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A very good old-school black-and-white dialog-driven movie with a super-star cast, including Humphrey Bogart, Leslie Howard and Bette Davis. A claustrophobic powder-keg plot with great characters that is never boring, even by today's standards. An American cinema classic. This one will stand as long as people enjoy watching movies ...and, after all these years, it has historical cutural significance as well. The DVD image is as good as it gets for a movie from that period (1936).
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Although Bette Davis is in "The Petrified Forest", it is more Humphrey Bogart's movie. This movie was the start of his great career and allowed him to catapult to major stardom. He plays Duke Mantee, a convict on the run, who happens to stop with his gang at a desolate restaurant run by the father of Gabrielle Maple (Bette Davis)in 1930's Arizona. What happens after that is a play of characters telling their various stories while they await their doom or release from Duke Mantee's clutches. Gabrielle is the waitress in her father's diner and longs for culture just like her mother did when she abandoned the family. She finds it in Squier (Leslie Howard), a poor writer who happens to stop in, and hopes to run away with him to Paris, France. Other characters who tell their stories are Gabrielle's grandfather, who is looking for the excitement of being held captive by a famous outlaw and alcohol; Gabrielle's so-called boyfriend before Squier, an impulsive and frustrated ex-junior college football player; and a married couple who have car trouble and just happen to get involved. If you are wondering what the Petrified Forest has to do with it, it is supposedly a place of beauty in desolate Arizona. This movie is not great but it is not terrible either. It holds your attention if you are interested in character development, but the plot is hardly there. It had been a successful play in New York before the movie was made.Read full review
This movie made Humphrey Bogart's career, although he was surprised that a gangster role would be the ticket. This is perhaps one of the ten best movies of all time in American Cinema. Set in a remote corner of the Southwest United States, Betty Davis and Leslie Howard are drawn to each other under very unusual circumstances. Some may recognize Charlie Grapewin as Davis' onery grandfather. He was Uncle Henry in another film classic "The Wizard of Oz" made three years later in 1939. I recommend everyone see this film to appreciate the wonderful script and story line. The plot is worthy of Shakespeare and moves steadily to its conclusion with very little wasted action and dialogue. Anyone who wants to study the crafts of screenplay writing, acting, or directing, simply must study this film.Read full review
I hadn't seen this movie in a number of years, but while searching my very-own memory-banks for a cinematic viewing experience of the kind that made me think - without sickening me, boring me, or convincing me I'd stumbled into an intimate circumstance, uninvited - this was one of those "pictures" that surfaced. I'd seen it on network television the first time: I could never forget it! Its' some fast action - the rest is plain TALK. If you listen... Each character has so much to say... And they all say it so well(They NEVER make me feel as though I have no place in this story. This is still a great story) on this mint print DVD of an absolute CLASSIC FILM. I'll never watch a remake! This is one of a kind, one of the BEST(if this kind of entertainment is your thing...) - at a VERY reasonable price. Very NICE!Read full review
Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis. Does it get any better than that. Classic movie with iconic characters. It is a thriller with the raw feeling of suspense. Blessings!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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