The Borzage’s well-known film, one of the best war-movie of the time, is progremmed with its two differents endings, the sad one and the happy one, as preserved by the Ceskoslovensky Filmavy Archiv. The two endings were released together to let the theater managers choose the one they prefer. Naturally the happy one was recommended: “Okay at $1.65, as at the Criterion, and will be even okayer in the general releases particularly with the alternate ending (the ‘happy’ finale to which the author Hemingway objected)” (Variety, 12/13/32)
“In America the novel sold extremely well and was even adopted for a successful run on Broadway as a stage play, but despite of Popularity of the book, bringing a faithful version of the novel to the screen would run into serious censorship problems. On the moral side A farewell to Arms contained happy and unashamed ‘illicit love’ with a resulting pregnancy. […] The studio conceived a number of compromises. […] To modify the tragedy of Catharine’s death, Borzage shot two different endings – one with Catherine surviving, the other ending with her death. Theaters were given their choice – the happy ending which Variety recommended or the sad ending”. (Gregory D.Black, Cinegrafie n.3 – catalag of the Festival – Transeuropa)