To Have and Have Not (1944) directed by Howard Hawks, starring Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and Walter Brennan / Z-View

To Have and Have Not (1944)

Director: Howard Hawks

Screenplay: Jules Furthman and William Faulkner based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway

Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Walter Brennan and Hoagy Carmichael.

Tagline: Humphrey Bogart…with his kind of woman in a powerful adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s most daring man-woman story!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Harry Morgan [Bogart] is a US citizen living on the  island of Martinique in 1940.  World War II rages in Europe but is just starting to reach Martinique.  Morgan makes his living taking tourists on his fishing boat.  When a group of freedom fighters approach Morgan about sneaking one of their own to safety using his boat, Morgan turns them down.  It’s not his war and he won’t risk his boat or his neck.

Things change when Morgan meets Marie [Bacall], a young, tough, self-sufficient woman.  One thing leads to another and Morgan finds himself falling for Marie and pulled into alliance with the freedom fighters…

… an alliance that could get them all killed.

Thoughts…

To Have and Have Not was Lauren Bacall’s first film.  She was nervous during filming and discovered keeping her chin down and eyes up helped calm her.  It also gave her the sultry look she became famous for.

Lauren Bacall was just 19 years old during filming.  Humphrey Bogart was 44 and on his third marriage.  Bogie and Bacall fell in love.  He divorced his wife, and in 1945 were married.  The marriage lasted until Bogart’s death in 1955.  To Have and Have Not was the first of four films in which Bogie and Bacall co-starred.

Another hit for Bogart — one of his best. Walter Brennan is perfect as Bogart’s alcoholic friend.

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