judgment. It's not a terrible show, just overlong and meandering at times. Action done on grand scale still impresses, Spain dictator Franco having put innumerable extras at Kramer disposal. The Pride and the Passion lost money and wiped out profit SK would have taken for his previous Not As a Stranger, financer UA having cross-collateralized the pair and charging red ink on the second against gain from the first. Kramer ended up selling his interest in both negatives to UA (for $550K, according to Tino Balio's second United Artists book) and called the whole thing a bust.