TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944) - ♦♦♦♦♦

Directed by - Howard Hawks

 

Written by - Jules Furthman, William Faulkner, Cleve F. Adams, Whitman Chambers (based on a novel by Ernest Hemingway)

 

Starring - Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall

 

 

 

"To Have and Have Not by Howard Hawks certainly represents a high point in the classic American film noir genre. This is the story of an American sailor in Martinique who, during the course of the Second World War, decides to stop being neutral and help the French resistance. The photography is wonderful and very atmospheric. On top of that, the screenplay is very intelligent – it’s no wonder considering names such as William Faulkner and Jules Furthman billed as screenwriters. The film moves at a very entertaining and enjoyable pace and despite the story rich of twists and turns, it never stutters or tangles. But what truly elevates this film is the chemistry shared by Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, which is nothing short of incendiary. This was, after all, the film where they met and fell in love. For all the chemistry shared by other on-screen couples before this film and after it, there is a genuineness to the one exhibited here that is unprecedented and impossible to replicate."

 

 

Noir, USA