High Sierra - Humphrey Bogart [DVD] [1941]

"High Sierra" was a seminal film in the career of Humphrey Bogart. In stark contrast to his privileged New England background, Bogart had already established himself in the gangster genre with his memorable role as Duke Mantee in "The Petrified Forest"(36). It was a role that had not quite propelled him to super stardom, but that was to change after "High Sierra". Paul Muni was originally offered the role but eventually turned it down. It was then offered to George Raft who was allegedly talked out of it by Bogart, who coveted the role for himself. The rest as they say is history!The film follows the fortunes of gangster Roy "Mad Dog" Earle, who seems to be loosely based on John Dillinger who is mentioned in the film. Earle following his release from prison at the start of the film goes straight back to his old ways, and is immediately involved in planning a hotel robbery with a couple of young thugs and their moll. But things aren't like the old days, and the new breed of gangsters can't be trusted. Things start to go wrong early on. Earle has already spent time in prison and he doesn't intend going back. We head to a spectacular finale, where the forces of law and order close in on the last gangster on the slopes of spectacular Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the USA. Much in the same way as James Cagney did in "White Heat"(48), Earle refuses to go quietly.The film is based on the book of the same title by W R Burnett, who also wrote the screenplays for "Little Caesar" and "Scarface". The screenplay was also co-written by Burnett with the young John Huston. The film was to mark the start of a long and fruitful, and hard drinking friendship between Bogart and Huston. The support cast was extremely strong, with Arthur Kennedy appearing early in his career as a young thug. Ida Lupino plays the moll, fresh from her success in "They Drive by Night". In fact she took top billing ahead of Bogart. It was the last time that Bogart was to take second billing! Cornel Wilde appears as a quivering stooge, and the veteran Henry Hull appears as an underworld doctor. The film was directed by the prolific Raoul Walsh, who had a good reputation for handling action sequences, of which this film contains plenty.The resulting film is a hugely impressive and entertaining slice of film noir. Bogart is at his snarling and irrepressible best as Earle, the gangster with a soft heart. You just had to dig very deep to find it! The location filming on the slopes of Mount Whitney help to lift the film way above the usual gangster fare. There are many good scenes. I especially liked the scene where Earle explains about the stars to a crippled girl. When asked how he knows so much, he explains that he had had a lot of time on his hands where he had been. There is another poignant scene when Earle leaves prison to enjoy his new freedom amongst the waving branches of the trees in a local park. The climactic scene on Mount Whitney is a famously spectacular ending to the film. The only discordant note is the racial stereo type, in the eye rolling character of Algernon. Unfortunately this was a distasteful common comic device of the period.Walsh remade the film later in 1949 with the western "Colorado Territory" with Joel McCrea in the lead. The film has dated remarkably well and the black and white photography is crisp, clear and atmospheric. The DVD was an official English release and also contains the welcome 15 minute featurette "Curtains for Roy Earle: The making of High Sierra", an interesting insight into the films making. The price of the remaining DVD's is very reasonable given the films quality and scarcity. I was extremely pleased with my buy! This is probably my favourite gangster film, and one that I feel to be the very best in the large canon of work by the redoubtable Raoul Walsh. A fine addition to anyone's DVD collection, and worth every one of the five stars I have awarded it.

High Sierra is not just a hard bitten gangster movie, (although that theme runs throughout the film) it also tells the poignant story of a man hankering after his younger, easier days before he fell into a life of crime, after a chance meeting with a family he feels an affinity with. The man (Humphrey Bogart) is sprung from prison to oversee one last job that'll make everyone rich, but time has marched on and Roy "mad dog" Earle is of another age! The granddaughter of the family, who he has an impossible crush on rejects him, the three gang members he has to team up with just aren't good enough and the job goes horribly wrong, a guard is killed and from then on he's on the run. Ida Lupino (Marie) is terrific as the archetypal gangster's moll who sticks with Earle through thick and thin after he protects her from her thuggish boy friend, although Earle doesn't seem to realise how lucky he is to have her! The movie also benefits from some good comedy moments from Willie Best and a stray dog("oh! no he aint my dawg") There are early screen appearances for Arthur Kennedy and Cornel Wilde(his first) and good support from Joan Leslie and Barton Maclane The film ends with Earle making his escape into the High Sierra mountains with the ever faithful Marie looking on. Great film!

Great classic movie, Bogart in one of his greatest roles displaying both toughness and vulnerability as the ex con on one last job. The subplot of his infatuation with the crippled girl he meets along the way is played out with sincerity and great believability . However it is as the tough seen it all before criminal that Bogart really shines ,his dominance of the film against great performances from Ida Lupino and Arthur Kennedy is mesmerising. The drift into the inevitable climax is played out in both a thrilling and elegiac way.

This is a favourite Bogart film of mine. Finally got a copy and not disappointed. Delivery was ahead of time and a nice note from my package handle Neil. So thanks to all concerned and I'm well pleased. A+++

Like Bogie films and really enjoyed this one, good story line, well acted. Just the thing for a wet sunday.

One of my favourite films. Classic Bogart and good supporting cast, including Ida Lupino and a dog. Good photography.

Great classic movie. English audio plays fine with no problem. A must see for Bogart fans. Item arrived very quickly. No problems.

Again a film many might not remember. Still great and a wonderful performance from Bogart (and the dog Pard)