The first time I saw this film I was still a kid, and I hated the film. But that was a scratchy print on the late late show. Now, over 40 years later I watched it again with a beautiful print on TCM, and what a different viewpoint I have of the film. But I will start out with one big criticism. The artwork on the scenery is just the worst I've ever seen in any film.
There are really two stories here. The first we come across is the meeting of Bette Davis (a somewhat sophisticated young lady who is stuck at her father's gas station/restaurant in eastern Arizona near the Petrified Forest) and Leslie Howard (a world traveler who plays a man who is...well, what I always think of when I see Howard...wistful). Davis is attracted to Howard because he is an intellectual, and she wants a life beyond rural Arizona.
Then a wanted murderer comes to the gas station/restaurant -- Duke Mantee -- a superb role for Humphrey Bogart, although afterwards he starred or co-starred in quite a few forgettable B movies before gaining more recognition and better parts. Mantee has a different effect on the various characters. Davis seems to admire Leslie Howard all the more. Howard seems to find a destiny in an otherwise empty and unfulfilling life. Gramps is excited to meet another murderer (he had once known Billy The Kid).
If you think is a Humphrey Bogart film, you're wrong, although it did bring him to Hollywood. This movie very much belongs to Leslie Howard. He is excellent, as is Davis. Bogart is, in my view, more menacing there than any of his other gangster films.
There are several good supporting performances here. Genevieve Tobin is very good as the socialite. Charley Grapewin is excellent as Gramp Maple. Paul Harvey is good as the rich husband of the socialite. The worst performance here (not to mention a really dumb character) is Dick Foran as a foolish football player.
Highly recommended, although I have a hunch this won't show up on many DVD shelves...it's almost too intellectual.
There are really two stories here. The first we come across is the meeting of Bette Davis (a somewhat sophisticated young lady who is stuck at her father's gas station/restaurant in eastern Arizona near the Petrified Forest) and Leslie Howard (a world traveler who plays a man who is...well, what I always think of when I see Howard...wistful). Davis is attracted to Howard because he is an intellectual, and she wants a life beyond rural Arizona.
Then a wanted murderer comes to the gas station/restaurant -- Duke Mantee -- a superb role for Humphrey Bogart, although afterwards he starred or co-starred in quite a few forgettable B movies before gaining more recognition and better parts. Mantee has a different effect on the various characters. Davis seems to admire Leslie Howard all the more. Howard seems to find a destiny in an otherwise empty and unfulfilling life. Gramps is excited to meet another murderer (he had once known Billy The Kid).
If you think is a Humphrey Bogart film, you're wrong, although it did bring him to Hollywood. This movie very much belongs to Leslie Howard. He is excellent, as is Davis. Bogart is, in my view, more menacing there than any of his other gangster films.
There are several good supporting performances here. Genevieve Tobin is very good as the socialite. Charley Grapewin is excellent as Gramp Maple. Paul Harvey is good as the rich husband of the socialite. The worst performance here (not to mention a really dumb character) is Dick Foran as a foolish football player.
Highly recommended, although I have a hunch this won't show up on many DVD shelves...it's almost too intellectual.