The Petrified Forest

Rating:
Summary: BOGIE'S FIRST STARRING ROLE
Review:

THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936) is set in a rundown diner baking in the Arizona heat. Inside, fugitive killer Duke Mantee (Humphrey Bogart in his first major starring role) sweats out a manhunt, holding disillusioned writer Alan Squier (Leslie Howard), young Gabby Maple (Bette Davis) and a handful of others hostage. In the film, Howard and Bogart recreate their stage roles and Bette Davis reteams with her "Of Human Bondage" co-star Howard.

Extras: a 1936 newsreel, musical short "Rhythmitis," "The Coo Coo Nut Grove" cartoon and the new featurette "The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert." The superior commentary is by Bogart biographer Eric Lax and there's an entertaining audio of the "Petrified Forest" radio broadcast starring Bogart, Tyrone Power and Joan Bennett.




Rating:
Summary: A classic that will live forever!
Review: "The Petrified Forest," I have found, is either loved or dismissed as boring corn. How untrue the latter statement is! Gaby Maple is naive, adventurous, but has a head on her shoulders and Bette Davis portrays her brilliantly, with little-girl sweetness but with fire lying not too deep inside. The chemistry between she and her co-star Leslie Howard is evident and they work well together. It's hard to believe just two years earlier she was cussing him out as trampy waitress Mildred in "Of Human Bondage." "Forest" just reiterates the well-known fact that Bette Davis' versatility was and is unsurpassed. Humphrey Bogart, in the role that made him a star, adds greatly as the tough gangster. The beautiful and unique setting also adds to the humbleness and sweetness of this classic film. Most films of this era WERE corn, as some critics have referred to this film, but 'boring corn' is a completely untrue statement. One who calls it boring and uninteresting wouldn't known a great film if it bit them on the rear!

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating film debut for Humphrey Bogart
Review: Actually, this was not quite Bogart's debut. He had been in a few utterly forgettable films in tiny roles in the early 1930s before returning to Broadway, but this is his "real" debut.

THE PETRIFIED FOREST had been a highly successful stage play starring Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart, and Warner Brothers wanted to do a film version of it. They therefore approached Howard with the offer, indicating that they would like to have him reprise his starring role, and have him star opposite Edward G. Robinson as Duke Mantee. Howard, however, indicated that he would only make the film if his Broadway costar, Bogart, played Duke Mantee. At this point in his career, Bogart's acting career had consisted primarily in playing juvenile parts in various plays (the famous line "Tennis anyone?" is perhaps mythically attributed to one of his roles, but sums up the spirit of onstage persona) and failed attempts to break into film. Playing Duke Mantee had been a dramatic departure for Bogart, who had never previously played a heavy. Luckily for film history, Howard insisted that he would not make THE PETRIFIED FOREST unless Bogart played Mantee.

Historically, the most important thing about this film is that it launched Bogart's film career. Although he would spend the next four years playing a huge number of gangsters, he was, nonetheless, after this film, a Hollywood mainstay, becoming the number four gangster in the Warner Brother stable after Robinson, Cagney, and Raft.

THE PETRIFIED FOREST is, however, entertaining on its own. The one great negative of the film is the fact that it is very obviously a film version of a stage play. The action of the film is limited to only a few locations, and overall the production has a very static feel. Although there are some interesting sets, with some fascinating painted backdrops of Arizona landscape (some of it was shot live, but most of it is done in a studio), the real interest in the film lies in the performances. Leslie Howard made far too few films for my taste. I know he was deeply involved in the stage, but he was both immensely talented and quite charismatic. Unfortunately, his bizarre death cut his talent off far too soon (during WW II, the Luftwaffe shot down a plane he was in, thinking that a military or political VIP was on it). Bogart is striking as Duke Mantee. Bette Davis is as enjoyable in this as any film I have seen her in. I have to confess that by and large I don't care for Bette Davis. She has a tendency to over enunciate every word in a way that is not merely unnatural but a little unnerving. She never seems at ease on screen. She always seems to be "acting." Still, she is well suited to this role.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating film debut for Humphrey Bogart
Review: Actually, this was not quite Bogart's debut. He had been in a few utterly forgettable films in tiny roles in the early 1930s before returning to Broadway, but this is his "real" debut.

THE PETRIFIED FOREST had been a highly successful stage play starring Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart, and Warner Brothers wanted to do a film version of it. They therefore approached Howard with the offer, indicating that they would like to have him reprise his starring role, and have him star opposite Edward G. Robinson as Duke Mantee. Howard, however, indicated that he would only make the film if his Broadway costar, Bogart, played Duke Mantee. At this point in his career, Bogart's acting career had consisted primarily in playing juvenile parts in various plays (the famous line "Tennis anyone?" is perhaps mythically attributed to one of his roles, but sums up the spirit of onstage persona) and failed attempts to break into film. Playing Duke Mantee had been a dramatic departure for Bogart, who had never previously played a heavy. Luckily for film history, Howard insisted that he would not make THE PETRIFIED FOREST unless Bogart played Mantee.

Historically, the most important thing about this film is that it launched Bogart's film career. Although he would spend the next four years playing a huge number of gangsters, he was, nonetheless, after this film, a Hollywood mainstay, becoming the number four gangster in the Warner Brother stable after Robinson, Cagney, and Raft.

THE PETRIFIED FOREST is, however, entertaining on its own. The one great negative of the film is the fact that it is very obviously a film version of a stage play. The action of the film is limited to only a few locations, and overall the production has a very static feel. Although there are some interesting sets, with some fascinating painted backdrops of Arizona landscape (some of it was shot live, but most of it is done in a studio), the real interest in the film lies in the performances. Leslie Howard made far too few films for my taste. I know he was deeply involved in the stage, but he was both immensely talented and quite charismatic. Unfortunately, his bizarre death cut his talent off far too soon (during WW II, the Luftwaffe shot down a plane he was in, thinking that a military or political VIP was on it). Bogart is striking as Duke Mantee. Bette Davis is as enjoyable in this as any film I have seen her in. I have to confess that by and large I don't care for Bette Davis. She has a tendency to over enunciate every word in a way that is not merely unnatural but a little unnerving. She never seems at ease on screen. She always seems to be "acting." Still, she is well suited to this role.

Rating:
Summary: MAUDLIN MELODRAMA WITH A BOGIE OF A FINISH!
Review: Based on Robert E. Sherwood's Broadway blockbuster, "The Petrified Forest" (1936) is basically two acts of melodrama with a crime thriller finish. It stars Leslie Howard as cockeyed idealist, Alan Squier. Alan arrives at the ramshacked oasis of Maple Service Station - a little bit of nothin' presided over by Jason Maple (Porter Hall) and his drunken Grampa (Charles Grapewin). Fat Paula (Nina Campana) rounds out the motely crew in charge of eats and gas at this filling station in the middle of nowhere. The one jewel sparkling amidst the dessert heat is waitress, Gabby Maple (Betty Davis). She's just as cockeyed as Alan, aspiring to study art in Paris. After much lamentation - most of it needless, Gabby persuades a visiting couple, the Chisholms (Paul Harvey and Genevieve Tobin) to give Alan a ride to California. However, plans take a turn for the worst when everyone is forced to spend the night hold up inside the diner at the hands of ruthless prison escapee, Duke Mantee (Humphrey Bogart).

After some high stakes threats and more than a bit of action Alan creates the circumstances by which Gabby's aspirations for a better life will flourish.What elevates this minor bit of tripe from its humble roots are the brilliant performances by Davis and Bogart. Bogart, in particular, is menacing in a reserved sort of restraint. Although he rarely becomes animated or excited he always seems capable of becoming completely unhinged.

Years of viewing this film on late night television in less than stellar prints didn't have me holding out for much on this outing. I am pleased to report that Warner's newly mastered DVD is a quiet vision of beauty. The gray scale has been impeccibly rendered. Though blacks are soft and somewhat more deep gray than black, overall the contrast levels are superb. Whites are clean. Occasionally there is a bit more film grain present than one would like but the image quality is a definite improvement over what I have been used to seeing. The audio is mono but nicely represented with minimal background distortion and hiss. A competent commentary by Bogie biographer, Eric Lax, newly produced featurette and audio only bonus of the original radio broadcast of the film are nice extras worthy of this classy classic. Highly recommended!


Rating:
Summary: Classic Story of Good vs. Evil Battle -- One of the Best
Review: Humphrey Bogart and Leslie Howard reprise their stage roles as "bad guy/good guy" in this ever timely tale of greed and ruthlessness vs. selfless and compassionate courage. Caught in the middle of this age old story is a young Bette Davis, who in the course of hours learns to love the "hero", never stopping to despise the evil enemy.

The setting is a diner, suddenly held-up by Bogart, who eventually shoots and kills the kindly Howard who 'dared' to stand up to the bully (mainly to protect Davis). The helpless waitress (with the universal 'dream' to get away and make a better life for herself), sees the crisis as a 'sign'. Before dying, Howard makes Davis the sole benefitiary of a modest insurance policy, which Davis tearfully accepts.

This film lives on in Cinema History as one of the true classics of all time. The transition from stage to silver screen was sucessful, especially when considering that the story was made available to a much greater audience. This is a highly recommended 5-star film!*****

Rating:
Summary: A lovely little piece of 30's Americana
Review: I bought this tape mainly because Bette Davis is in it. She is very young here, and not yet the cigarette-smoking, booze-swilling vamp she would play in later roles.
Great as this film is, Bette's role is a minor one, and offers her no latitude to portray the multi-layered character studies she was well capable of. She was aware of this.
Bette learned all too late, that the studio she worked for, Warner Brothers, was mainly interested in producing "Men's pictures" with gangsters, wanderers and ne'er-do-wells. Actresses were there only to provide the visual dessert.
Compare Bette's minimal role in this movie with the "fire and music" of her performance in "All About Eve", where she plays a character who is totally multi-faceted and completely believable--a film not by Warner Brothers, but by 20th Century Fox. Bette would spend many years battling Warner's for better roles, which very rarely came her way.
Having seen several of her later films (check out "Beyond the Forest"--"what a DUMP!"), I find Bette's performance in "The Petrified Forest" to be an interesting change. She makes a minor role into something very special.

Rating:
Summary: Leslie is the star, but Humphrey's the cover guy? Strange...
Review: I could sum this up in a very brief paragraph, and I will, because it simply did not thrill me to the depths of my soul, leaving me appropriately petrified.

Bette Davis was fine. Leslie Howard is, as usual, a watery intellectual, this time turned hitchhiker. Humphrey Bogart is the tough guy whose entire role required little more than sitting pointing a gun at people. The others were unremarkable.

This movie wants so much to live, and love, and be loved, but there is nothing to be found for it - not here nor anywhere else. It longs to be buried somewhere in the Petrified Forest, where the winds can blow over it, and perhaps - being so chocked full of dramatic, poetic statements, some will leak out from its grave, and the occasional tourist will hear the gentle whisper, "'Tis for this end that we twain are met!"

Let this movie rest in peace.

Rating:
Summary: Should Be on DVD!!
Review: I taped The Petrified Forest a couple of years ago when it was shown on TCM and I thought it was a very good movie! Bette Davis plays a young woman who lives in a desert town with her father and works as a waitress in his desert cafe, she is bored and would love to leave home and go see the world! A disillusioned writer played by Leslie Howard stops at the cafe and she falls for him but when a criminal played by Humphrey Bogart and his gang are on the run from the law they hide out in the cafe and hold everyone hostage. This is a good movie and I like that Bette Davis is playing a nice girl who is sweet and compassionate when it seems that she was generally known for playing ruthless, cold and calcuating women so this is a nice change. I recommend this movie, I don't think it's been put on DVD yet but I really think it should be put on DVD!

Rating:
Summary: The End of the Road
Review: I've had the advantage of seeing The Petrified Forest as a movie and on stage. Taking into account the fact that the stage production I saw wasn't the greatest, I still think that the movie version captured the story better. The story is dated and clearly belongs in the time period it was made, but that works in the film. The performances also work. Leslie Howard, sort of a forgotten Thirties' star these days, manages to make some difficult dialogue play well. Humphrey Bogart, in an early role as the young gangster, makes his character an interesting and sympathetic figure, despite not having many moments to really develop the character with dialogue. Bette Davis brings a lot of conviction to her role as the young, full of ideas waitress that Howard falls in love with. The Petrified Forest is a hostage drama, but it's more than that. It looks at life, growth, love, and disillusionment. It presents a nice contrast of characters, since Howard and Bogart are both at the end of their roads, having gotten there in very different ways. Bearing in mind that the film/play was written for an audience in the Thirties, today's movie fan will still find truths and entertainment in it.