Inkstainedwretch
One Too Many
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Worst Bogie casting: "Sabrina." One of the few movies where he was clearly out of place. Bogie was a heavy drama guy. Romantic comedy was just not his style.
Worst Bogie casting: "Sabrina." One of the few movies where he was clearly out of place. Bogie was a heavy drama guy. Romantic comedy was just not his style.
"Favorite" being the key word in the first post, I have to go with The Big Sleep. It's probably not the best movie Mr. Bogart ever appeared in, and it's also probably not Mr. Bogart's best performance in a movie, but of the "Bogart" movies I've seen so far it's simply the one I enjoy watching most.I'm making my way through some Bogie DvD's. Watched Casablanca; Key Largo; The Big Sleep; Maltese Falcon and now The African Queen.
Which one is your favourite Bogie movie, and what makes you choose THAT ONE...?
No, he had the talent and the chops to pull it off, but let's face it, he was just too old for the role.... Plain and simple. Grant, who was younger would've killed in it.
Worf
Worst Bogie casting: "Sabrina." One of the few movies where he was clearly out of place. Bogie was a heavy drama guy. Romantic comedy was just not his style.
That was my thought as well. Grant would have been perfect in that role. He was only 5 years younger than Bogie, but looked far more youthful at that time, and he was the best romantic comedy actor we ever had.No, he had the talent and the chops to pull it off, but let's face it, he was just too old for the role.... Plain and simple. Grant, who was younger would've killed in it.
Worf
An enjoyable movie if you can overlook the rather abrupt ending, which feels simplified and rushed. The thing I find most interesting about Across the Pacific is that it has the chemistry between Mary Astor and Humphrey Bogart that was lacking in The Maltese Falcon. I think it speaks to her skill as an actor that she was able to amplify or repress that quality in her performance depending on what the role required.Anybody mention Across the Pacific? A good spy story, some lighter moments w/ Mary Astor, and Sydney Greenstreet, again, as a villain.
Anybody mention Across the Pacific? A good spy story, some lighter moments w/ Mary Astor, and Sydney Greenstreet, again, as a villain.
An enjoyable movie if you can overlook the rather abrupt ending, which feels simplified and rushed. The thing I find most interesting about Across the Pacific is that it has the chemistry between Mary Astor and Humphrey Bogart that was lacking in The Maltese Falcon. I think it speaks to her skill as an actor that she was able to amplify or repress that quality in her performance depending on what the role required.
That's right, the denouement seemed a bit hurried, didn't it? And I think the reason Mary and Bogart click nicely in this one is that they were dealing with a story with more lighthearted moments to begin with. Falcon has moments of humor, but not many, and none that I can recall between Sam Spade and Brigid. (Maybe a little gallows humor, but it's been a while since I've seen Falcon.)An enjoyable movie if you can overlook the rather abrupt ending, which feels simplified and rushed. The thing I find most interesting about Across the Pacific is that it has the chemistry between Mary Astor and Humphrey Bogart that was lacking in The Maltese Falcon. I think it speaks to her skill as an actor that she was able to amplify or repress that quality in her performance depending on what the role required.
You're right about Across the Pacific having a more lighthearted tone, at least in the first half of the movie when the characters are getting to know (and assess) each other, and the chemistry between Bogart and Astor serves those moments well. But the one thing about The Maltese Falcon that doesn't make much sense to me is that Brigid is supposed to be using her "feminine wiles" to throw Spade off guard, but the lack of chemistry between them makes their "flirtatious" scenes ring false. I suppose a case could be made that Brigid is out of her depth and not particularly adept at playing the seductress, but that just makes it more obvious that Spade is only playing along in order to get more information from her; we, the audience, are meant to know that, but Brigid isn't supposed to.That's right, the denouement seemed a bit hurried, didn't it? And I think the reason Mary and Bogart click nicely in this one is that they were dealing with a story with more lighthearted moments to begin with. Falcon has moments of humor, but not many, and none that I can recall between Sam Spade and Brigid. (Maybe a little gallows humor, but it's been a while since I've seen Falcon.)
I've watched The Maltese Falcon with numerous groups of people, including family, friends and several classes full of film students. I have yet to find anyone who figured out from the film alone that Cairo was homosexual. It always has to be pointed out to them, and then they ask, "how do you know that?" Then you have to point out the scented business card among other things.
Yes contemporary reviewers found the film complicated, as they did with the book, but I don't think any of them didn't understand the blackmail plot.
Most people I know don't get the fact that Marriott is either. I think the fact that he is "going out with women" throws them off.
Doug
The stories I've heard about Bogart's early stage career in the Twenties was that he was often cast as the sort of upper-class fellow who wanders onstage swinging a racket, and says, "Anyone for tennis?" He was getting tired of that, and when he was offered the role of Duke Mantee in the stage version of Petrified Forest, he jumped at it.So... I actually think Cary Grant would have been too "easy" of a fit as romantic lead in Sabrina. Who wouldn't fall for him? Using Bogart instead kind of subverts the trope.
I vaguely recall some very early Bogart role in which he seemed more suave, complete with an upper crust "Mid-Atlantic" accent. I can't remember what movie that was, though. I wonder how different his career would have been if he had kept up that type of persona, instead of the gruff, world-weary character portrayals that we got accustomed to from him.
His horse trainer role in Dark Victory with Bette Davis is a good example of his range.I like Bogart as an actor and I certainly enjoy his 'noir' films but sometimes I think people underestimate his acting skills by concentrating on The Big Sleep or Casablanca (both films that I enjoy, by the way). Although he managed, like every actor, to make a few stinkers (still can't get used to him as a cowboy in Virginia City) he was more than capable in a different sort of role or even a light comedic role. As far as the latter, Beat the Devil (1953) and We're No Angels (1955) come to mind immediately. He was excellent playing alongside Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray in We're No Angels. I also feel he excelled in The African Queen (1951) and in The Caine Mutiny (1954). The man had a lot more talent than just playing the fast talking wisecracking PI.