The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Warner Bros.

January 24, 1948

Adventure?

DVD
D+

The setting, including location shooting, is more interesting than the plot or characters.  Director John Huston adapted B. Traven's novel.

San Quentin

San Quentin

Warner Bros.

August 7, 1937

Crime Drama

DVD
C-

Of course I cared more about the whole soap-opera subplot (warden falls for singer with criminal brother) than, you know, the actual prison stuff.  Lloyd Bacon directed, after 42nd Street and before Action in the North Atlantic, with Bogie.

Roaring Twenties

Roaring Twenties

Warner Bros.

October 28, 1939

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I only made it as far as 1919, but it was interesting seeing Bogie and Cagney together as doughboys.  Raoul Walsh directed, after Band of Angels but before Dark Command and Action in the North Atlantic.

Play It Again, Sam

Play It Again, Sam

Paramount

May 5, 1972

Comedy
DVD
C-

Woody Allen, as "Allan" (yes, with two A's), watches movies, whines, and gets misogynistic advice from his inner Bogey, but it was nice to see early Keaton and Roberts.  Woody wrote but Herbert Ross directed.

Key Largo

Key Largo

Warner Bros.

July 31, 1948

Drama

DVD
C-

I watched this whole movie about a decade ago, but I don't remember much about it.  Anyway, the first quarter hour didn't tempt me to continue this time, although I will say Bacall was the best part.  John Huston directed.

Dark Victory

Dark Victory
Warner Bros.
April 22, 1939
Drama, Romance
DVD
B-

I've of course heard of this movie for years, but the only Bette Davis movie I think I'd watched in full was All About Eve (which I own).  So it was interesting seeing her relatively young and playing a sweeter character, although with many moods and shades to her personality.  It pretty much is just her movie, with everyone else, even a future president, Clarence the angel, and Bogie*, fading into the background.  I thus found the movie entertaining but can't rate it as high as something with a more balanced cast.  Edmund Goulding directed.

*This is, by the way, the fourth out of five Humphrey Bogart movies I've watched all the way through for this blog.  And I'm sure there will be more.

Dark Passage

Dark Passage
Warner Bros.
September 27, 1947
Crime Drama, Romance
DVD
B-

Bogie & Bacall in a strange (e.g. ether-induced hallucination as Bogart's character gets plastic surgery!), at times even corny story that works almost despite itself, helped by San Francisco scenery and an able supporting cast.  Delmer Daves directed and based the screenplay on the David Goodis novel.

Bullets or Ballots

Bullets or Ballots
Warner Bros.
June 6, 1936
Crime Drama
DVD
B-

Not surprisingly, a fourth-billed-but-on-the-rise Bogie is the best thing about this movie, although it is interesting to see him set up as Robinson's rival onscreen.  The script is pretty sharp, although I felt like, despite the Warner Bros. fast pace, it could've actually been tighter, with too much time setting up phone calls and meetings and the like.  (The 1939 radio version, which is included on the DVD, eliminates much of this of course, although I prefer Blondell's version of Lee to Mary Astor's.)  Besides the proto-noirish feel of not knowing who to trust or believe, this movie is notable for actually managing to casually show four African-American performers onscreen together, including of course scene-stealer Louise Beavers.

William Keighley directed this movie a couple years before The Adventures of Robin Hood.

The African Queen

Not 100% accurate

The African Queen
United Artists
March 21, 1952
Historical Drama, Romance
DVD
B

This is set in 1914, at the beginning of World War I and during colonialism, and yet, there's a timeless, even occasionally Edenic quality to this unlikely romance.  (Well, not as unlikely as that movie poster.)  Just as Charlie and Rosie have to go through a lot to fall for each other, this is not a love-at-first-sight movie, and this is maybe my fifth time watching it.  It is a "classic," but not a great movie in my opinion.  Not that there's anything wrong with it; it just doesn't that extra something.  Still, on a blog where it's a small achievement for a movie to get a C, this B is a rare gem. 

Bikel plays the First Officer, while Morley is Hepburn's brother.  John Huston directed and co-wrote the screenplay, based on the C.S. Forester novel.

Action in the North Atlantic

Action in the North Atlantic
Warner Bros
June 12, 1943
War Drama
DVD
D+

Merchant Marines during World War II, so already I'm bored, and the sailors talking crap about women doesn't help.  At least there's a cute kitten to bring this up from a D.

Lloyd Bacon also directed 42nd Street, but apparently Byron Haskin and Raoul Walsh contributed without credit.