The Petrified Forest
1936 · Movie · 83 min. · United States
This heartfelt drama about a gangster on the run is the film for which Humphrey Bogart first received wide-scale recognition. Bogie and costar Leslie Howard were both brought on board after appearing in the successful stage play by Pulitzer prize-winner Robert E. Sherwood. Director Archie Mayo follows the original closely to create a fast-paced and gripping suspense drama with existential motifs. Leslie Howard plays a perfect gentleman--a lonely intellectual in search of meaning. When he lands in a deserted café, he finds what he's looking for in the form of young Bette Davis, whose character yearns for the artistic climate of gay Paris. But both Howard and Davis are in for a bumpy ride when dangerous gangster played by Bogart takes over, holding up the joint at gunpoint. The small group of hostages take turns telling their tales, fearing death, while Bogie plots to reunite with his gang and his girl.
Direction Archie Mayo
Cast Leslie Howard · Bette Davis · Humphrey Bogart · Genevieve Tobin · Dick Foran · Joe Sawyer · Porter Hall · Charley Grapewin · Paul Harvey
Soundtrack Bernhard Kaun
Screenplay Delmer Daves · Charles Kenyon · Robert E. Sherwood
Cinematography Sol Polito
Original title The Petrified Forest
6.9
2K votes (FilmAffinity)
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