Saturday, October 23, 2010

To Have and Have Not(1944).

To Have and Have Not (1944). Directed by Howard Hawks. Cast: Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, in her first film. Loosely based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Hemingway.

Shortly after the fall of France to the Germans, an American named Johnson hires Harry to take him fishing on his boat. The fishing trip does not go very well and Harry decides it best to cancel the rest of the trip. Johnson promises to pay his bill after the banks open the next morning.

Back in Fort de France, Frenchy the bartender, asks Harry to rent him his boat for one night to transport some members of the resistance, but Harry refuses to become involved. Later, in the hotel bar, Harry sees Marie pick Johnson's pocket, and when she leaves the bar, he follows her back up to her room. After which they begin stormy relationship.



Later they are forced to take a job for the resistance transporting a fugitive on the run from the Nazis to Martinique.

The chemistry between Bogart and Bacall is some of the most natural acting I have ever seen on film.



Dolores Moran's brief career as a film actress began in 1942 with a uncredited role in, Yankee Doodle Dandy. By 1943 she had become a popular pin-up girl and appeared on the cover of such magazines as Yank. She was given supporting roles in film, Old Acquaintance (1943).She was promoted along with Lauren Bacall as a new screen personality when they co-starred with Humphrey Bogart in, To Have and Have Not (1944). The film made a star of Bacall, but not for Moran. Probably because Howard Hawk's decision to marginalise Moran in order to boost the screen presence of Bacall.

The Horn Blows at Midnight, gave her a leading role with Jack Benny and Alexis Smith. Unfortunately, She suffered ill health which reduced her ability to work. Her film career ended in 1954 with a featured role in the John Payne and Lizabeth Scott western film, Silver Lode.


6 comments:

  1. Thanks for this post Dawn,I'm a big Bogart(and Bacall) fan and To Have And Have Not is one of my favourite films, like you say the chemistry between them in this film is amazing.
    It's interesting to read about Dolores Moran, I'd often wondered why I had'nt seen her in more movies,it was just bad luck for her that she was overshadowed by Lauren in this film, but then who would'nt have been!!!

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  2. Love this movie, Dawn! Bacall and Bogie -- what a pair! Fun post!

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  3. Paul, I know.. what a bad break for, Dolores Moran. I thought she was a wonderful actress.

    Becky, Thank you. I think this is going to be the next movie I'm going to add to my DVD collection. It is good to see that you still have the internet!

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  4. Dawn, I've already got this movie as part of a 4 film Bogart and Bacall box set and after reading your post I think I might watch it again tonight.

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  5. I haven't made it around to see this film yet. It's talked about so much and excerpted a lot in retrospectives [book and film] that I feel as though I know it already.

    Bogie and Bacall reprise their roles in the Lux Radio version of TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT from Oct 14, 1946. DeMille mentions that the two have just set up housekeeping [where thy use Lux soap flakes, of course].

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  6. Paul, I think that is one of the fun things about the blogs. After reading about a movie, you watch the movie again, or maybe... for the first time.

    Java, Thank you for the link. I will check it out. I think some people still use, Lux soap. :)

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