0
0
Rating: 5 out of 5
If you are looking for a classic film noir crime drama, look no further than Key Largo. I had never heard of the film until I came upon it on my movie list. Looking at the box cover, I knew it would be good. It starred Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, and Lauren Bacall. I have seen several films with Bogart and Robinson, and they can act. Bogart was known for the Maltese Falcon and Casablanca going up against Robinson from the Little Caesar and Five Star Final. These two heavyweights made for an excellent mystery crime drama.
Army veteran officer Frank McCloud (Bogart) travels to Hotel Largo in Key Largo, Florida. Frank is visiting the family of George Temple, a friend who served under him. George was killed in the Italian campaign several years back. Key Largo is owned by George’s father, James Temple (Barrymore), who tells it as it is and is wheel-chaired bound. Also living with James is George’s window Nora (Bacall), who has decided to stay with the family to help James with the hotel. As winter vacation season has ended and a hurricane is approaching, the hotel has only six guests who look like some of the sketchiest people on earth. The guests are Toots, Curly, Ralph, Angel, attractive but aging alcoholic Gaye Dawn (Trevor), and a sixth man who remains secluded in his room. The visitors claim to be in the Florida Keys for fishing. Sheriff Ben Wade and his deputy arrive as Nora and Frank prepare for the upcoming hurricane. They state that they are searching for the Osceola brothers, a pair of fugitive American Indians. As the police leave, the local Seminoles ask for shelter, and with them are the Osceola brothers. Occasionally, the men get a phone call that puts them on edge. Frank soon discovers that the once notorious and ruthless gangster Johnny Rocco (Robinson) and his gang have taken over the hotel. Johnny was exiled to Cuba but has returned and waiting for his Miami contacts to make a deal. Frank doesn’t feel like it is his place to intervene until he notices that Rocco is a threat to the community. As the storm approaches, Frank prepares to put his life on the line against a very violent man.
This film is PHENOMENAL!!! It is a straight-up fantastic and thrilling film. The film starts off a little slow. For the first five minutes, Frank arrives at the hotel and meets James and Nora. When Frank walks around the hotel and meets the people inside, you know something is up. The film beautifully sets up that the characters in the hotel are up to no good. Toots is the one out of place because he is dressed up and looks like a gangster. The rest of the crew is absolutely shady. No one gave hints to Frank? You let that man roll up in that hotel like nothing was wrong.
What I also love about how the movie progressed is that it keeps up the suspense with the sixth person. You have no idea who it could be, but you know the person must be ruthless because everyone is scared when he makes a phone call. When Rocco is finally revealed, it is one of the best reveals I have seen in a good while. Homeboy taking a bubble bath and smoking a cigar. If that ain’t gangsta, I don’t know what is because that is a badass move right there.
When Rocco comes on, this film hits full drive excellently and fantastically. Rocco just takes over the movie, and you can’t take your eyes away from him because he is ruthless but also so freakin cool. You sit and wonder what Rocco is up to, as you don’t know if the Osceola brothers are part of his crew. Rocco brings a type of appeal to this film with the old-school gangster ways and vibes. As you watch, you see that Rocco wants to rebuild his empire. Once a king, he is now almost a nobody and wants it to be like the old times. What makes Rocco fascinating is his crew knew one of the men was a cop and killed him. He does lose his mind during the hurricane, which washes up the dead cop’s body, but Rocco manages to rat out the Osceola brothers and get them axed. We learn that Rocco is making a deal for his connections to buy counterfeit money.
The climax is where it is at with this film. Rocco wants to escape back to Cuba and forces Frank to take him and his crew. Gaye steals Rocco’s gun and passes it to Frank. On the boat, since Frank is a skilled seaman, he uses some trickery to take out Rocco’s men one by one. The final between Frank and Rocco is intense. Frank has this look on his face because he is just listening to Rocco give reasons to let him live. The climax was pure perfection of the end of a great crime drama.
The acting was spot-on in this film, but some definitely took over more than others. Let me start with those who did a good job but were upstaged. First, Humphrey Bogart as Maj. Frank McCloud was decent. I have seen several of Bogart’s films, and he usually has the same tone, but he is always so good to watch. He has a presence on screen that makes you want to watch.
Lauren Bacall was equally good as Nora Temple. She had some intense moments in the film. When she spits in Rocco’s face, that is when shit got real for her character. She also tried convincing Frank to get it together and help them.
The two stars that stole the film were Claire Trevor and Edward G. Robinson. Claire Trevor played Gaye Dawn amazingly as a drunk woman loyal to Rocco but more loyal to the drink. She won her Oscar when she asks Rocco for a drink, and he makes her sing. She sings off-key and turns in such a compelling performance that it was sad to see. Bravo Claire.
Edward G. Robinson as Johnny Rocco/Howard Brown was freakin AMAZING in this role. I don’t know how he didn’t earn an Oscar for this role. When he came on the screen, he took this whole movie over. The more he was on the screen, the more you wanted to see because he was great as Rocco. Robinson was intense, charming, and a joy to watch. Homeboy delivered a mighty slap. One of the best. Robinson plays gangster roles to perfection.
Key Largo is an excellent film noir crime drama. If you love gangster films, then you will like this film. You need to respect the old-school gangster films because they are amazing. Bogart and Bacall did great in their roles, but Robinson and Trevor took over this film. Robinson took over this film and ran with it. Watch this film and watch it with other excellent film noir crime mysteries.
