To Have and Have Not (1944)
A Martinique charter boat skipper gets mixed up with the underground French resistance operatives during WWII.
The film in which Humphrey Bogart met the nineteen year old Lauren Bacall and one of Hollywood's greatest romances began.
I'll be honest. To Have and Have Not isn't a patch on the film it seemingly tries to emulate - Casablanca (1942) - even though so much of this is similar. Despite this it remains a hugely enjoyable and very witty war time melodrama.
Where To Have and Have Not wins is it's casting of Bacall. Watching her performance there's no way in hell you'd guess she was a mere nineteen years of age. Her screen execution is so mature, her femme fatale wiles better actresses double her age and experience and you can see her relationship with Bogart blossom as the film plays out. It's screen chemistry that can't be acted and some of Bacalls smokily seductive lines in the direction of Bogart are complete come on's, barely even double entendres.
"You know you don't have to act with me, Steve. You don't have to say anything, and you don't have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and... blow."
"I'm hard to get, Steve. All you have to do is ask me." |