Key Largo (1948)

"The wind blows so hard the ocean gets up on its hind legs and walks right across the land.", 10 August 2005

There may be other Bogart/Huston collaborations that are better known and it may not be the first movie people think of when Bogart/Bacall are mentioned, but Key Largo is a fine movie in its own right. Bogart is an Army Captain visiting the wife and father of one of the dead soldiers who served under him. The wife and father run a little hotel on Key Largo. Bogart's not the only guest at the hotel, though. A group of gangsters has decided to hold up there for a while. But the gangsters aren't the only threat to Bogart and the others. A hurricane is blowing on shore that threatens everyone - even the guys with the guns.

Bogart and Bacall are good as ever. Lionel Barrymore is a pleasure to watch. And Claire Trevor's Academy Award was deserving. But I want to spend the rest of this review discussing Edward G. Robinson's performance. Robinson has never been a particular favorite of mine. But, it's difficult not to enjoy him in Key Largo. To be a man of such slight stature, on screen he comes across like a giant. His character, Johnny Rocco, dominates almost every scene - even scenes he's not in. Before we meet Rocco, he's already on of the biggest characters in the movie. All his hired stooges have to do is point to the bedroom door and say something like "He's in there, taking a nap" and Rocco immediately becomes the most important person in the movie. Robinson is amazing to watch as he demonstrates his dominance by threatening everyone (even his own men). But Robinson saves the best for last. As the hurricane hits, he changes and becomes like a frightened child. That Robinson was capable of playing the heavy so convincingly in one scene and the weakling so perfectly in the next is evidence of his wonderful abilities. It's really a joy to behold.

8/10