Watch To Have and Have Not For Free

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Strong and Moving!

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

'To Have and Have Not' is far from perfect. It's derivative of Casablanca from two years earlier, includes a character who quickly becomes annoying (Walter Brennan, who plays a toper), is implausible in places, and has little to do with the novel by Ernest Hemingway. On the other hand, it was 19-year-old Lauren Bacall's first film, and she displays a sultriness and presence not often seen in someone so young. Bogart is also strong as the fishing boat skipper in Martinique who wants nothing to do with politics or the French resistance, but finds himself drawn into events as they unfold. He's gritty, tough, and real, and has a couple of fantastic scenes with Bacall, where their chemistry is apparent despite him being 25 years older, including the one where she so famously says to him "You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and ... blow." I also liked musical performances led by Hoagy Carmichael, though Bacall's singing in the numbers she was in was pretty awkward. Like I said, it's not perfect, but it is solid and entertaining, and as the start of 'Bogie and Bacall', has a place in film history.

You know, it sure seemed to me that with every woman Bogart's character encountered in this film, he snidely reduced them all to being (and I quote) "just another screwy dame".Not only that - But, I'd also say this film banked way-way too heavily on the wisecracking, sexual chemistry that was supposed to transpire between the likes of Bogart's and Bacall's characters. Yet, I found, time and again, that their contrived meetings and demented dialogue ("You know how to whistle, don't you?") fizzled out into total absurdity about 90% of the time.Clearly a product of its time (1945) - This decidedly flimsy-scripted picture may have delighted movie-goers of yesteryear to pieces - But, now, 60 years later, it repeatedly fell short of its apparent potential.And, speaking about actress, Lauren Bacall - Not only was she completely unconvincing in her part (just wait till you catch the scene where her character breaks out into tears) - But her repeated use of a sly smirk got real tiresome, real fast. (Hey! I won't even get into the ridiculously over-sized shoulder pads on her outfits which put those of a pro-football player's to shame)

In 2014, one can rejoice in the fact that movies like this were made and still exist for us to enjoy. This film will only grow more dear with time, since at its most basic it is a tale that mixes two universal, albeit disparate, facets of human existence: standing up against oppression, and nascent love.Bogart is Bogart, which is to say something to forever cherish. He is exactly what one has come to expect from most any character he played. While other actors might be criticized for playing to type, Bogart is a type that never disappoints and would be a letdown if he had ever appeared in another form. Lauren Becall makes an acceptable debut, with a few slips here and there, but despite that she has enough to carry the screen when she's on it. Don't miss her little jig at the end. Walter Brennan, as a kind of comic relief, is deceptively superb, making his character seem easier to play than it must have been. His is an underrated skill, throughout his career. There are also a few pleasant surprises, too, with Dan Seymour playing a combination of Sidney Greenstreet and Victor Buono as the unctuous and rotund, and okay maybe stereotypical Capt. Renard, Marcel Dalio (of Casablanca fame) as the saloon keeper Frenchy, and the drop dead gorgeous and oddly yet powerfully sexy Dolores Moran as Madame Hellene du Bursac. She'll make you fall in love, so be careful.Accompanying the cast and story line is the piano and magnificent melodies of the great Hoagy Carmichael, who adds fun pieces (Hong Kong Blues, Am I Blue) and timeless pieces such as How Little We Know. Yes, his voice is not the best, but the delivery and his mien fit perfectly the mood of the film. His role is what helps make the whole greater than the sum of the parts.Get this on DVD or Netflix, grab a bottle of whatever makes you happy, and just sit back and enjoy. Then enjoy it all again.

It's the island of Martinique in the summer of 1940 just after the fall of France. American captain Harry 'Steve' Morgan (Humphrey Bogart) operates a small fishing boat for tourists. He's reluctant to take on risky jobs for the resistance. Marie 'Slim' Browning (Lauren Bacall) is new to the island and a pickpocket. When his client gets shot before paying him, he loses all his money to the new Vichy cops while Slim gets slapped around. He decides to help the resistance.Newcomer Lauren Bacall was just 19 when this was shot. And soon after she will be married to her co-star Humphrey Bogart. Nobody has a cooler look than Bacall. She's made to be in the movies. She makes this 'Casablanca' copy more than just a copy. It has a more noirous ultra-cool look mostly due to Bacall highlighted by the line "You know how to whistle, don't you Steve. You just put your lips together and blow".The story isn't quite as good as 'Casablanca'. I prefer that more than this movie. This still moves along fine although it doesn't flow as well. The last third of the movie after the boat ride isn't quite as compelling.