Review of The Petrified Forest (1973) by Nikolai E — 03 Feb 2008

The Petrified Forest takes place at a small Arizona gas station/diner where rumors persist that a notorious killer named Duke Mantee (played by Humphrey Bogart) is on the loose nearby. Inside the diner, Gabby (played by Bette Davis) and her father (played by Porter Hall) see to the needs of those passing through, including Alan Squier (played by Leslie Howard), a writer from Europe hitchhiking his way to California. Alan Squier has a profound effect on young Gabby as he recounts his life's journey, and his musings on life. They share interests in art and poetry and grow attached to each other rather quickly, partly perhaps because of the nature of the movie's locale, they both know that this is just a stop along the way and that Squier will soon move on. The audience quickly picks up on the fact that Squier has not realized his dreams and seems to accept that he never quite will. Gabby's desire to join her mother in France and get out of the desert of Arizona to discover herself touches Squier and he quickly becomes attached to her and enlivened by her hopeful optimism. The two are on opposite sides of life, one filled with hope and ambition and the other defeated by the reality of a difficult and meandering existence.

Soon, they find themselves in the company of Duke Mantee, an ominous killer, as he waits for the remainder of his gang to show up at the diner, gambling that the law won't find him first.

This is a masterpiece of acting, with Leslie Howard standing out the most. His performance is outstanding, as if this was the part he was born to play. Bogart stands out as well. It is no wonder that this role catapulted his career resulting in leading roles in movies such as High Sierra, The Big Sleep, Maltese Falcon and Casablanca. The story is that Leslie Howard helped to get Humphrey Bogart into this role and Bogart was grateful for the rest of his life, even naming his daughter after Leslie Howard.

The themes are modern and universal despite the old-fashioned feel of the film. This movie is really a play, typified by its one primary location. The story is tied down to the little Arizona diner for the vast majority of the film. Modern audiences might find the movie uneventful and unexciting. The movie is about people. The movie is about people, with timeless ambitions and faults, all can watch and relate to someone in this film. This movie is bound to get you thinking about your own life, the direction you are heading, and where you have been.

The performances in this movie should be seen, just don't expect much more then a play put to film, a good play, made better no doubt by timeless portrayals.