If this was a column on alcohol I would be writing about Bacardi's Silver Peach. Mostly because that's what I'm drinking as I write this. I just got off from another long day at the world's biggest sweat shop(It starts with a W), and when is there a better time to write than when drinking and listening to Modest Mouse's Dashboard?
This week I'm writing about a classic pairing. Not a combination of actors, but of a series of films that forever will be remembered as staples of the actor and director that made them. Humphrey Bogart and John Huston made six films together. Both Bogart and director Huston made several amazing films, but both men's careers will forever be linked to each other. It's impossible to speak of either man's career without mentioning the work they did together. Rarely has there ever been a pairing of an actor and director so successful and memorable. So memorable for me that I thought I'd throw out a few thoughts on each of the six films they made together.
The Maltese Falcon
This has to be one the slickest movies ever made. The story moves fast and there's never down time. Very few directors have ever matched Huston's pacing and masculine style of cool. Bogart's most famous role is easily as Rick from Casablanca, but his portrayal as Sam Spade in this film may just be his most enjoyable. Private eye Spade is always one step ahead of those who try to use and trick him(there are many). In his star-making performance, Bogart excels as the cold good guy. No matter if he's jumped or being held at gunpoint, Spade never rattles. Sam Spade must navigate his way through lies, tricks and homicide as he deals with a long line of characters who all want the same thing, a bronze statue known as The Maltese Falcon. It's Huston's fast pace, Bogart's star power and probably the most colorful supporting cast ever that makes The Maltese Falcon one of the greatest movies of all time.
Across the Pacific
Do you like the show 24? I love it, but when I watch it occasionally I'm reminded of the formula for the character of Jack Bauer. He's a character that isn't immortal, but always seems to end up having the right answer and winning. I'm not claiming there's a direct reference, but it's Humphrey Bogart all the way. In Across the Pacific, Bogart plays an undercover military officer who tries to unravel a plot to attack the Panama Canal by the Japanese. Hey, that's an entire season of 24 right there! The movie itself is very fun. There's no attempt at greatness, but the meaning is more for being a vehicle for Bogie following his success of The Maltese Falcon. What Across the Pacific ends up being is a very entertaining action flick. The only draw back is the extreme amount of racism toward the Japanese, but being PC isn't always everything. Besides, considering this movie was made in the 1940's, it probably was PC for the time.
Key Largo
Key Largo was the third in a series of four pairings between Bogart and his wife, Lauren Bacall. The movie is always referenced as a strong classic, but I've never found it as such. The film is slow and builds to a finale that is underwhelming. Humphrey Bogart is, as always, the anti-hero. Former military, Bogart's held hostage by Edward G. Robinson's character of gangster, Johnny Rocco. Bogart tries to fight his nature to try and save the day, but by the end of the movie Bogart makes his final stand and it's just a small gunfight on a boat. The movie has one real strong point though. Edward G. Robinson is fantastic as the mafia boss on the run. Robinson plays the role of an ego maniac with both aggression and pettiness. It's by far one of Edward G. Robinson's better roles. On the other hand, Bacall's role is that of just "the girl". In all of her other three pairings with Bogie her characters at least have some depth. The real weak spot is the script. John Huston builds the tension between Bogart and Robinson with a lot strength, but in the end it's the lack of payoff in the story that makes this the weakest teaming of Bogart and Huston.
The African Queen
Every one of the collaborations between John Huston and Humphrey Bogart is considered a classic, but out of the six films they made together three are held as all time greats. The three films are The Maltese Falcon, Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The African Queen. All three movies you'll find on any 100 greatest list. My opinion of the films is somewhat equal to that evaluation, but one has to be at the end of the pack. The African Queen can't match the slickness of Falcon and Sierra Madre is just far more amazing, but it's still great in it's own right. The story is of a missionary(Katherine Hepburn) and a hobo(Bogart) teaming up to ram a German battleship in Nazi occupied Africa during WWII. The African Queen is pure fun. It's one of the great adventure movies ever made. It's not the best Huston/Bogart combination, but it's up there.
Beat the Devil
When I write my "A Guide to" columns I always throw in an unknown film for the fun of it. This isn't so much of "A Guide to", but Beat the Devil would be the unknown film. There's no attempt at greatness with Beat the Devil. In fact, it seems at times as if Bogart and Huston are simply poking fun at the type of films that made the two famous. The story is about a group of thieves who travel to Africa to run away with a fortune. Beat the Devil isn't going to be making any lists any time soon, but for fans of Bogart and Huston it's a good time. Just two guys with a sense of humor making fun of themselves. It's nowhere near the best Bogart/Huston flick, but it's not bad. Just plain fun.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
I had to save the best for last. The other five Huston/Bogart pairings all have their moments, but none match The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. It's the story of three men who join together to mine gold and run off with a fortune. It may sound simple enough, but what happens when a fourth man comes in and threatens to tell everyone if you don't cut him in? What happens when Bogart realizes that the treasure splits one way much better than three? The simple idea of mining gold and gaining a fortune becomes anything but simple. The Treasure of Sierra Madre is maybe the greatest adventure movie ever made. It's tense, action-packed, funny and just about every good thing a movie can be. It's by far John Huston's best movie and Humphrey Bogart's best display of acting. Bogart's character of Fred C. Dobbs boils down to being the bad guy. After Bogart became a superstar with The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca that was a turn you rarely saw. As I said, I saved the best for last. After all, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is probably one of the top 25 movies ever made! It's that good!
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As I did with my Butch Cassidy/Sting Showdown column a few weeks ago, I went back and watched these movies. I happen to own five of the six of them anyway. I probably could've written this column on memory alone, but it's much more enjoyable getting fresh opinions of the films. The combination of John Huston and Humphrey Bogart may very well be the greatest actor/director duo ever(though De Niro/Scorsese might have something to say about that). Both men were very macho and it was that masculinity that set the tone for Bogart and Huston's relationship. Either way, these films are some of the best cinema I've ever witnessed. I hope all who read this have seen all six. I'm sure you can get them for free at your local library. Oh well, until next time.....
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| Out of the Past |
Every other Thursday
Discussing classic films from City Lights to Apocalypse
Now and everything in between and beyond.
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| Andy York |
Andy is a life long movie fanatic. The first movie he saw in the theater was Back to the Future, Part 2 at the age of 3 and he has loved movies ever since.
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