Humphrey Bogart signs off as our star of the month

So - this was January - and our time with Humphrey Bogart is over for now.  

I am sure that Monty and I have a lot more to write and to post about Humphrey Bogart - so he might come back some day as a guest on this blog.. 

Mr. Bogart, here's a lot looking at you! And we'll go on watch your films! Hope to see you soon again - and would love to see you return as a guest at The Show!

Thank you all for listening!

Irene

Irene's Ten Favourite Humphrey Bogart Films

Monty did it before - and now again it's my turn to tell about my favourite Bogart films.

So here they are - counting from 10-1:

10. DEAD RECKONING (1947)

9. INVISIBLE STRIPES (1939)

8. THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951)

7. THE ENFORCER (1951)

6. DARK PASSAGE (1947)

5. THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT (1940)

4. WE'RE NO ANGELS (1955)

3. HIGH SIERRA (1941)

2. DEAD END (1937)

1. THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936)

As always there are several more - and this is quite an actual ranking. 

Thank you all for listening

Yours

Irene

My Favorite Humphrey Bogart Films

As we wrap up this month of all things Humphrey Bogart, I made a list of  my favorite films of Mr. Bogart.
So here they are, counting down from 1 to 10.

1. THE BIG SLEEP (1946) Hands down my favorite Bogart film! EVER!

2. HIGH SIERRA (1941) Classic film noir with Bogie at his best.

3. THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936) Bogie owns this film from the moment he walks onto the screen.

4. TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944) The first pairing with him and Lauren Bacall. Pure movie magic!

5. THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT (1940) Great film with a great cast in Bogie, George Raft, Ida Lupino, and
Ann Sheridan.

6. THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948) Classic film during Bogie's late phase.

7. SABRINA (1954) Hey a change of page for Mr. Bogart in this pleasing comedy. Love it.

8. DARK PASSAGE (1947) The third pairing of Bogart and Bacall is another winner.

9. KEY LARGO (1948) The final film that Bogart and Bacall did together has the couple go out on a high note.

10. THE CAINE MUTINY (1954) Bogart gives a memorable performance in this great dramatic film.

So there you have it. My ten favorite Bogart films. You may ask, where is Casablanca. While I do like the film, I don't hold it in high regard as Bogie's other films. If I made a top 20 list, I would say Casablanca would probably be number 11 or 12.

Thank our lucky stars

Monty

Memorable Bogart Characters: Duke Mantee (The Petrified Forest)

 The world famous killer, Duke Mantee

One of Humphrey Bogart's earliest and best roles has to be Duke Mantee, a role he played on the stage as well as film. As reknowned gangster Duke Mantee, Bogie is a perfect fit. Once he appears onscreen, he takes hold of the film like no one else can. He is unshaven, walks with a pronounced movement, and takes no lip from anyone. He is one tough customer, but he is also has a moral code too. He is almost like an anti-hero. As he just wants to do his own thing. I mean he is an escaped convict and who doesn't plan on going back to prison anytime soon. But Duke also looks out for his own men and is somewhat sympathetic to the people he has taken hostage at the diner.

Duke Mantee is one unforgettable character and Bogie plays him perfectly. The mannerisms he use in this film would serve Bogie well for the next 20 years in later films such as High Sierra, The Big Sleep and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Duke is one of the best characters ever to grace the silver screen. Positively magnetic and unyielding. By the time the movie is nearing the end, you are so invested in Duke, that you truly care what happens to him. One character you will definitely not forget.

Count our lucky stars

Monty

Let's watch.. ..DARK PASSAGE

One of my favourite Humphrey Bogart films is 

DARK PASSAGE (1947)

Vincent Parry (Humphrey Bogart) escapes from St. Quentin prison. He is convicted of killing his wife. Irene Jansen (Lauren Bacall) picks him up and helps him. 

There are of course some more compliacations in the plot - but I think this is the main plot. 

The main twist in this film is more one of the film making kind: Because Vincent is on the run he has to change his face - a job done in the film by a friendly surgeon (Houseley Stevenson). The twist: for about an hour you are not able to see Humphrey Bogart's face. The first part of the movie is almost completely done in his point of view - done so by using subjective camera technique. Then Vincent will wear his head bandaged - before we will finally see his "new" face.. 

This film is worth a look just because of this way of looking through a characters eyes. The other main cause for me is: Agnes Moorehead. I love her. She is one of my number one favourite actresses. (@ Patti: I have three #1 female actresses..) Her acting is - as always - one of the finest ever done. 

Lauren Bacall looks as pretty and cool as always - and Humphrey Bogart is doing a wonderful job - especially when his character isn't able to say anything because of his bandaged head and he has do the acting "just" with his eyes and body..

Anyway: I really recommend this film to you!

Hope you're enjoying the show!

Yours

Irene

Humphrey and Audrey

Humphrey being all so helpful to Audrey on the set of SABRINA (1954)

Thank our lucky stars

Monty

Let's watch...HIGH SIERRA

One of Bogie's best films is the 1941 film noir classic, High Sierra. In it, he plays Roy "Mad Dog" Earle, who is released from prison and promptly sought out by an old associate to help with a new robbery. The robbery is botched and things go from bad to worse very quickly. The action will come to a exciting climax in the Sierra Nevadas. Along the way he as to deal with two very different women. An innocent transplanted farm girl Velma (Joan Leslie in one of her best performances) and Marie (the always great Ida Lupino, who actually receives top billing over Bogie). Bogart is top notch as Earle, a career professional who is not too cocky or violent, but just goes about his business. Taut direction by Raoul Walsh, crisp and exciting action scenes and a thrilling car chase. Plus there is a cute little dog too. Gather round to watch High Sierra, one of my favorite films and one of Bogie's best.

Notes:

This was the last movie Humphrey Bogart made where he did not receive top billing. The studio thought that Ida Lupino should have top billing given the fact that she had been such a big hit in They Drive By Night (1940) and so her name ended up above Bogart's on the title card. Bogart was reportedly unhappy about receiving second billing but never complained.

"Pard" played by "Zero the Dog" was Bogart's dog in real life.

Bogart's part in this movie was originally intended for Paul Muni. Muni did not like the first draft of the screenplay which was authored solely by John Huston and given to him by Hal B. Wallis, so Wallis got the book's author, W.R. Burnett to assist Huston in a second rewrite. This was presented to Muni who still disliked it and turned the movie and the role down completely. In the meantime, On May 4th, 1940, Bogart sent a telegram to Wallis reiterating his continuing desire, which he had mentioned several months earlier, to play the part of Roy Earle. After Muni turned down the script the next person on the list for Warner Brothers was George Raft. Bogart, knowing that Raft was trying to change his image and move away from gangster roles, found out about this and mentioned to Raft when he saw him next that the studio was trying to get him do another gangster movie where the gangster gets shot at the end. Raft marched into Wallis' office and flatly refused to do the movie. Bogart finally ended up with the role he wanted all along by default.

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Thank our lucky stars

Monty

 

January 14

Just a short remembrance:

† January 14, 1957

well:

Thank you very much!

Yours,

 Irene

That's what HE said..

"Do you realize you're looking at an actor who's made more lousy pictures than any other in history."

...

Hope you're enjoying the show!

Yours 

Irene

Humphrey and Lauren: A Match Made In Heaven

Just some pictures of Humphrey and Lauren, one of the world's most enduring couples of all time.

Unbelievable chemistry

A close up

Just look how their eyes lock in to each other

Just hanging out

I don't how Bogie could maintain his composure with Lauren at his ear like that,

I know I couldn't

Having a good time with Marilyn

A quiet family moment

Count our lucky stars

Monty

Let's watch.. ..KEY LARGO

Today I will present a film which is based on a play - though it isn't very true to it's "master". It is also another film teaming Humphrey Bogart and director John Huston:

KEY LARGO (1948)

In Key Largo, Florida, a bunch of gangsters - lead by Rocco (Edward G. Robinson) - is waiting in a hotel for an hurricane to end. They're on their way to Cuba and James Temple (Lionel Barrymore) - the owner of the hotel - , his daughter-in-law Nora (Lauren Bacall) and Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart) - the comrade and friend of her husband who was killed in action - are under their thumb.. 

   ~ Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Edward G. Robinson and Claire Trevor ~

The plot is classic and might remind you of THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936) - but it is actually a bit different. 

Edward G. Robinson (another one of my favourite actors ever) is marvellous - and I am also a great admirer of Claire Trevor who gives just a wonderful performance as a moll addicted to alcohol. 

~ Humphrey Bogart is not amused by Edward G. Robinson's "phrasing"-  while Claire Trevor is trying to  protect her drink. ~

Claire Trevor's part is actually based on a real time moll Gay Orlova - who was believed to be dead at the time of the filming. Actually she lived till 1954 - trying to get in touch with her former lover Mafiosi Lucky Luciano.

~ Gay Orlova in her prime (source: Corbis images) ~

The boat on which the film's showdown happens is called Santana which was - as most of you will know - also the name of Humphrey Bogart's own yacht. He bought it from Dick Powell and June Allyson. Bogart was that fond of sailing and especially his yacht that he also called his production firm Santana.

~ Mr. and Mrs. Bogart on board of the Santana. ~

Hope you're enjoying the show!

Yours,

Irene

Let's watch...THE BIG SLEEP

Classic film noir with Bogart as Los Angeles private eye Philip Marlowe, who is hired by General Sternwood (Waldron) to deal with several problems involving his family. Mainly blackmail toward the younger daughter Carmen (a terrific Martha Vickers). But this is just the beginning as Marlowe is dragged deeper and deeper into a sordid world of criminals and murder. Along the way Marlowe finds himself falling for the eldest daughter Vivian (played by Lauren Bacall). The Big Sleep is a very complicated movie that is still very entertaining. Featuring crisp dialogue and crackerjack performances. Bogart is cool as Marlowe in what I think is his best role. Bacall exudes enough sex appeal for 100 women. Vickers is delightfully seductive and droll in her child-like performance. And Dorothy Malone shines in her brief scene as a shapely bookstore clerk who flirts with Marlowe. An outstanding film and one of my all time favorites.

Notes:

Eager to repeat the success of To Have and Have Not, Warner Bros. studio chief Jack L. Warner gave Howard Hawks $50,000 to purchase the rights for "The Big Sleep." Hawks bought the rights for $5,000 and pocketed the rest.

Due to Humphrey Bogart's affair with co-star Lauren Bacall, his marital problems escalated during filming, and his drinking often resulted in his being unable to work. Three months after the film was finished, Bacall and Bogart were married.

Many of the cars in the film have a "B" sticker in the lower-right corner of their windshields. This is a reflection of the wartime rationing of gasoline. Gas was rationed primarily to save rubber, because Japan had occupied Indochina, Malaysia, and Indonesia. (There was a shortage of gas on the East Coast until a pipeline from Texas was constructed to replace the transport of crude oil by sea.) The B sticker was the second lowest category, entitling the holder to only 8 gallons of gas a week. Marlowe seems to use more than one week's allotment during a 72-hour period, which may be intended to reflect a black market in ration books. However, since Marlowe still has a deputy badge, at least in a deleted scene which existed in the 1945 version, he would be entitled to an X sticker (unlimited gas) as a peace officer. Perhaps the B sticker on the windshield was camouflage, since an X sticker would make the car extremely noteworthy. Marlowe also refers to "three red points," and speaks of a dead body as "cold meat" which refers to the red tokens used to acquire a family's allotment of meat during WWII.

The automobile Bogart uses in "The Big Sleep" is the same car he used as Roy Earle in the 1941 film "High Sierra".
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