10/27/2023 0 Comments Key largo movie scenes carribean clubBut when the engine broke in 2001, the African Queen wasn’t repaired.Ī few years ago, the owner, the son of the man who brought the boat to Key Largo, leased it to Captain Lance Holmquist and Suzanne Holmquist, who invested $70,000 in restoring the vessel, registered as a national historic site, and now operate it. A thematically potent core along with good direction and acting make 'Key Largo' an easy recommendation.Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart on the African Queen boat, the same one now in Key Largo.įor several years, visitors could take rides on the boat. 'Key Largo' is thematically a film which wrestles the idea of whether someone should or shouldn't give a damn even if he/she feels an assertive action doesn't mean much in the bigger picture. The only flaw is that the shootout scenes are very clumsily directed and almost look comical now after all these years. The staging of 90 percent of the film in the confines of the interiors of Hotel Largo adds to the claustrophobia which the viewer feels along with McCloud, Nora and Temple. Huston's biggest achievement is maintaining a tone of suspense throughout the running time. There are some carefully used tracking shots and extreme close-ups for artistic purposes that work perfectly and the film on Blu-Ray looks very pleasing to the eye. Although Huston doesn't use too many attention seeking shots or too much fancy camera work, one can easily see the noir-ish elements in the lighting and prominent shadows in the film. It takes a lot to be in the same scene with Bogart and go toe to toe with him in terms of exuding authoritativeness, but Robinson does it effortlessly. Johnny Rocco oozes charisma and a sense of control. Robinson is a dynamite in every scene he is in. Nora's presence and her innocent sweetness has an undeniable effect on McCloud which makes him reconsider his moral stance and contemplate the idea doing something instead of continuing his reluctance about standing up to the gangsters. There are genuinely sweet and charming moments between Bogart and Bacall. Instead of being the 'Femme fatale' with the seductive allure and the sharp tongue, her character Nora is a sweet, kind-hearted widow taking care of her father-in-law. Lauren Bacall doesn't give us the quintessential 'Lauren Bacall' performance either. There is an ambiguity to his character that makes him interesting. But McCloud also shows signs of selfishness and cowardly reluctance which are a consequence of his pessimism towards life after war. Bogart gives a subdued performance with moments of tenderness reminiscent of the tenderness of Rick Blaine in 'Casablanca'. He is a sane version of Travis Bickle, he might have been a vibrant, hopeful man in his pre-service days, but after coming back from the war and watching an America that has further collapsed into corruption, mob activity and evil, he has slipped into a state of depression and deliberate indifference. McCloud is a war veteran who has now become a homeless drifter due to his lack of interest in a settled life. This is not a very characteristic role for Bogart. This is epitomised by the character of Frank McCloud played by Humphrey Bogart. It's about the loss of a self-respecting identity. John Huston's 'Key Largo' is set in a Post World War II America and the film is unapologetic about showcasing the pessimism that had enveloped America and Americans after the war.
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