To Have and Have Not

The best of all Bogart-Bacall movies, atmospheric and a script that make more sense than The Big Sleep, compelling with sharp dialogues. Walter Brennan is excellent and touching, and small parts like Dalio, Seymour and Carmichael are making wonders to bring the movie’s colors to a full spectrum.

Director Howard Hawks To Have and Have Not marks the first screen appearance of Lauren Bacall; the first of 4 with her future husband, Humphrey Bogart.

Bacall's smouldering "Look" was crafted here and the on screen chemistry with Bogie is palpable from their first encounter.

The film features arguably Bacall's most famous line;
"You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and... blow."

Doesn't reach the transcendent heights of Casablanca, I think mainly because the supporting cast isn't as strong and the nascent relationship between Bogart and Bacall doesn't have the tragic element that Bogart/Bergman had. That said, this is a very strong film that crackles with sexual tension and presents Bogart again as a world-weary, "I stick my neck out for nobody" skipper who, nonetheless, puts himself in harm's way to help the war effort. It loses none of its sparkle today; I loved it.

First time Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall worked together. Walter Brennan from steal scenes. Great script, great direction, great actors. "If you need me to whistle, you know how to whistle, right?"

Not a great movie, but good overall. Bogart as a charming lead character, and Bacall simply stunning in her first screen appearance.. She takes all the spotlight with her presence, her looks and the best lines in all the script

A good war drama slash romance. Bogart is good. Bacall is a goddess. Teamed up, they are a force. B/w looks great. The story isn't very complex though. They could have explained more of the geopolitics and the political situation in Overseas France. I'm not sure I fully understood the political background. It's also disappointing that we don't get to see more of the exotic Caribbean, especially the life of both the francophone population and the "native" Creole islanders. I mean, most of the time, it's only English speaking white people.

Anyway solid precursor of the quite similar but much better *Casablanca*