High
Cats: Thriller/Suspense|
Not only is High Sierra a great picture it is a landmark Bogart picture. He is not playing a smarmy second banana in a Cagney film, he is coming into his own. He proves without a doubt that he can carry a picture effortlessly. This movie was written by John Huston and it was here that began their professional relationship as well as a lifelong friendship. Others were considered for the lead role but Mark Hellinger who was still producing at Warner Brothers insisted that Mr. Bogart play the part of Roy Earle. Thank god for the persistent Mr. Hellinger.
This is not just your typical heist/noir/ex-con not going straight picture. There is such a depth to Roy Earle and Mr. Bogart truly fleshes out this aging ex-con bank robber into a sad decline of a man. I do not remember when I first saw this picture but it was diffenently on tv way back when afternoon tv was filled with movies (after all the soaps where over). It is appropriate for the younger set and it in no way glorifies crime, they could not do that in 1941.
