Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74878 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-11-04
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: NTSC, Closed-captioned, DVD-Video, Subtitled
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .15 pounds
• Running time: 100 minutes

Customer Reviews

Bacall and Bogart together are always worth seeing
I'm not in a position to say how closely the film version of 'To Have and To Have Not' follows the Hemmingway source novel (not very much, from what I understand), but I can say that the film is an absolute gem. Bogart plays a skipper of a fishing boat. As in Casablanca, he is trapped in foreign territory belonging to Vichy France. He cares little about the political situation until his hand is forced and he throws in his lot with the Free French. He's the cynic who turns freedom fighter, and no one does this more convincingly than Bogart. Lauren Bacall is the girl whom he falls in love with and who is the unwitting reason for his conversion. Its incredible to think that this is Bacall's screen debut. She was only nineteen when she made this film, yet her performance sizzles. She oozes more sex appeal than Mae West, and yet has more class than Lana Turner. Bacall and Bogart fell in love while making this film, and it shows. The electricity they generate between the two of them could power Las Vegas for a month.

The dialogue, written by Jules Furthman and William Faulkner, is as sharp as a knife. Howard Hawkes' direction is as masterly as always. Add a good supporting cast, especially Walter Brennan as a 'rummy' and a guest appearance from the singer Hoagey Carmichael, and you have all the ingredients of a classic film, which this certainly is.

Dark Passage is hardly likely to go down as one of Bogart and Bacall's greatest celluloid efforts. Bogart is beginning to look his age. The age difference may not have been that noticeable in 'To Have and To Have Not' and 'Casablanca', but a couple of years down the line and Bogart is beginning to look like Bacall's father.

The film starts with Bogart escaping from prison. We see everything though his eyes - literally. The camera is Bogart. This carries on until half way through the film. There is a reason for this, but I won't spoil it for those who have not seen the film. Although this is quite an intriguing idea, I can't say that it works to any great effect. All it does is make you aware of the camera. Why they would want to keep their star off the screen for half the film is a mystery to me. You literally spend that half of the movie waiting for Bogart to appear. Dark Passage has a 1930s B Movie feel to it, and must have appeared dated when it was released in 1950s. Entertaining enough if you catch it on telly or can borrow a copy, but hardly classic Bogart.

Bogie and Bacall at their best together
This was billed as "Hemingway's To Have and Have Not," but if there is one thing it isn't, it isn't Hemingway's novel. It is a fine quasi-remake of Casablanca (1942) with Humphrey Bogart playing essentially the same kind of character he played in Casablanca, a worldly wise, cynical America ex-pat who doesn't want to get involved in politics as the storm clouds of World War II gather. Instead of a saloon in Casablanca Bogie has a fishing boat in Martinique. Instead of Ingrid Bergman he has Lauren Bacall. Instead of Claude Rains as perfect of police, he has Dan Seymour as Capt. Renard working for the Germans. Instead of Dooley Wilson to play the piano and sing, he has Hoagy Carmichael. Instead of Peter Lorre as a sniveling lowlife, he has Walter Brennan as an alcoholic friend. In either case, Bogie ends up helping the Free French even though he'd rather not get involved.

This was Lauren Bacall's debut. She was 22-years-old and legend has it that she and Bogart, who was in his forties, fell in love during the filming. She plays a sultry babe with a hard edge, and she does it very well. Her famous line, "You know how to whistle, don't you Steve? You just put your lips together and blow" more or less defined her character.

I found Walter Brennan's Eddie annoying, but then I never liked lushes. Dan Seymour is memorable as the portly man with a scar who speaks with weighty precision as he works for the Vichy government. Hoagy Carmichael warbles a tune or two and Dolores Moran looks good enough to eat. Howard Hawks' direction is sharp and focused, although supposedly he was eating his heart out because Bacall preferred Bogart over him.

Clearly this is all about Bogart and Bacall, probably their best work together. They seem delighted with one another. And they were.

Wonderful movie
They dont make them like this any more, never mind that it's the first screen outing for Bogart & Bacall this is a great movie. The chemistry between the two leads is awesome. It's is the story of the little guy standing up to tyranny and winning through guile and determination and in the process getting the girl. Walter Brennan is excellent as the amiable drunk side kick to Bogarts wise cracking anti hero. It is a little like Casablanca but who cares when there are actors of this quality on screen. The ensemble case is excellent, the interplay between Bogart and Bacall is scintillating. Love this movie. It has heart and warmth in its soul.