The Big Sleep

Humphrey Bogart was a cinema legend. His larger than life persona made good movies great and bad movies better. He is best remembered for playing Richard Blaine in Casablanca. In that movie, he played a cool cynical character who becomes a reluctant hero. His character is noted for the self-centered saying: "I am the only cause worth fighting for" As the movie progresses, his character grows and learns how to be selfless. That cool/cynical streak can be found in all of his best movies.

Years before that, in 1937, Bogart got his big break when he won the role of gangster Duke Mantee in "The Petrified Forest". Far from being a reluctant hero, he played the unrepentant villain. He knew the world was a cruel place and he was out for himself. From there, thanks to Hollywood typecasting, he went on to play other similar gangsters. He usually played the ambitious second in command to more famous gangster actors like Edward G. Robinson, or James Cagney. His characters aspired to the top position and usually met with untimely deaths at the hands of the main stars.

In 1941, Bogart starred as Sam Spade in "The Maltese Falcon". It was directed by John Huston and also starring Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Sidney Greenstreet. In this movie, Bogart shook off his gangster image and redefined himself as a detective actor. In fact, many consider this to be the definitive movie in the detective genre, but it has always left me cold. A mysterious woman hires Sam Spade to protect her. By talking to Peter Lorre’s and Sidney Greenstreet's characters, he finds out that everyone is after the Maltese falcon, though nobody will say what it is. Two hours later, when Spade thinks he found the falcon, the movie ends. It seems to be a very minimalistic movie. There are no minor characters, and the major characters seem to speak in incomplete thoughts or at least incomplete sentences. Even the story seems incomplete since it only tells part of the search for the falcon. The result is an unsatisfying movie where none of the characters manage to be anything more than movie stereotypes. Furthermore, the movie is devoid of any emotion. When Spade's business partner dies, he has no reaction. Spade's partner's wife throws herself at him, he has no reaction. Spade gets betrayed, he has no reaction. There is hardboiled and then there is just cardboard. However, the movie was a big hit and it transformed Bogart's image from just a gangster to movie legend.

In 1942, Bogart brought his cynical persona to "Casablanca". Everything that was wrong with "The Maltese Falcon", was done correctly with "Casablanca". The characters defy stereotypes and show some emotional range. You believe that these characters could exist outside the movie. As a bonus, the movie has an engaging love triangle and is populated with interesting secondary characters.

In 1944, Bogart starred in "To Have and Have Not". Filmmaker Howard Hawks bet Ernest Hemingway that he could make a movie based on Hemingway's worst book. The movie would be Lauren Bacall's film debut. In adapting the book, Hawks threw out the story and only kept the title and the main character. Everything else was changed. He stole the entire story and most of the main characters from "Casablanca". Bogart plays a cynical mariner, Bacall plays a singer just travelling through the port, and Hoagy Carmichael plays the piano playing best friend. Hawks dropped the love triangle but kept the selfless cause that Bogart's character must adopt in order to redeem himself. Unfortunately, Hawks drains all the emotion out of the characters and the story. Neither of the two main characters seem very interested in anything except themselves. Bacall is an alpha female and Bogart is the only Alpha Male in Port. What do you think is going to happen? But, of course, it takes the entire movie full of witticisms for them to come together. Hoagy Carmichael supplies any missing cynicism. The result is more of a star vehicle than an actual movie. The redemption story takes a back seat for long periods of time while Bacall sings or while Bogart and Bacall swap witty lines. In addition, I found Walter Brennan’s alcoholic rummy very pathetic. He constantly says the wrong thing like a bad TV sitcom character. In the end of the movie, Bogart’s character performs the small act that redeems him and Bogart and Bacall's characters finally manage to get together. In fact, it's impossible to treat the story seriously and the viewer is left with actors Bogart and Bacall looking glamorous and talking smart. People who like Entertainment Tonight will like this movie.

In 1946, Bogart and Bacall starred in Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep" It was also directed by Howard Hawks and this time, he actually followed the plot of the book. Bogart plays Philip Marlowe who is hired by General Sternwood whose youngest daughter is being blackmailed. Marlowe leads us through a tangled web of lies and deceit. On the way, he meets with Sternwood's older daughter played by Bacall. Marlowe, unlike Sam Spade, is a decent person and is conscious of his actions. He doesn't feel the need to be the toughest person in the movie; he is just trying to get by with his integrity. “The Big Sleep” is notorious for its complicated plot. Many people have tried to summarize it, but few have succeeded. One of the best is on filmsite.org. Check it out if you are still confused after you have seen the movie. Whether you manage to follow the story or not, the writing, the Bogart/Bacall interaction, and the parade of characters will keep you interested.

In 1947, Bogart and Bacall starred in a pretty forgettable thriller called "Dark Passage". Their last movie together was "Key Largo" in 1948, which was directed by John Huston. Not only did I enjoy "Key Largo" more than "The Maltese Falcon", but it is the only John Huston movie in the Keith 150 Collection! Once again, Bogart.plays the reluctant hero to Edward G. Robinson’s villain. But after years of playing second fiddle, Bogart finally gets his ultimate revenge; he plays a war veteran while Edward G. Robinson is still playing a gangster.

Review by Keith MacCrimmon