Review of To Have and Have Not (1945) by Mark S — 25 Aug 2009

To Have and Have Not (1944).

The story goes that Howard Hawks made a bet that he could make a successful movie from one of Ernest Hemingway's worst novels. Of course he would stack the deck by using some of Hollywoods finest talent; screenwriters, William Faulkner and Jules Furthman, Singer Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Les Paul, and a sultry new model-turned-actress, Lauren Bacall, along with veteran actor Humphrey Bogart. The results were electric and memorable.

Steve "Harry" Morgan (bogey) and his drunken first mate, Eddie (Walter Brennan) hire out there fishing boat to tourists in Veechy French Martinique. Business isn't doing so good, and the owner of the hotel that Steve stays at, "Frenchy" Gerard (Marcel Dalio) has been asking him to smuggle some French freedom fighters onto the island.

He also meets up with Marie "Slim" Browning (Bacall) who is basically stuck on the island until she can get up enough money to make passage for home. Every man in the piano bar has his eyes on her, but somehow she falls for old Steve, who seems most impressed that she can take a slap by Lieutenant Coyo (Sheldon Leonard) of the Veechy Gestapo.

Of course the movie is most famous for the "You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow." scene that makes just about every guy in the audience wet their lips. The scenes between Bacall and Bogey were so steamy that the two actors were basically married not long after this film was made.