L'Amour et la bête

Humphrey Bogart runs a circus but doesn't want his kid sister Joan Leslie to have anything to do with circus men. Enter grocery clerk-turned-lion tamer Eddie Albert, who "aww shucks" his way to Joan's heart while also making an impression on Bogie's woman Sylvia Sidney. Lots of drama under the big top in this one. It's essentially a remake of 1937's Kid Galahad, a boxing film with the same plot. Bogart was also in that picture, only he played the villain there. This lesser Bogie pic came out between two of his classics, High Sierra and The Maltese Falcon. It obviously doesn't compare to either of those movies but it's pleasant enough for what it is. The WB flavor and circus setting help some. Bogie sells his part well as a guy who's neither all good nor all bad. Sidney is lovely and gives a nice sensitive performance. Leslie is also good in her small role. For his part, Eddie Albert does fine as the innocent hayseed bumpkin with a heart of gold. The solid supporting cast includes Sig Ruman, Frank Wilcox, and John Ridgely. It's an OK movie, especially for fans of Bogart or the kinds of dramas Warner Bros. put out in the '30s and '40s. But it's not remarkable in any way and the ending stinks.