Now that I've finally finished "The Wire," my film viewing will pick up. I thought that I would go back and see some of the "big name" films that, for one reason or another, I've never viewed. One such is "Key Largo" with Bogart and Edward G. Robinson. Directed by John Huston, I mentioned that I had watched "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" a week or so back, and enjoyed it immensely. This was less spectacular, but also great theatre.
Are there any of you who don't know who Edward G. Robinson is? I suppose there must be, and yet, he is so iconic, so often parodied, played the worst sort of scoundrels and the most lovable pussycats, in some ways he stands virtually by himself in the pantheon of Hollywood stars.
Anyway, I won't recommend "Key Largo" to you, as it is rather tedious in parts, but I do recommend you seek out other films with Humphrey Bogart or Edward G. in them. One is rarely disappointed when either of these to giants fill the screen.
A personal favorite Bogart film is "In a Lonely Place." He plays a Hollywood screenwriter suspected of murdering an ingenue. For most of the film, you really don't know whether he did it or not. It is classified as "Film Noir," but it is missing most of the elements of the genre.
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The only thing I've seen Edward G Robinson in is Double Indemnity, and he was my favorite part of the movie. I thought he did a great job.
ReplyDeleteBogart... I think at some point in my life I have seen The African Queen, but I'll be damned if I could remember any of it. I just know that it's one of my mothers favorite movies. The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca have been on my list of things to watch for a while now. I actually think I've got Casablanca on DVD. I don't think it's ever been opened. My brother brought it home a few years ago but he never watched it.
Yeah see how could anyone not know who Edward G. Robinson is see. Yeah see I saw him get made fun of loads of times yeah see.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I ever saw Bogart in is The Caine Mutiny. He was very good as Lieutenant Commander Philip Francis Queeg aka old yellowstain. Yeah see it was a good movie worth watching.
I never saw Casablanca except for the ending.
I'm disappointed to say that I'm not sure if I have ever seen each of these characters in a movie but I could be wrong. I must reconcile this wrong as quick as possible. But I have luckily heard of both of them.
ReplyDeleteGiven the way Danny's post sounded with the "yea see's", I too have indeed seen Robinson spoofed and didn't even know it. What role was that where he kept saying "yea, see"?
ReplyDeleteLittle Caesar.
ReplyDeleteJesus I don't know why I always feel personally insulted when people haven't seen a Humphrey Bogart movie. I need to get a grip.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I actually really loved Key Largo. I got the Bogie and Bacall box set a few years ago and I think it's my favorite out of those movies. Coincidentally it's the first movie I ever saw with Edward G. Robinson (or Emmanuel Goldenberg. Whatever.) I don't think its a tremendously original movie but if I remember correctly, the screenplay was well written and the acting was uniformly tremendous.