Film Review: To Have and Have Not (1944)

over 2 years ago (Edited)

(source: tmdb.org)

There are films that became legendary more because of what went on behind the scenes than because of what viewers saw on screen. One such example is To Have and Have Not, the 1944 romantic adventure film by Howard Hawks, best known for pairing one of the most iconic couples of Classic Hollywood.

The film is very loosely based on the eponymous 1937 novel by Ernest Hemingway. The plot is set in the summer of 1940, shortly after France has fallen to Nazi Germany and almost all of its colonial possessions came under the rule of the pro-German Vichy regime. That includes the Caribbean island of Martinique, where the protagonist, an American skipper named Harry “Steve” Morgan (played by Humphrey Bogart), tries to make ends meet by offering his fishing boat to rich tourists, like fellow American Mr. Johnson (played by Walter Sande), who ends up owing Harry $825 for his services. Johnson promises to pay the next day, but before this happens, a seductive young woman, Marie “Slim” Browning (played by Lauren Bacall), steals his wallet. Harry sees this and confronts her, after which she hands over the wallet, which contains traveller’s cheques and plane tickets indicating that Johnson never intended to pay. Before Johnson can settle his debt, he is accidentally killed in a shootout between Vichy secret police and members of the local Free French resistance. After secret police Captain Renard (played by Dan Seymour) confiscates Harry’s own wallet and passport, he is forced to accept an offer from his hotel owner, Gerard “Frenchy” (played by Marcel Dalio), to help two Free French agents arrive in Martinique in exchange for money.

To Have and Have Not is not considered to be among the best films of Classic Hollywood. Many critics complain that it is nothing more than a rip-off of Casablanca, and there are valid arguments for such a claim – both films feature Humphrey Bogart as a cynical, world-weary protagonist who reluctantly joins the anti-fascist cause; a French colony under Vichy rule provides an exotic setting; and large parts of the plot take place in a bar where a pianist (in this case, the famous singer and songwriter Hoagy Carmichael) entertains the audience with a number of catchy tunes. Much of these elements were brought in by director Howard Hawks and screenwriter William Faulkner, who altered the content of Hemingway’s original novel (generally regarded as one of his lesser works) beyond recognition, throwing out the original plot that dealt with generic smuggling and left-wing social criticism.

Despite these interventions, To Have and Have Not is actually a well-made film that displays one of the most versatile and talented directors of Classic Hollywood at his best. The plot unfolds quickly and, despite a relative lack of action, the audience’s attention is kept by snappy dialogue and economically, but efficiently, drawn characters. Martinique is well-reconstructed in Hollywood studios, and the music by Franz Waxman is very good; the same can be said of Sidney Hickox’s black-and-white cinematography that, perhaps inadvertently, gives To Have and Have Not a slightly “noirish” atmosphere. Bogart is very good despite, more or less, repeating his role from Casablanca. It is his new partner that makes this film legendary. Lauren Bacall, a 19-year-old fashion model in her first acting role, cast on the advice of Hawks’ wife Nancy “Slim” Keith, simply shines, playing the character of an immoral and resourceful, but ultimately irresistible, woman. The chemistry between Bogart and Bacall is more than palpable, and the young actress easily complements all possible shortcomings of her partner. Unsurprisingly, both of them fell in love on the set and married a few months after the premiere, becoming one of the most iconic couples of Classic Hollywood.

Yet, To Have and Have Not is more Bacall’s film than Bogart’s. Bacall easily outshines all the other actors, including veteran Walter Brennan, whose character of Harry’s alcoholic assistant Eddie is actually not that important to the film. In comparison with her, young Dolores Moran looks less glamorous and less talented in the role of the French resistance leader’s wife. To Have and Have Not, while not among the best films of Classic Hollywood, can still be recommended to today’s audience as a fine example of what filmmaking craftsmanship in the good old days could achieve.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)