High Sierra

High Sierra, a classic noir that was Humphrey Bogart's first role as a leading man in something other than a B-picture, was released in 1941. It is notable not only for introducing the Bogart type--a man of principle if not necessarily a completely moral one--but also for spectacular locations, including a car chase up the switchbacks of Mount Whitney.

Bogart plays Roy Earle, who has just been pardoned and steps out of prison eager to see the grass and trees and watch kids play ball. But he's a career criminal, and takes no guff from anyone. He was sprung by men in high places to do a job, and arrives in one of those old-fashioned auto courts (we need more of these) to plot with two other men (Alan Curtis and Arthur Kennedy).

Two women enter his life. He meets a poor family who are driving cross country and is attracted to the granddaughter, Joan Leslie, who has a club foot. He wants to pay for her operation, and has a notion of marrying her, even though she has no idea he's a bank robber. With the other two hoods is a dime-a-dance girl, Ida Lupino, who takes to Bogart almost immediately, but he's not interested.

Bogart sees this as his last job, a perennial favorite of films and books (this one was based on a novel by W.R. Burnett, who co-wrote the script with John Huston). The robbery, of safe deposit boxes in a desert resort, doesn't seem very well planned to me, and of course it goes wrong. Bogart ends up halfway to the top of Mount Whitney, pinned down by the law.

What makes this film great is the character of Roy Earle--the way he is written and played and directed (by Raoul Walsh). He's a man who holds two attitudes: the tough guy with a sentimental streak when it comes to crippled girls and dogs, and it costs him. He's turned down by Leslie, who has a guy back home, and it hits Bogart hard. He's adored by Lupino, and ends up settling for her (she's great, too, a woman who wants to "crash out" of her situation and attaches herself to men to do it). He shoots a few people, and knocks some others around, but when he's labeled "Mad Dog" by the press it rankles him. He can befriend an old-timer like Leslie's grandfather, Henry Travers, but when faced with survival he knocks out and ties up a man just like Travers, who can identify him to the police.

There are few things that are unfortunate about the film, given the time. Willie Best plays the stereotypical shiftless Negro who mumbles "Yes, sir boss," and sleeps most of the time. I once saw a play about another actor who played roles like this, Stepin Fetchit, who became rich. On the other hand, Zero, Bogart's own dog, plays Pard, a little terrier who worms his way into the mean crook's heart.

High Sierra is a film about a criminal who really should have never been a criminal, because he wears his heart on his sleeve, and dies because of it.