I recognised the title, it is five stars, and as soon as I heard the famous quote I knew I had to stick with it, from director Howard Hawks (The Big Sleep, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) this is a pretty good romantic World War II drama. Basically Harry 'Steve' Morgan (Humphrey Bogart) and his alcoholic sidekick Eddie (Walter Brennan), based on the island of Martinique, have a crew boat available for hire, but business is not what it could be because of the war, and one customer owes them a large sum. They are forced to take a job for the resistance transporting a fugitive away from the Nazis, and as this goes on Morgan is having a stormy relationship with resistance sympathiser and sassy singer (where Morgan spend most of his time), Marie 'Slim' Browning (introducing Lauren Bacall). There are many moments of witty and charming dialogue in the romantic scenes, and great explosions of wartime peril that you keep you gripped, I thought Bacall's singing voice was a little weird, but she is still a sexy character with a great husky talking voice. Also starring Dolores Moran as Mme. Hellene De Bursac, Hoagy Carmichael as Cricket, Walter Szurovy as Paul De Bursac and Sheldon Leonard as Lt. Coyo. I have to admit there were moments where I trailed off and didn't understand what was going on, but I can certainly see why the critics give it high praise. Humphrey Bogart was number 36 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, he was number 1 on 100 Years, 100 Stars - Men, and he was number 27 on The World's Greatest Actor, Lauren Bacall was number 20 on 100 Years, 100 Stars - Women, the film was number 60 on 100 Years, 100 Passions, and it was number 34 on 100 Years, 100 Quotes ("You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow."). Very good!
Review of To Have and Have Not
