At the 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, there will be a special honor dedicated to the iconic Hollywood actor from the 1940s, John Garfield.
KVIFF’s artistic director, Karel Och, who is also curating this tribute, shared his enthusiasm for revisiting the remarkable yet overlooked career of a trailblazer in acting. He plans to showcase ten films that showcased an unusually lifelike method during his time. Notably, eight out of these will be screened from original 35mm prints.”
“KVIFF’s artistic director and tribute curator, Karel Och, expressed his excitement about revisiting the extraordinary yet underappreciated career of a groundbreaking actor. He intends to exhibit ten films that showcased an unusually realistic approach during their time. Remarkably, eight out of these will be screened from original 35mm prints.
Julius “Julie” Garfinkle was born on March 4, 1913; he was one of the pioneers who captivated audiences in both film and theater using a unique acting style known as Method acting, which he helped develop. He played a significant role in shaping the techniques that were later popularized by the Actors Studio, leaving an indelible mark on icons such as Marlon Brando, James Dean, and Paul Newman.
Over a span of more than two decades, Garfield’s acting career was significantly shaped by the political climate in the United States during that period. He made his debut on stage just before Black Thursday and the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange in October 1929. The depth and intensity of the characters he portrayed, whether in theater or film, were deeply rooted in his keen social awareness and personal experiences living on society’s fringes.
Word spread about Garfield’s talent across the Western lands, and it was Jack Warner who sealed the deal by offering him a seven-year contract. The charming young actor proved to be a valuable addition to the studio’s stellar roster of acting talents such as Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, and Bette Davis. He made an instant impact, with his first role as the cunning charm Mickey Borden in Michael Curtiz’s “Four Daughters” (1938) landing him an Oscar nomination.
Despite the industrial nature of film production in Hollywood, it sometimes yields thoughtful and engaging films that garner critical acclaim, such as “They Made Me a Criminal” (1939) and “Dust Be My Destiny”. In crime films with socially-aware undertones exploring the challenging quest for identity among youth during the Great Depression, Garfield demonstrated his innate talent for portraying an unusual degree of authenticity and sincerity in every role.
In 1941, towards the end of the year, the United States joined World War II, but a 28-year-old Garfield was unable to enlist in the army due to heart problems. However, his love for his country is evident in the wartime movie “Pride of the Marines,” released in 1945. This film is one of Garfield’s most significant roles, although it is not as well-known as some of his others. It tells a moving and respectful story about a wounded soldier returning home and struggling to adapt to everyday life.
Actor Garfield was renowned for his versatility, exhibiting an uncanny knack for authenticity and the skill to subtly express complex emotions. He could bring to life characters that were simultaneously charming and refined, yet possessed a steeliness and vulnerability, blending allure, humor, bitterness, and self-destructive anger seamlessly. This versatility allowed directors and scriptwriters to push the boundaries by placing his characters in intense scenarios, such as in the film noir masterpiece “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (1946) or the romantic melodrama “Humoresque,” which tells the tale of a prodigious violinist.
In pursuit of more creative freedom, after completing his contract with Warner Garfield, Robert co-founded Roberts Productions. Collaborating with The Enterprise Studios, an independent studio, he produced two of his most significant films in his career and the film noir genre. His second Oscar nomination was earned for the gripping drama “Body and Soul” (1947), a boxing film that remains influential in cinema today, inspiring movies like “Rocky” and “Pulp Fiction.” Abraham Polonsky handed over directing duties for this film to Robert Rossen, but for “Force of Evil” (1948) he assumed the director’s role himself, creating an enduring testament to his powerful idealism that saw capitalism as a corrupting force on moral values.
Garfield’s professional success began to decline when he was listed in Red Channels, a publication that exposed Communists and their supporters within the entertainment world. These allegations proved devastating for one of his last movies, “The Breaking Point” (1950), a film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s adventure novel “To Have and Have Not,” which Hemingway himself regarded as the finest adaptation of any of his books.
In April 1951, Garfield found himself summoned to testify before Congress. Unlike others who chose to cooperate with the authorities and betray their peers to safeguard themselves, ailing Garfield, already grappling with health issues, refused to “reveal identities.” The gritty film noir “He Ran All the Way” (1951) marked the last cinematic endeavor for an actor who valued his work and artistic convictions as highly as he did his humanist ideals, and was prepared to sacrifice everything for them.
Garfield died on May 21, 1952, when he was 39.
List of films featured in the tribute:
1. “Four Daughters” (Michael Curtiz, 1938): Four Little Girls
2. “They Made Me a Criminal” (Busby Berkeley, 1939): They Turned Me into a Crook
3. “Dust Be My Destiny” (Lewis Seiler, 1939): Let Dust be my Fate
4. “Pride of the Marines” (Delmer Daves, 1945): Marine Honor
5. “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (Tay Garnett, 1946): The Mailman Knocks Twice for Trouble
6. “Humoresque” (Jean Negulesco, 1946): Whimsical Life
7. “Body and Soul” (Robert Rossen, 1947): Body and Spirit
8. “Force of Evil” (Abraham Polonsky, 1948): Power of Wickedness
9. “The Breaking Point” (Michael Curtiz, 1950): The Snapping Point
10. “He Ran All the Way” (John Berry, 1951): He Flees to the End
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2025-04-23 12:47