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The screen adaption of Ernest Hemingway's To Have and Have Not enjoys its place in cinematic history because it is the first screen teaming of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Turns out to have been a personal milestone for the both of them as well.

I was watching my VHS copy of To Have and Have Not today and included was the movie trailer and in it Warner Brothers announced it was introducing two exciting new screen personalities, Lauren Bacall and Dolores Moran. Ms. Moran was pretty enough and gave a nice performance as the wife of the resistance leader, but some careers take off and some don't. Didn't hurt Lauren that she married her leading man either.

The location of our story is Martinique right after the fall of France in 1940. As a French colonial possession Martinique fell into the hands of the Vichy collaborationist government. They didn't get free of them until 1943, months after the Germans occupied all of France in November of 1942.

Humphrey Bogart is an expatriate American along the lines of his Richard Blaine character in Casablanca. He doesn't own a swank nightclub, he's just got a charter fishing boat that lives on and runs with an alcoholic pal, Walter Brennan. But like in Casablanca, a shooting in a nightclub of his client Walter Sande gets him involved with the local Vichy police and the politics of the island.

It also gets him involved with Lauren Bacall who's just looking for a way to get back to the USA. She's not above a little light fingered action to help herself, but all that does is get her introduced to Bogey. And their sizzling scenes made cinematic history.

To Have and Have Not is fortunate to have the presence of Hoagy Carmichael one of the greatest musical talents America ever produced. He plays Cricket, the club piano player and he sings and plays Hong Kong Blues one of his greatest songs. Hoagy also wrote for this film, How Little We Know, which Bacall sings for her supper.

Dan Seymour and Sheldon Leonard play a couple of especially smarmy Vichy police officials. They have the upper hand until the very end when tables get turned rather suddenly. The only two film I've ever seen something turn that quickly is John Ford's Wagonmaster and the Richard Widmark police drama, Madigan. You can only push Bogey just so far.

Even in revivals today when Lauren Bacall tells Bogey all he need do is whistle and she'll come running, the whistles of affection will go up in theater. As well they should.

This film has nothing to do with the Ernest Hemingway's book, which is not one of his best novels. Howard Hawks took a big gamble in trying to have the great Hemingway write the screen treatment, but Papa didn't comply with the request. Instead, Mr. Hawks hired two other writers to work on the scenario for this movie, William Faulkner and Jules Furthman, not too shabby a combination! Mr. Hawks had an enormous talent for giving the American public films that were entertaining, as well as well crafted. Mr. Hawks is responsible for discovering Lauren Bacall, a young model from New York with no experience in the cinema. Well, Mr. Hawk's instinct paid handsomely as Lauren Bacall went to have a fabulous career of her own.

This film is interesting as well, for it marked the beginning of the romance between Mr. Bogart and Ms. Bacall. Their love is there in front of the viewers to see. This movie shows us a Bogey with a heart. He was an actor that excelled in this type of picture and under Mr. Hawks's direction, his Capt. Morgan makes a remarkable impression.

The story has all the right ingredients to keep us interested in what is going on with all these characters in Martinique. World War II makes a detour and comes to the island.

The cast for this movie is first rate. Humphrey Bogart is a tough Capt. Morgan who falls head over heels for young and lovely "Slim" Browning, a mysterious young woman who loves adventure. Ms. Bacall has a way to sing a song that makes it unique because of her sense of style. Both these stars smolder the screen in their love scenes.

Walter Brennan plays Eddie, the drunken sailor that helps Morgan take tourists on fishing junkets. Marcel Dalio, is Frenchy, the owner of the local hotel; he is the one responsible for putting Morgan in touch with the partisans operating in the island. Dolores Moran and Walter Szurovy are the De Bursac, who are smuggled into the island by Morgan, at his own risk; they are sought by the local branch of the Gestapo.

Hoagy Carmichael, the great musician puts an appearance as Cricket, a pianist that entertains at the hotel lounge. The three musical numbers are done flawlessly. Mr. Carmichael's rendition of "Hong Kong blues" stays in one's mind forever. Also we hear two other of his songs, "Am I blue?", and a sultry rendition by Lauren Bacall of his hit, "How little we know". Hearing sung by Bacall makes any other interpretation superfluous.

This is a film to see to enjoy great acting under the magnificent direction of Howard Hawks.

Well, was you? That's Eddie's (Walter Brennan) inexorable question all throughout "To Have and Have Not" to anyone within earshot. And it's only the 3rd or 4th best line in the movie. Seems there's this one line where one person tries to teach another person how to whistle. And another one after a passionate kiss when a gal tells a guy that it's even better when he helps. Duh! But I like what happens after yet another passionate smooch between Bogie and Bacall. She pulls away and says to him, "You need a shave," after which she immediately love-slaps his unshaven face. It's her way of telling him without words that she's attracted to him and she really doesn't give a good hoot whether he shaves or not.

By now, just about everyone knows that this movie is all about "Steve" (Humphrey Bogart) and "Slim" (Lauren Bacall). In their first movie together, the two exhibit an explosive chemistry rarely seen from any other actor-actress combo. As one watches the movie, with the great Howard Hawks putting the two thru their various paces, one simultaneously imagines the two of them falling in love offscreen -- which they did! -- just as they do in this movie. For more on this, I highly recommend Lauren's autobiography -- "By Myself." In that book, she talks about the two of them sneaking around to see each other like a couple of teenagers -- which she was! As I recall, Bogie was still married at the time -- though estranged from Mayo Methot.

As for "T H a H N," there are many other fine elements that make it well worth one's time. A pretty good storyline revolving around the Free French contesting the Vichy French (Nazi collaborators) in Martinique during the early days of World War II. A strong supporting cast much reminiscent of the one in "Casablanca." Great dialogue by novelist William Faulkner and Jules Furthman. Also, a strong musical score ("Am I Blue?" -- "How Little We Know" -- "Hong Kong Blues") by Hoagy Carmichael with a strong assist from Johnny Mercer.

In a very good Humphrey Bogart movie, which this certainly is, one would never suspect that a young ingenue actress, with little training or experience, could scene-steal from a polished veteran like Bogie. And I won't say that she does such in this movie. I do know that she did not want to and was not trying to (her autobiography). The fact is, however, that it took a star actor of Bogie's magnitude to keep Betty from dominating the screen with her earthy sex appeal and pure luminescence. Her sashay out of the bar in the last scene here is enough to make any man weak in the knees. No wonder Bogie tumbled! Both onscreen and off!

So ..... tell me, now ..... WAS you ever bit by a dead bee?

This is almost a clone of the more-famous "Casablanca".....and almost as good! The film is very entertaining from the get-go with all three leading actors a lot of fun to watch. I am referring to Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart and Walter Brennan.

This was Bacall's first film. She was 19 years old, looked 30 and never looked better. Her face, at that time, was stunningly beautiful, mesmerizing at times. So is her dialog, capped off by the famous line, asking Bogart if he knows how to whistle. It isn't just the line, it's the way she says it.....and Bogart's reaction. Bogart is outstanding, just as he was in Casablanca. Same type of character: an apolitical American overseas who reluctantly winds up helping fight the Nazis. As for Brennan, normally I don't find drunks appealing, just sloppy and obnoxious. However, Brenenan is neither here; he''s simply fun to watch and someone you can't help but like. I think he was one of the more underrated actors of his time.

The story had a good blend of intrigue, action, suspense, comedy, beautiful women, great characters and great dialog. It''s too bad it has nowhere near the notoriety of Casablanca. It 's only a small notch below it.

A good movie with weird and wonderful touches. It's not quite as good as its best scenes, but it's got a quirky sense of humor and honor. Like Bacall calling Bogart "Steve" throughout the movie. Or Hoagy Carmichael's odd musical numbers. Or the casting of Walter Brennan opposite Bogart - two more different styles of acting you will never find.

What makes it all work is the white hot chemistry between the two leads.

Most film fans know the famous bet made between Ernest Hemingway and legendary director Howard Hawks (SCARFACE, BRINGING UP BABY). Hawks claimed he could make a good film out of Hemingway's worst novel. He does and Hemingway hopefully paid up. The great author must have forgot the star power Hawks had in access to in Bogart and Walter Brennan because that is exactly what drives the film. They are backed by the writing of William Faulkner and the direction of Hawks, who is always able to have his actors deliver slick lines quickly and effectively to have the story run smoothly. Oh yeah, an actress named Betty Bacall makes her debut opposite these screen legends and makes what I consider the most auspicious debuts of any actress from the 1940's. She meshes well with Bogie, trading quips and matching her future hubby line for line. The real star of TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT is Howard Hawks, a director who could create comedy, suspense, and art amidst a rather dull story.

I never read Hemingway's novel, so I couldn't tell you whether it was his worst. I believe Hemingway made the gesture and Hawks showed him up. Notice touches of the previous year's all-time classic CASABLANCA (this time the owner of the foreign booze bar is the roulette manager from CASABLANCA). World War II is a backdrop, Bogie is a cynic with that heart of gold, and he helps his "rummy" buddy, played by Walter Brennan. Bogie helped the low-life likes of Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet in 'Blanca and in this one, his scenes with Brennan are comic relief. Brennan plays a funny drunk who is prone to spilling his guts after a few rums. Bogie's "Harry Morgan" rents his boat to rich Americans for fishing and will lend a hand towards the French war effort with his sailing skills much like his power to give the infamous "letters of transport" to Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid. Similarities aside, there is an original piece of work to see in this well-paced semi-thriller, with Bogie, Bacall, and Hawks to send them sailing into cinematic history.

"Just put your lips together and blow," will live in filmgoer's minds forever, as will the fact that Bogart and Bacall practically fall in love right in front of our eyes. A problem I had with the film was the annoying interference of the copycat (CASABLANCA) French police. Sorry, no Claude Rains to add some spice to it. I understand the movie contrasts starkly with the novel, depicting the characters at an earlier age. It is predictable and you know which girl is Bogart's. It is entertaining to see Walter Brennan squirm and tick as a hopeless alcoholic who can't seem to remember a conversation that took place 5 minutes prior. True, Hawks has no official writing credit, but the film has that Hawks touch because of the humor and genuine quality the main characters present. TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT is a picture to sit back and watch as brash, Hollywood filmmaking of the 1940's and a nice piece of classic Hawks who moved onto THE BIG SLEEP with Bogart and Bacall soon after. Its good but not the best of Hawks or Bogart.

RATING: 7 OF 10

Loosely based on Ernest Hemmingway's novel, To Have And Have Not features crisp dialogue, seamless direction from Howard Hawks and top tier acting. But be that as it may, the film is best remembered for the coupling of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, who quickly took their on screen romance out into the real world. The rest as they say is history.

The story is set in the Caribbean city of Fort de France, Martinique, shortly after the fall of France to the Germans. Harry 'Steve' Morgan (Bogart) is a world wise fishing boat captain who is wanted to do a secretive people smuggle from a nearby island for the French Resistance. Initially very reluctant, Harry has to take on the job when a series of events leave him flat broke. Also into his life comes Marie 'Slim' Browning (Bacall), an American pickpocket who has come to the island more by default than design. So with his alcoholic pal in tow {Walter Brennan} and the Gestapo breathing down his neck, Harry has a whole heap of issues suddenly making his once neutral and tranquil life explosive.

Legend has it that Hemingway & Hawks were involved in a debate one day during one of their fishing trips in Florida. The out-shot of that argument was that Hawks proclaimed he could make a winner of a movie out of what he considered was Hemingway's worst novel, To Have & Have Not. Hawks duly delivered this hugely endearing, often funny and entertaining movie that is a lesson in on screen chemistry and finely tuned writing {Jules Furthman and William Faulkner}. The similarities to Casablanca are many, so in that, this is weak by comparison. In fact dig away the buzzing like atmosphere here and you find a pretty weak plot. But in its purest escapist form the film is a triumph. Savvy, sexy and not short on suspense, To Have And Have Not holds up to its classic status. 8/10

Set during the first few months of World War II, this Howard Hawks thriller stars Humphrey Bogart as a politically neutral American living overseas who reluctantly becomes instrumental in the safe transportation of a French Resistance fighter and his loyal wife. From such a plot summary alone, 'To Have and Have Not' might sound a lot like 'Casablanca', and the influence is hard to deny. To the film's credit, lead actress Lauren Bacall is arguably more effective than Ingrid Bergman and some of the dialogue matches 'Casablanca' in how snappy it is ("I'd walk home if wasn't for all the water" plus the famous whistling line), however, generally speaking, this comes off as a pale version of 'Casablanca'. Bogart's character does not have heartbreak or much in the way of cynicism to overcome, the supporting characters are nowhere near as colourful or charismatic and the film's patriotic stance is really drilled in towards the end. All the acclaim thrown Bacall's way over the years is very much justified though with every dialogue exchange between herself and Bogie ranging from memorable to utterly breathtaking. The film is sadly nowhere near as electric in the moments when Bacall is not on screen (and she is absent from around half the film), but the chemistry between the two main players is enough to recommend the film throughout its lulls.

The success of "Casablanca" two years before undoubtedly influenced the writing of this film, which started as an adaptation of a book by Hemingway. Most of the plot and details from that book were jettisoned. The final script has Humphrey Bogart playing a business owner in a Vichy-controlled French colony who is drawn into political intrigue despite the fact that he normally avoids such involvement.

Bogart's Steve is a libertarian at heart. He believes in a "live and let live" approach to life. Don't bother him--or his friends, or those who are unable to defend themselves--and he will not bother you. His sidekick is Eddie, a "rummy" who depends on Steve. Eddie (Walter Brennan) is a liability because he talks too much, but he is more than a dependent; he is "family". Steve runs his charter fishing service and Eddie drinks the beer.

As the internal politics heat up in Martinique, Steve largely avoids being affected, though the increase in regulations are beginning to chafe. What motivates him to step outside his carefully maintained neutrality is a woman. He meets "Slim"--played by Lauren Bacall--a young woman with a dubious past, whose smoky presence alters the equilibrium of Steve's life.

Shot in B&W on a sound stage--like "Casablanca"--"To Have and Have Not" has a moody, noir feeling that sometimes feels claustrophobic, as if the outside world does not exist. "Key Largo" has a similar mood. The lighting is a large part of this atmosphere. The music also plays a significant role, with Hoagy Carmichael's piano playing alternating between jazzy, sultry and tropical. Lauren Bacall's husky singing voice is the perfect complement.

Watch for Sheldon Leonard who plays "muscle" for the mean-spirited Vichy authority who disrupts Steve's world. (An interesting comparison is Leonard's role as Harry the Horse in "Guys and Dolls", 1955).

In the end, it is Bacall who steals the show. Her presence is the star whose gravity affects the orbits of every actor in the scene. Her little dance at the end of the film totally changes our perception of the ending and our belief what the future holds for this new family trio.

"To Have and Have Not" is notable mainly for an electric first teaming of soon-to-be marrieds Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, and this free adaptation of a Hemingway story gives the stars plenty of time to shine. Bacall in particular steals the show with her checkered suits and her husky voice 'You know how to whistle, don't you? Put your lips together and blow.'

'The Look' was certainly an accurate description of this fine lady's first screen appearance. In support is comical Walter Brennan, as Bogart's drunken pal. Most memorable are the sequences where Bacall 'sings' (according to legend with the vocal help of Andy Williams!) to Hoagy Carmichael's accompaniment; and the lazy, sexy repartee between the two leads. A sizzling 40s confection from the great Howard Hawks.

This film is barely passable. While Bogart is one of my favourites; this film is just a knock-off of "Casablanca": it is set during WWII, in a an area controlled by the Vichy French, involving a couple who Bogart helps move around against the wishes of the police, one of the characters plays a piano, much of it is set in a bar, after a shooting the bar is closed by the cops, Bogart helps out the resistance reluctantly, Bogart tries to send the girl away. It even has a Sidney Greenstreet and a Peter Lorre impersonator.

And as for the ending--what a load of old toss. While modern Hollywood films suffer from the never-ending ending; this film does the opposite. It feels as if they all had another film to get to.

It is a disgrace that this film is now scoring 8.1 here. Just having Bogart and Bacall does not make a film good--and here is the proof.

... Bogart is held in high esteem for his career of acting. He was just that damn good.

Forget all of the top ten lists, awards, honorable mentions, etc. It's really hard to put a finger on it exactly, but his ability to transform what in a script is a mediocre character with average, even sometimes corny lines, into someone who you always seem to be rooting for - someone who's delivery is always convincing - has to be proof of natural skill.

The interplay between he and Bacall is some of the most unforced, natural acting ever to grace the big screen. And what could be sexier than Bacall's flirting before they kissed? One not to be missed.

There's not a lot of difference from before, as Martinique trumps Morocco and takes the floor, for two people to engage, to take true love right off the page, along with passion, feeling, fire, it's still amour. This time it's Steve, or is it Harry, could it be Rick, who sides against the baddies with their stick, although Dan Seymour isn't Claude, and his accent is a fraud, Slim as Ilsa brings the right amount of click. Perhaps events that happened away from the screens, suggests this film has more importance than it seems, but I'm not sure just what arouses, Lauren's interest in those trouser, as men of a certain age, should not wear jeans.

In the grand irresistible allure of "Casablanca", "To Have and Have Not" is by most standards, an excellent picture. Like the previous year's more famous film, it has the elements of a cinematic great. Excellent cast, witty dialogue and sharp direction by the multi talented director Howard Hawks ("Bringing Up Baby", "Only Angels Have Wings", "His Girl Friday", "The Big Sleep") make this a wonderful movie going experience.

I cannot judge Ernest Hemmingway's novel as I have never read the book. The screenplay successfully combined elements of suspense, romance, wit and drama. Bogie was great in another cynical, tough guy role, although a routine facade for his days at Warner. Walter Huston gives a funny performance as his alcoholic consumed friend Eddie and Lauren Bacall, in her memorable debut performance as "Slim" pairs off with Bogie extremely well.

Possibly one of the best thrillers of the 1940s.

Rating: 8/10

To Have and Have Not (1944)

Is this the first post-modern film? Or the first total rip-off? Even the writer William Faulkner is in on recasting (and making almost invisible) Ernest Hemingway's novel.

But this says "Casablanca" all over it, from the opening shot of a map on. Then throw in Humphrey Bogart and a Sidney Greenstreet wannabe, have an engaging piano player at the center of the popular nightclub, and set it in an exotic part of the French Empire where the war is raging but you can hardly tell. Director Howard Hawks seems to be winking all the way to the box office and no one else seems to know it.

Not that people aren't trying hard. Certainly the romance has gone from some archetypal, dreamy impossibility (with Ingrid Bergman in "Casablanca") to a very earthy and valid (and real) romance with Lauren Bacall. That's actually a big reason this movie has such fame, because the Bogart/Bacall chemistry is right there for us to watch, and I mean the people, not the characters. Another reason is Walter Brennan, who is so odd and so convincing at the same time you have to wonder. I think Hoagy Carmichael has to be appreciated, too, more than he usually is. He has a major secondary role, and is in the movie more than almost anyone, playing the piano in all kinds of moods...and really playing it, and singing, too (along with Bacall, a little).

But all this stuff never actually gels the way it should. It's almost like it knows it's imitative and so it doesn't try for actual high stakes drama or romance. If you think otherwise, give "Casablanca" another look, and besides much better screen writing, and much better photography, you'll see some basic emotional wires attached that are only superficial here--the War itself, for one thing, and patriotism, and love lost (rather than just love found), and sacrifice of all kinds. And some character actors to beat the band--there is no one here to match Peter Lorre, or Sidney Greenstreet.

These are fair comparisons because Hawks invites them. But since it is all knowing, does that make this a commercial one-off, the director and his buddy Bogart winking, at least, at each other? Maybe. Or maybe it's the first dip into an irony about movies, and about the reality and artificiality that goes with that, that is deliberate and yet can't show its hand too clearly because the audience is frankly not as jaded and cold as the people making the movies. It's a really fun movie, but it'll keep you on the surfaces, and if you want depth, don't be disappointed.

Another in the series of Bogie and Bacall films that others rave about, but which left me cold.

I don't even remember the plot of this film, but you're not supposed to watch these films for the plots anyway. Like "The Big Sleep" two years later, the point of Bogie and Bacall films are Bogie and Bacall. If their hard-boiled style of playing off one another works for you, then you're going to love this movie and any of their other films. But if not, then there's not much else here to keep your interest.

This is the first time I'd ever seen Lauren Bacall as a young actress, and I was astounded at how deep her voice was. There's a scene in which a large group of men and Bacall are gathered around a piano, and this deep voice begins a song. I kept looking around the frame, trying to find the man who was singing, only to realize that it was Bacall. My goodness, that woman ate her spinach!

Grade: B-

I've never read Ernest Hemingway's novel, but I'm aware that Hemingway felt this was his worst novel, and that apparently he and director Howard Hawks made some sort of wager that Hawks could turn this into a good movie. Sorry, but in my view, Hawks lost the wager. No doubt he had access to a great cast. Humphrey Bogart played the lead character of Harry Morgan - a fishing boat captain on the French island of Martinique during World War II who gets caught up in helping the French Resistance. The cast also featured Walter Brennan as his rummy sidekick Eddie, and this was Lauren Bacall's film debut as Morgan's love interest Slim. Even Hoagy Carmichael appears as the piano playing Cricket. So, the cast is great; the story unfortunately less so.

To me, it came across as a weak successor to the previous year's classic "Casablanca." In that classic, Bogie dealt with the challenge of helping the French Resistance and dealing with the Vichy authorities in North Africa. The idea is the same here, with the action transferred to the French West Indies. But the story takes a very long time in developing - it takes about an hour before we really know what's happening. That opening hour deals largely with Morgan's business relationship with Mr. Johnson, who rented his boat for fishing - which really had little to do with the story as it finally developed, and - admittedly just my opinion - Lauren Bacall is not the world's greatest singer! Where "Casablanca" provided an interesting study of the dilemma of French officials who had to choose between Vichy or de Gaulle, there was none of that here. The Vichy officials portrayed seem to have no hesitations or second thoughts about serving Vichy. In the end, everything seemed to fall together far too easily. There was no great build-up of suspense; neither was there any release of tension as it ended. It's certainly worth watching for fans of Bogie and Bacall, but in all honesty it's not a great movie.

Harry Morgan owns a fishing boat for hire on the small island of Martinique. France has fallen and tensions are high, although Harry is happy to stay out of it and just earn his money. However an offer to carry some revolutionaries off the island sees him caught up in police suspicions when the deal comes to light. This, combined with his attraction to fellow American "Slim" Browning forces Harry to re-evaluate his "out for himself" values.

Although the continued success of this film owes a lot to the pairing of Bogart and Bacall, there is enough going for the rest of the film to make it stand up down the years. The plot is very interesting in Hawks look at a man who tries to take a distanced approach to the problem of others before standing up to be counted; I don't know enough about the period to really know what context he was putting this forward in but it is still interesting enough and does make the character of Steve/Harry a lot more complex. The plot goes down a standard road of wartime thriller but it is still very engaging and well told. The direction is top notch and has a real sense of atmosphere despite the production being limited to soundstages.

Of course a major reason the film works is the cast. Bogart does "downbeat but ultimately heroic" better than many others and he does it well here – tough, smart and morally challenged. Bacall has less of a character to speak of but she makes up for that by sheer force of personality; personally I don't find her that attractive but she fair sparks across the screen and her delivery is very sexual throughout. The two fell in love during the film and it does show on screen, with a great chemistry and real sexual tension between them – a heavy amount of classic scenes and hot moments also helps. Support is good from Brennan and Seymour but the "Free French" are not that well developed and are not as interesting as they should have been.

Overall this is a classic film with an interesting plot, interesting characters, a tough and heavy atmosphere, good performances and a central duo that really spark off each other. It may be a standard wartime thriller on the surface but everything seems to come together really well and produce a film that is memorable for a collection of reasons.