Hot dog, what an awesome movie! This is maybe my sixth time watching. The first time I watched Key Largo I thought it was OK, but not great. Not sure what headspace I was in then, because the acting in this is top notch. The underrated Claire Trevor is a standout (she won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work here), but everyone, Bogart, Robinson, Barrymore, and Thomas Gomez are all in top form. Probably the best that Bacall has ever been. Huston has some nicely framed shots and sets things up well. Highly recommended and if you don't love it, watch it again.

She has her Bogie back.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru2tsT32pHA

Here's looking at you.

the world will always be shit so long as good men do nothing about fat gangsters.

achieves a remarkable sense of place for a film shot on a backlot. Bogart is sweeter than you expect, as he often was in the Huston films, but this is Edward G. Robinson's show and he sells it so well.

When your head says one thing and your whole life says another, your head always loses.
-Frank McCloud

If I'm going to be completely honest, while the reason for this rewatch was the recent passing of the legendary Lauren Bacall and she is great here, I'd be lying if I didn't say the real highlight of this film is the face off between two giants of the genre in Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson.

Those three alone are more then enough star power for one film, but you also have great outings from Lionel Barrymore and Claire Trevor in this pot boiler. What's great about all these performances is that they are almost all in direct reaction to Robinson's character of Johnny Rocco who's as dangerous as the hurricane in the film.
(Click here for original review)

R.I.P.
Lauren Bacall
September 16, 1924 - August 12, 2014

I want so much more but mr. Brown is amazing

Another data point that tells me I was wrong about Bogey. I never should have started with Casablanca...I put off watching the rest of his movies far too long.

Eddie G is awesome. The way he speaks during the shave scene is truly fantastic. It has become such a cliche over the years but it is fun to watch. The rest of his work in the film was good as well...especially the interactions with Claire Trevor.

"If l'd known what you're like, you wouldn't have been asked."

I generally like the lighting in noir films but it was noticeably great in this one. Each character seemed to have their very own way of being lit. The halo/backlight on Bacall, the low angle + high contrast side lighting on the Toots in really stood out.

Bonus: Old timey slang!!

"Bends the elbow"
"Showed him our rods"

Not necessarily essential Bogie or Houston but a tight thriller nevertheless.

You think we're in Key Largo? I have a hunch where in Key Largo... (The film has 5 mentions of Key Largo in the first 5 minutes)

Very similar to Day of the Outlaw

Week 4 of Bogart/Bacall on Thursdays

I expected something as good as The Big Sleep. Maybe that's my fault, because I was quite disappointed. Key Largo is too loose and too drifty, not to mention that neither Bogart nor Bacall play as the main character with the biggest role - that goes to Robinson. And while he can hold his own, he's not what I signed up for.

Ed Robinson carries this movie but Humphrey bogart punctuates each moment, elevating the scene to another level. John Huston does everything he can through set design and camera angles to make every scene in this hotel feel surreal and unique.

Suspense is the driving force of this film.

Whenever you wonder why they "don't make 'em like that anymore", it's usually because Humphrey Bogart is dead, so what would be the point?

could've used more Bacall