Visitors Review

(2012-05-22 03:45)

High Sierra

Though the forties saw a waning in gangster pictures, early on Bogart was given a juicy breakout role in Walsh's "High Sierra", as a killer with a compassionate side. Bogart's "Mad Dog" Earle is more Dillinger than Capone, more sympathetic and human, but when threatened, still a scary individual. Young Lupino stands out as Earle's loyal protector who can't win his love. Co-written by a young John Huston, "High Sierra" is a solid, flavorful entry for "Bogie-as-bad-guy" fans, boasting a slam-bang finish.

(2012-05-21 13:34)

Great performances hampered by a silly storyline

Reading the editorial review as well as the customer reviews, I didn't realize the context the movie had when it came out in its day. Unfortunately, it doesn't hold up too well today. The plotting is its ultimate failure, as Bogie's Roy Earle lets his guard down all too often in the silliest of ways. This directly contradicts with Bogie's portrayal of a streetwise seasoned con who appears to know all the tricks in the book as well as the downsides to a life of crime, fitting in line with his greatest gangster roles like Glenn Griffin and Duke Mantee. The "big" heist plays off as such a small affair where the criminals spend much of their time waiting for the green light by twiddling their thumbs, fighting with each other, and taking side trips that have nothing to do with the heist itself. The heist itself is pulled off in the open, with the criminals baring their faces to several witnesses. Earle himself stays in the clear far too long for even the police work of the time and the scale of the heist as portrayed in the film, given the fact that he doesn't lie low like he should and is aided by a few lucky breaks that would most likely never happen in real life. Worth a look but definitely not a keeper.

(2012-05-19 14:25)

The Peaks of High Sierra Attract Clashing Personalities

HIGH SIERRA is a gangster film, but it is also much more than that. Prior to HIGH SIERRA'S release in 1941, star Humphrey Bogart, who plays Roy 'Mad Dog' Earle, had played a host of snarling hoodlums, most of whom were one-dimensional, but in Bogart's hands, he still managed to infuse each with a level of complexity that only he could deliver. But it took his Roy Earle role to finally establish what has since been copied many times by future cinema criminals, the man on the run who, despite his willingness to kill, still maintains a Hemingwayesque code of conduct that allows him to function as the moral center of the film. Roy Earle is a life-long criminal, one who has spent years in prison, seeing up close the results of what happens to inmates who lack self-discipline and a moral code of conduct. For him, crime is not an end, nor are the ill-gotten gains. For him crime is the only response to a life that has denied him any other avenue. For life to have any meaning, he must adhere to a rigid code of conduct that is as every bit as moral (at least to him) as that which drives the very policemen who seek to apprehend him. Those who know him immediately recognize that in Earle, beats the heart and soul of a near-extinct species, one who is paradoxically a fearlessly moral gunman who will risk his own life for a cause or for a trusted friend. When Earle is released from prison, he is talking to a seriously ill cohort, Mac, who is planning one more high profile crime before he dies. Mac, who bemoans the lack of old style gangsters with class, tells Earle, "You know Roy, it is good to even talk to a guy like you." Mac has hired a pair of inexperienced thugs to help Earle, but Earle sees that they do not have what it takes to succeed in a life of crime. He expects them to screw up, and when they do, he shows no remorse at their demise. There are two subplots that suggest that Earle's code of conduct, while admirable in the larger sense, can sometimes cause him intense emotional pain when he feels betrayed by one whom he has allowed himself to grow close to. Ida Lupino is Marie, a female counterpart to Earle. She has had a rough adolescence, but sees in him her soulmate. She could be good for Roy, if only he would let her. Joan Leslie is Velma, a twenty-year old seemingly innocent girl-child, who represents everything that Roy thinks would elevate him from thug to respectability. Velma has a club-foot but is young and pretty, so Roy lends her the money for an operation. She repays him in a manner that surely ranks with the very worst sort of cinematic ingrates. It is painful to watch Velma show her true colors and see the crushing result on a man who thought that nothing could hurt him like that. And in the background lie the high Sierras, a vast set of peaks that act as metaphorical magnets, attracting the interplay between decent but misguided types like Roy and Marie and the truly inhuman types like Velma and Roy's hapless colleagues. The clashing between Roy and the police is not just the literal gunplay between the forces of law and order and those of crime, but, in the film's final scenes of Roy at bay, suggest that a style of life and a code of conduct have been judged and found wanting. HIGH SIERRA is an unforgettable classic that makes us remember that morality and decency can be found even in the most unlikely of settings.

Werner (2012-05-19 07:48)

Bogart shaping up for the Cult movies

This movie was, as it is well known now, a starting point for H.B. tostep out from supporting roles behind Cagney and E.G. Robinson, butalso depending on a then bigger name, G. Raft, to turn it down. He usedthe chance to the max, playing it as cool as can be, befriending a dogand a gangster moll well played by Ida Lupino and helping a cripplegirl back to health and self-confidence and in turning him down.However, the whole thing has a feeling of doom over it : The big shot,who organizes the big heist, is deadly sick, his middleman a deceivingex-cop and his supporting guys at the robbery are 2 gangster rookiesburnt in a car accident on the escape. He makes it to the top at theend, but doesn't enjoy that very long. Good movie at the edge of kitschand sentimental overdose, but fast paced and very entertaining. 8 of10.

Darth Sidious (2012-05-19 13:05)

Good but not great

Bogart is very good in this picture which has an interesting premise. It'smore about finding love amongst crime, but the one you love slaps you intheface. You can't buy love!All performances are terrific!The direction is good but the picture is let down by a disappointing finalewhich is pretty predictable.Overall, it's good but not great.

DKOSTY (2012-05-19 06:01)

Movie That Broke Molds

This drama is one of the first to break the mold and make a bad guysomeone the audience has feelings for. Bogarts character does so muchgood in this one, that you actually feel bad when he is closed in onand dies at the end of the movie.There is no wonder about the quality of the film. Raoul Walsh directs afilm that breaks out of the typical gangster film of the 1930's. Hewould go on to break out of the typical western film with Dark Command.Walsh is one of the great directors which is why he has another allstar cast here. Bogart and Ida Lupino are two top stars and the storyis very good.Walsh's camera work of the Sierra mountains looks good here. While itis shot in black and white, the mountains still look good. The way thecharacters fit the story is just perfect.Bogart is the tough guy from the east who is sent for to pull a robberyat a mountain resort hotel to get millions of dollars in jewels fromthe hotel safe. Later you find out about each characters past as eachcharacter is revealed like taking the rings off an onion. That is whythis story works so well.

(2012-05-17 19:39)

Old style Hollywood crime thriller

One of the old films that when we start watching it, we know how it will turn out-making it sad and a bit predictable, in a funny way. Still, I was glad to see it finally out on dvd, ready for a re-viewing out of the old UHF channels from which it came.Good solid, characters, old fashioned cars and shoot outs---it's a pretty fun movie to tank a few beers to. Not a real classic, but worthwhile as an addition to a film buff's library.

(2012-05-17 12:44)

High Sierra

This review is from: High Sierra (Snap Case) (DVD) ESSENTIAL MOVIE!!! High Sierra was the movie that finally catapulted Bogey into a major star. The role of Roy Earle was one he had campaigned to get but almost didn't. Bogey recognized the role as being one that was complex & challenging. Yhis was also the last film that Bogey didn't get top billing, Warner Bros. had decided to give Ida Lupino that distinction though her role was subordinate to Bogey's.Roy Earle is a bank robber that has done several years incarcerated. at the opening of the film we see Earle being released on a pardon. A friend, Big Mac (Donald MacBride) has worked hard behind the scenes to secure his release. But it's not just generosity, Big Mac wants Earle to go to California for a sure-thing heist. From the very beginning we see the complexities of the Earle character. Immediately upon his release he wants to "see if the grass is still green & if the trees are still growing." Earle meets up with an ex-cop, Jake Kranmer (Barton MacLane), who has the information, cash & car for Earle to get to California. Earle instantly dislikes & distrusts Kranmer & slaps him around. Here, we see the other side of the Earle character, the one who can be violent & vicious. On the journey across the country he happens to meet a family heading the same way & more than broke. Pa (Henry Travers) & Earle take an instant liking to one another, Pa even thinks he's one of the best men alive though he doesn't realize who Earle is. There's also Pa's wife, Ma (Elizabeth Risdon) & Pa's daughter by a previous marriage, Velma (Joan Leslie). The family is going to California because Pa's ex-wife & mother of Velma has invited them to live with her. Velma is a beautiful young lady but she has one problem: She has a club foot. Earle falls for her immediately though there's a big age difference. Once again, we see the good & caring side of the Earle character.When Earle arrives at his destination he finds the two men, Red (Arthur Kennedy) & Babe (Alan Curtis), at a cabin with a dime-a-dance woman with them, Marie (Ida Lupino). Earle doesn't want the woman there becuause he senses trouble. He tells Red to get rid of her. Later, Marie goes to Earle's cabin & convinces him to let her stay. Red & Babe are inexperienced, Red's in awe of him but Babe sees him as being over the hill. It's here at the dog, Pard, is introduced. He's a lovable & intelligent mutt that has taken up with other people previously. Algernon (Willie Best) informs Earle that Pard is bad luck, every person the mutt has stayed with has died. Now we have the harbinger of death. But Pard really takes a liking to Earle & it's mutual. We see the good side of Earle again; you can't be all bad if a lovable mutt takes a shine to you, can you?The heist has an inside man, Louis Mendoza (Cornel Wilde - in only his second movie), who works the counter at the rich resort Earle has been hired to rob. Once again, Earle suspects Mendoza as a snitch & sees him as being a weak link in the plan. Earle subtly threatens Mendoza with a story about another snitch who was killed with a machine gun which Earle has just produced in a musical case.Earle falls in love with Velma & feels that Velma should have an operation on her foot. He brings along Doc (Henry Hull) to examine her. Though Doc can't do the operation himself, he tells Earle it can be done & he knows the right doctor who can do it for $500! To complicate this Marie has fallen in love with Earle. When Earle confesses to Marie he'd like to marry her she rejects him but not without some regret. Earle rejects Marie, likewise, being honest with her about his feelings for Marie. After the heist Earle pays one more visit to the family & Velma because he had promised to see Velma after the operation. Velma is now happy & appears to be headed toward a life of partying. It appears that she's ungrateful & gets ugly with Earle.The heist goes terribly wrong; Earle shoots a night watchman, Red & Babe are killed during the escape but Mendoza survives the car crash That killed Red & Babe. Later, while in custody of the police, Mendoza fingers Earle as the escaped robber.The final scenes include an exciting car chase & Earle's demise at Mount Whitney. Bogart's interpretation of the Earle character is dynamic. He's able to play both sides of the character convincingly. Lupino is excellent as is Leslie. It's unfortunate that the movie didn't receive any Academy nominations though it did receive three nominations from the National Board of Review winning two; Bogart for best actor & Lupino for best actress, the other nomination was for best movie. The screenplay was by John Huston & W. R. Burnett, author of the novel. It was a rather faithful adaptation of the book which Huston had a reputation for. High Sierra was directed by the great Raoul Walsh, one of Hollywood's best.The disc has a bonus feature, "Roy Earle: The Story of High Sierra" that's a little less than fifteen minutes. In this feature we learn about the odds that Bogey had to overcome to secure the role of Roy Earle. The role was offered to every tough guy at Warner Bros., George Raft, Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney & Paul Muni. Raft came the closest to gaining the role but balked at some points in the script. This event, & the later one where Raft turned down the role of Rick in Casablanca, led to Bogey becoming one of Hollywood's most loved & sought after actors. Thank you, George Raft!

(2012-05-13 13:34)

Classic Bogart - Classic Film

Bogart fans rejoiced when High Sierra was finally released on DVD. Bogart plays Roy Earle, freed from prison for the sole purpose of getting "that last big score".Bogart does a tremendous job with this complex role showing the 'tough as nails' side he's known for and a kind, gentle man who breaks many of his own rules because of his heart. Although he didn't recieve top billing, it's clear Bogart is the star. It's hard to believe he wasn't Warner's first choice for the role.The DVD isn't overflowing with extras. There's a nice short extra which tells how Bogie came into the role of Roy Earle but that's about it. The picture quality is excellent making it steal and a must for any classic movie lover's collection.

Aida Nejad (2012-05-12 23:56)

What a great movie!

Roy Earle is a convicted bank robber, not afraid to kill. He getsthrown to jail and after 8 years he gets released. He comes to workwith a couple of noobies and their woman, named Marie. But, Earle fallsfor a young woman named Velma. She is crippled and Earle pays for heroperation, only to find that she doesn't really love him. Earle thenrealizes that he loves Marie so he buys her a ring and they getmarried. The ending was also really good and touching, and the wholemovie was just awesome. This is the movie that proved Bogie could be inleading roles, the thing he was born for. I highly recommend thisbeautifully played film to everyone, knowing that all the Bogie fanswill love it just as much as I do.

(2012-05-12 03:51)

Bogey's Breakthrough Film

Prior to "High Sierra", Humphrey Bogart had been playing heavies, secondleads and the occasional lead in a "B" feature. Beginning with this film,there would be no looking back for Bogey. Although it is Ida Lupino who received top billing, it is Bogart's pictureall the way. He plays pardoned convict Roy Earle who is "sprung" by Big Mac(Donald MacBride) to lead the robbery of an exclusive resort. In Bogey'sgang are Arthur Kennedy and Alan Curtis as his two inexperienced cohorts,Cornel Wilde as the nervous "man on the inside" and Lupino as a "dime adance girl" who ultimately ends up as Bogey's moll. A stray dog named "Pard"who seems to bring bad luck to all who adopt him, is also along for theride. Also in the cast is veteran character Henry Travers as "Pa", Joan Leslie asVelma, the crippled girl whom Bogey helps and falls in love with, Henry Hullas Doc and Bogey's old nemesis Barton MacLane as a gangster who tries tomuscle in on the score. Willie Best in a typical racial stereotype of theperiod, provides comedy relief as Algernon. Bogart's performance dominates the film with able support from thesupporting cast. It was with this film, that Bogey established his tough guyimage, a part he would play, with little variation for the rest of hiscareer.

brocksilvey (2012-05-11 08:04)

Bogie Heads to the Hills

The majority of this Raoul Walsh crime thriller is standard issue, butit does boast a knockout finale set in the gorges of the Sierra Nevadamountains.Bogart plays a brooding thug "rushin' toward death," who's hitchedhimself to one last scheme -- knocking off a ritzy hotel -- that willallow him to rest easy for a while. But this is a film noir, and thelife of relative normalcy that Bogie's character chases remains justoutside of his grasp, and fate has other plans for him. Onecircumstance after another intervenes to prevent his having a happyending, and he meets his tragic fate in a climactic shoot out while hisgirlfriend (Ida Lupino) looks on.A good part of the film's narrative concerns a rural family who Bogartbefriends, and in particular the young woman (an annoying Joan Leslie)who Bogie sees as a path to domestic happiness. I understand thesignificance of this plot line, but it slows the film downconsiderably, and makes it feel longer than it even is. On the otherhand, there's an inventive and memorable subplot about a dog who may bea harbinger of doom.The mountains themselves are used to tremendous effect, representingboth figuratively and literally the insurmountable environmentalfactors that will always hold Bogie down.Grade: A-

theowinthrop (2012-05-02 10:53)

Bogie reaches film stardom.

People mistakenly think that the two films that made Humphrey Bogart astar were "The Maltese Falcon" and "Casablanca". In fact it is thisfilm, made the same year as "The Maltese Falcon" and directed by RaoulWalsh, not John Huston and Michael Curtiz. Based on a novel byW.R.Burnett (author of "Little Caesar" and "The Asphalt Jungle"), it isquite well written. Roy Earle (Bogie) is a clone of Dillinger (likeBogie's first notable role of "Duke Mantee" in "The PetrifiedForrest"). He has been in prison, but he gets an early release (bybribes) engineered by an old friend (Donald MacBride, in a good seriousperformance). MacBride is planning the robbery of a luxury resort, andneeds Bogart to do it. But Bogart finds that MacBride's assistant (anex-cop played by Barton MacLane) is untrustworthy. He also worriesabout the young men he has to work with - especially a too friendlyinside man (Cornell Wilde in one of his first roles). And on top ofeverything else there is the matter of a young girl with a club foot(Joan Leslie) that could be Bogart's daughter. He falls for her, andwants to help cure her. He can when he has the cash - he has a friendlydoctor (Henry Hull) to assist him. But he is so hung up about the girlthat he ignores the signs of another, tougher woman (Ida Lupino) whodoes show an interest in him. Also, he tries to ignore the stories ofdemons and doom regarding an adorable little dog that a caretaker(Willie Best) tells him.The film is a first rate one, just a smidge less impressive than "TheMaltese Falcon" and "Casablanca" because of the strength of the script."High Sierra" is well written, but it has no memorable quotes, like,"Of all the gin joints...." or "I enjoy talking to a man...." WillieBest's details about the ill-luck pursuing the dog is the best stretchof real dialogue in the film, and today (due to feelings about racialstereotyping concerning Best) many people tend to overlook how it setsthe stage for later levels of the tragedy in the film.The only problem I have regarding it is Jerome Cowan. He is given oneof the lead positions in the credits, but his role (a reporter whoappears in the last ten minutes of the film) doesn't merit it. He alsohas dialogue directed to Ida Lupino suggesting they met or know eachother somehow. There appears to have been cut scenes in the film. WasCowan in those cut scenes?

Tashtago (2012-05-02 02:16)

Bogart a great actor

Others have talked about the importance of this film and its' influenceon Bogart's career. I'd just add that he is a very underrated actor. Hetelegraphs his emotions but in such a convincing way. Bogart hadincredible appeal because there was something real about him. The scenewhen he first meets the Ida Lupino character is a perfect example. Weknow right away of his discomfort with having a woman involved, but wedon't know why. Bogart had an incredibly expressive face and voice andwas in fact one of the great actors of his time, which is why we canstill enjoy High Sierra today. Ida Lupino who later directed films isequally good.

(2012-04-30 11:06)

"yeah...the gun just went (knock-knock-knock)"

This review is from: High Sierra [VHS] (VHS Tape) This was the very first Bogart film I ever saw, and it remains my favorite to this day. The above is an excerpt from a speech made by Bogart's character early on, in which he raps on a table to pantomime a short machine gun burst. That soliloquy is a direct and quite worthy ancestor to Eastwood's "44 Magnum Speech" from the first "Dirty Harry" film, and we see here who was probably Eastwood's chief role model in any crime drama he has done. Bogart plays a veteran holdup man sprung from prison to knock over a resort hotel. Ida Lupino plays a standard gun moll picked up by one of two green punks assigned to help Bogart in the holdup--a woman who turns out to be more of an asset to the team than either of the younger men. It's all too easy to write this film off as a cookie-cutter gangster flick--because what it is instead is a Bogart Flick. With a capital "B". And a capital "F".

(2012-04-30 00:29)

TOUGH GUY GET BURNED - GREAT LOOKING DVD!

"High Sierra" is the story of an convict who is makes parol only to find himself thrown back into the hopper of organized crime. Bogie is the bad guy, tough as nails and raw as meat in a butcher's window. He's got a soft side though, and in this movie it's for Ida Lupino - a largely forgotten but extremely talented actress who's hooked up with two small time operators who are planning a hotel robbery job in the Sierra mountains. Great action and suspense!TRANSFER: VERY NICE! Warner's usual sterling quality is at work here. The credit sequence is a bit rough and there is a bit of instability in the original camera negative but over all this is one fine looking transfer. The gray scale is impeccably rendered. Blacks are black. Contrast and shadows are well balanced. There appears to be very little in the way of age related artifacts. There are NO signs of digital compression. The audio is MONO but nicely rendered.EXTRAS: A featurette that manages to cover a lot of ground in a very short time and provides a succinct look at the film's backstory. BOTTOM LINE: This Bogart classic is an absolute must for anyone who appreciates great performances and wonderful story telling. Ah yes, I remember why it is that I fell in love with the movies!

The Big Combo (2012-04-25 21:49)

Royalty

A sublime film. Probably one of the most melancholic pictures ever madein the classic period. It is one of the earliest and strongestportraits of the tragic hero, so recurrent in Walsh's filmography.Bogart's character, a mournful, resigned old-timer who witnesses thegradual downfall of the world as he knows it, dresses in black allthrough the film, like the mute and only assistant to his own funeral.As other Walsh anti-heroes –notably White Heat's Cody- he must reachthe heights before him dies. One wonders what would have been of theBogart, Cagney, Flynn or Raft persona without their significant rolesin the Raoul Walsh films. It's remake, Colorado Territory, is evenbetter.

(2012-04-25 11:17)

Crime Doesn't Pay - Again!

High Sierra, 1941 filmThe movie starts by showing how a lifer convict can be pardoned to allow him to continue crime in another state, but provides no other details. It is part of a plan designed by a master criminal who has connections in that state. The plan is to knockover a resort hotel for the rich during the season; they have an inside man who will tip them off.The gang is staying at a rural resort before the crime. A small dog enters the cabin and is adopted as a pet. But all of its previous owners died in accidents - symbolism for this story! Ida Lupino's acting reflects her star billing.There is a side story where Roy Earle helps a migrating family he met on the road. He donates a large sum of money for an operation for their granddaughter. To show there's some good in even the worst? But once the operation succeeds, her personality changes from humility to pride! This seems like a cynical view of the common people.The other operation goes as planned, but an unforeseen event occurs to botch the operation. As in other stories, the real problem results when trying to split the loot. When the master criminal dies, he is replaced by another. A wrinkle develops when a criminal gets greedy, but is soon ironed out by the usual means.The movie says the old gangs are dying out. (They were being replaced by nationally organized crime.) Just like small owner-operated businesses were losing out to corporate chains?This was Humphrey Bogart's last movie as a villain. After "The Maltese Falcon" he played heros, and received top billing. This movie shows the economic direction of John Huston, which is repeated in "The Maltese Falcon". Watch them in historical order.

seymourblack-1 (2012-04-25 09:03)

A "Mad Dog" With An Achilles Heel

In "High Sierra" Humphrey Bogart plays an ageing gangster who'sseriously conflicted. On one hand he's a career criminal who's utterlyruthless and readily kills people who get in his way but on the otherhe's also a rather nostalgic, sentimental and compassionate person whohankers after a calmer and more decent lifestyle. The fact that he'srather old for the crime business and that he's surrounded by youngerpeople, contributes to his feelings of alienation which are alsoreinforced by the difficulties he experiences in adjusting to everydaylife, after having spent many years in prison.Bogart's gangster also recognises that his life of crime has put him ona course from which he is unable to escape and that he has noalternative but to follow where fate takes him. This man's Achillesheel is his tendency to be soft hearted and this is, unquestionably, afatal flaw for anyone who pursues a life of crime.Crime boss Big Mac (Donald MacBride) pays for Roy "Mad Dog" Earle(Humphrey Bogart) to be released from prison on parole because he wantsthe experienced bank robber to lead a gang who are planning to carryout a hotel robbery at a Californian resort. When Roy arrives at thegang's cabin in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, he meets Red (ArthurKennedy), Babe (Alan Curtis) and Babe's girlfriend, Marie Garson (IdaLupino). Roy soon recognises that the two young men are inexperiencedand unpredictable and also that there'll be problems if Marie staysinvolved.Roy decides that Marie should be sent back to L.A. but becomes morecontent for her to stay after she tells him that Louis Mendoza (CornelWilde) who works at the hotel and is the gang's "inside man" has atendency to be indiscreet and loose tongued in the wrong places.On his way to L.A. to visit Big Mac, Roy calls on the Goodhue family,Ma (Elisabeth Risdon), Pa (Henry Travers) and their granddaughter Velma(Joan Leslie). Velma is an attractive young lady with a deformed footand Roy pays for her to have surgery to correct the deformity. Later,Roy proposes to Velma but she rejects him for a man closer to her ownage. When he meets Big Mac, Roy discovers that his boss is very ill andas a consequence, the money that he'll earn from the robbery will bevery important to him.When Roy's driving away from the cabin on the night of the robbery,he's followed by a mongrel dog called "Pard" who has a reputation forbringing trouble to his owners. Although he doesn't want to take thedog with him, Roy allows himself to be persuaded to do so. The robberygoes badly and Roy shoots a security guard before escaping. Red andBabe are killed when their car crashes and Louis tells everything heknows when he's questioned by the police.From that point on, all Roy's plans unravel spectacularly, as he andMarie become fugitives and fail to capitalise on the jewels they stolefrom the hotel. Roy decides soon after that it would be too dangerousfor him and Marie to remain together and so they separate. The policethen continue their relentless pursuit until the story eventuallyreaches its extremely dramatic climax.Ida Lupino is excellent as the tough, streetwise Marie whose affectionfor Roy remains strong even after he tells her that he wants to marryVelma. Her devotion to him is unswerving and she continues to remainundaunted throughout all the dangers and setbacks that they experiencetogether.Bogart's exceptional performance in this movie conveys veryconvincingly the complex nature of Roy "Mad Dog" Earle. He talks toughthrough clenched teeth in some scenes but also shows genuine kindnessin others without ever losing any credibility. It's this ability whichis so impressive and no doubt, was a major reason why this role was theone which elevated Bogart to the star status that he justifiablyenjoyed for the rest of his career.

Perception_de_Ambiguity (2012-04-24 16:30)

What works best about this film is the drama.

Without Bogart's romantic aspirations the film would have been dreadfuland empty. Also good: Bogie's hair and him showing a warmer side thanin many other roles in which he played gangsters. The film's problem isthat many of the dramatic turns and conflicts are too obviouslyconstructed and unnatural. Whenever they want to get the plot moving orit is time for some unexcitingly staged action they make one characterdo something unmotivated not to even say something out of character.Either that the next scene just comes out of nowhere. The big heistthat we see the characters setting up every once in a while throughoutthe movie until they execute it at the end of the 2/3 never isintelligibly communicated to the viewer and once we see it happen weunderstand that there really isn't much to it. Not much preparation hadto go into this heist and even less preparation went into it given theoutcome. The finale didn't do much for me either. A car chase with spedup film (you really shouldn't pan the camera uncontrollably if youintend to speed up the film later, but OK, it's 1941) in which the copsnever even come near Bogart's car and a trapped on a mountain situationwithout much pep, character insights,... All in all a film that makesme wonder why this script was picked up in the first place.ONE scene in the movie I was impressed by, though, was very early intothe movie. After Bogie comes out of jail he goes to the apartment ofthis guy he's never seen before to talk business. At the end of theconversation the guy makes a snarky comment about Bogie and what doesBogie do? Without even thinking about it he gives the guy a relativelylight slap in the face and leaves. The guy was just standing therehumiliated not knowing what to do or say. That's the kind of thing I'llhave to incorporate into my everyday life.