To Have and Have Not (1944)

7/10

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall are one of Hollywood’s iconic couples. They met on the set of To Have and Have Not, a loose adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s 1937 novel and their first of four films together. During filming, the two began an off-screen relationship, eventually getting married and having two children together. The palpable charisma and chemistry of these screen legends is the main reason to watch To Have and Have Not, a fine film that unfortunately suffers from feeling like a Casablanca retread.

Unlike Hemingway’s book, which was set in Key West and Cuba and was influenced by the author’s experience of the Spanish Civil War, the movie version—directed by Howard Hawks from a screenplay by Jules Furthman and none other than William Faulkner, like Hemingway a recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature—takes place in Martinique against the backdrop of Vichy France and the Second World War. Harry Morgan (Bogart) is a fisherman for hire who becomes embroiled in the French Resistance while romancing a beautiful young drifter, Marie Browning (Bacall). She calls him “Steve” and he calls her “Slim”.

There’s a lot to enjoy in To Have and Have Not. Bogart and Bacall separately are magnetic every second they’re on screen, but put them together and you get pure fireworks. Furthman and Faulker’s script is packed with clever, crackling dialogue, its most famous line heightened by Bacall’s seductive delivery: “You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow.” Hawks’ direction is slick and assured. There’s plenty of great music courtesy of Cricket (Hoagy Carmichael), a piano player and songwriter at the hotel bar. The plot, taken on its own terms, is a compelling one.

But therein lies the main problem. Any movie buff worth their salt has seen Casablanca, and To Have and Have Not can only pale in comparison to the 1942 classic generally recognized as one of the greatest films ever made. Once again, we have a World War II romance with Bogart as a cynical, world-weary American expatriate in an exotic location, who claims to only care about himself but (spoiler alert if you’ve never seen a movie) ends up helping the resistance against the Nazis. The plotline’s familiarity can’t help but weaken its effect on viewers who have seen Casablanca.

Another weakness is the character of Eddie (Walter Brennan), Harry’s alcoholic friend who used to be a top mate before he became a “rummy”. No doubt this character was included to show Harry’s loyalty to an old friend despite his personal flaws, but Eddie is more annoying than anything else. In addition, while most viewers probably won’t mind, I always have a problem with movies where characters speak English when they shouldn’t. Why are Vichy French officials speaking English to each other?

Still, Bogart and Bacall together make To Have and Have Not well worth a watch. With all apologies to Ingrid Bergman, Bacall as the female lead is one of this film’s few improvements over Casablanca. Every moment she shares onscreen with Bogart is electric. And admittedly, it’s hypocritical for a reviewer who enjoys Elvis Presley films to complain about repetitive plotlines.