The Frame » Humphrey Bogart

The Desperate Hours

Jandy — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:52:02 +0000

In one of his last film roles, Bogart plays an escaped convict who takes a suburban family hostage in their home until his girlfriend can arrive with the money he needs to complete his escape. Unfortunately, she’s delayed and the hostage situation continues for two days, growing more and more intense. Fredric March is great at the father torn between telling the police and protecting his family by staying quiet.
Above Average

They Drive By Night

Jandy — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:49:31 +0000

Humphrey Bogart and George Raft play truck driver brothers, trying to get ahead before they get killed (who knew truck driving was so dangerous?), or, you know, framed into murder plots by Ida Lupino–their boss’s wife who has amorous designs on Raft, despite his much healthier relationship with a young Ann Sheridan (whose acting does, however, leave something to be desired). There’s some interest here–Bogart before he got big (Raft was much the bigger star at the time, which is a bit mind-boggling, because he seems to me to have a very forgettable face, but then I’m coming into the film with an established love for Bogey), Ida Lupino very shortly before she bucked the system and moved into directing, some nice pre-noirish touches. It’s a very good example of the Warner studio style, but beyond that, not terribly distinguished.
Above Average

The Petrified Forest

Jandy — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:53:43 +0000

AKA Humphrey Bogart’s first real Hollywood film, playing the tough-guy criminal role that typecast him until the early 1940s. As Duke Mantee, he takes a desert gas station hostage when his getaway car breaks down. The station/diner is run by Bette Davis, who recently met and became enamored of philosophical traveler Leslie Howard. They are ostensibly the main characters, but honestly, Bogart owns the film. Davis is quite good as well, but the film would’ve been better if Bogart had shot Howard’s character immediately to save us from his inane ramblings.
Above Average

The African Queen

Jandy — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:14:45 +0000

I’ve heard about this for so long and seen so many random clips and heard so many random lines that I don’t know how often I checked it off on lists as having seen it. Even though I hadn’t. But now I have! Go me. Kate and Bogie make this work, because honestly, the story, not all that cohesive. But their star power packs enough punch to make up for it. And also, leeches ugh. *shudder* Remind me that I don’t want to take a trip down an African river on an itty-bitty steam ship. But yeah, overall, I wasn’t as impressed was I wanted to be.
Above Average

In a Lonely Place

Jandy — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 04:57:51 +0000

This has been on my list literally forEVER. Back since the days my best friend and I were total Humphrey Bogart fangirls. In other words, ten years or so. Why I never watched it before this, I couldn’t say…clearly my life would have been more complete if I had watched it earlier. Okay, veering into hyperbole. But the point is, this film is better than I ever expected it to be, better than most films noires, better than most classic films, and better than most current films. The acting is perfect, and in fact makes the term “acting” seem almost irrelevant. Bogart isn’t “acting” here…he is BEING Dix Steele. And it takes quite an actress to hold her own on the screen with Bogart, but Gloria Grahame does that and more…she becomes the center of the film, almost, the character we care about, the one we identify with. The story, basically, Bogart is the last person seen with a young girl before she is murdered, and thus is a likely suspect. His neighbor Grahame turns out to be his alibi, and soon, she is his inspiration (he is an all-but-washed-up Hollywood screenwriter) and his possible savior from his life of loneliness and despair. And the wonderful thing is that while you’d think that finding out who killed the young girl would be the focus of a film like this, it isn’t…the murder is horribly important, but it’s important because of the effect it has on Bogart, on Grahame, and on them as a couple. The entire thing is raw, it’s visceral, it grabs your attention and won’t let go. It is certainly the best film I’ve seen this year, and probably in a lot longer. And it has not dated one little bit.
Superior