Sirocco

Rating:
Summary: An appropriate film for our times
Review: "Sirocco" almost spookily foreshadows our own country's current situation in the Middle East. Here the French are occupying Syria and Arab insurgents are using terrorist tactics to force them out.

Lee J. Cobb plays a French colonel with a conscience, a sort of character one probably wouldn't find in a current mainstream film. When a French general orders that five Syrian "hostages" be put to death for every French soldier killed, Cobb's character asks, "Why not ten?"-- for then, soon there will be no Syrians to worry about at all, he says.

Throughout the film this French colonel attempts to meet with the leader of the insurgency so he can negotiate a truce. Again, a plot along these lines likely would gain little acceptance by the current movie-going public of America's heartland.

Meanwhile, Humphrey Bogart gives us another of his great, complex characters. True, Harry Smith is a familiar face: he doesn't choose sides, and is only out to help himself. He's another cynical, hard-boiled Bogie creation. What makes this guy different is that he's maybe a little more ruthless and lacking in conscience than the face we ultimately admire in "Casablanca" and other classics. Why? Because he's selling guns to the very insurgents who are using them to slay several French soldiers.

This significant flaw in Bogart's character might make him unsympathetic to a lot of viewers. But Bogart is always Bogart. It's a pleasure to see him in the dark streets of Damascus, amid the rubble, wearing the same trenchcoat, and completely dominating the screen as no actor ever did. The music in "Sirocco"-- as in most Bogie films-- adds to this sinister atmosphere, this time a bit more exotic or mysterious than usual.

Without giving away too much of the plot, I'll tell you that the colonel does meet with the leader of the insurgency, who says to him that he knows the French will eventually be victorious, only it will be a victory they will regret.

Such thought-provoking themes are, again, amazingly appropriate for America's ongoing involvement in Iraq.









Rating:
Summary: Sirocco - Same old Bogie
Review: Bogie could do this type of role with his eyes closed, and possibly did, but it's far superiour than what many of the actors today can turn out. It's certainly not the best Bogie ever done, but he's just creating, once again, his role of Rick Blaine from Casasblanca and I can watch this very fine actor do that time after time after time. Marta Toren as the female lead was good to look at in any scene, and Lee J Cobb was at his pre-"On the Waterfront" smoldering best. Zero Mostel was Zero Mostel, what can one say about another master at his craft? All in all it was worth watching and brought back memories to me of when actors had to learn their craft and not just be good looking with a great body. Thank you.

Rating:
Summary: Compared to His Other Movies - A Waste of Time and Money
Review: Clearly this is one of Bogart's worst films of the 50 plus that he made. Ironoically he produced this film himself through his own company Santana Productions after leaving Warner and after complaining about all the B movies at Warner Brothers. This movie is generally regarded as a disaster. I previously thought Tokyo Joe held the title of worst Bogart movie - another Santana movie - it being such a weak effort - perhaps tied with the chaotic Beat the Devil - but this is worse. It raises Beat the Devil to at least an average and entertaining movie something that the present movie is not.

On paper the movie follows the Bogart success formula of exotic location, tough guy, and helping a woman with some bar scenes and music added for good measure. We even have French army. But it is not a slick effort. The character played by Bogart spends half his time asleep or in a cave and then finally shows some life about 10 minutes before the end; maybe he is happy because the filming will soon be over. Truly a film noir! We would not be watching Bogart today if this was a representative movie of his works. The plot is the only thing that keeps the movie barely going along with Cobb. Will he or will he not escape Damascus and reach Cairo? The acting by Cobb seems to carry the movie and give it an unpredictable edge.

But how shall I put it delicately - all the Arabs are severely stereotyped as fat buffoons or sinister characters, or unwashed illiterates, and even the leading lady lacks on screen chemistry with Bogart. She has an atitude and she is not a Bacall or similar. There is not much on screen excitement and after a while we are not certain why she is in the movie. Also there are many sewer shots or similar cave shots all basically pointless and not entertaining.

I have started to view all of Bogart's 50 most popular movies, have now seen over 25, and this is definitely in the bottom half some place, down probably in the bottom 10-20% or lower. It is okay if you want to see each and every movie, but that is about all and there is here. There is no deep message about mid east politics! War and strife are not exclusive to the Middle East.

The two main characters Bogart and Cobb are together in a much better movie the Left Hand of God in which Bogart plays a faux priest and Cobb the Chinese war lord. Check out that movie.



Rating:
Summary: Been There, Done That Much Better Before
Review: Humphrey Bogart stars as an American operating in the black market in Syria during the French occupation. Bogart can't return to the U.S. because of his shady past. He has no loyalty to either side ... he is his number one concern. He becomes intrigued by Marta Toren, the mistress of a French officer, Lee J. Cobb, who wants to make peace between Syria and France. He crosses paths with Bogart several times as both men pursue Toren and become embroiled in the political conflict.

Sirocco isn't a particularly interesting film. Bogart seems bored by the whole thing, giving a tired, been there, done that performance that makes you wish you were watching one of his earlier films where this type of character and situation was much better played out. The characters aren't compelling enough to care about, which really kills any chance for dramatic tension. The script is dry, the direction bland, and the film appears to have been made on the cheap. Fans of Bogart will want to watch this if only to see him, but it ranks amongst his lesser efforts.

Rating:
Summary: Been There, Done That Much Better Before
Review: Humphrey Bogart stars as an American operating in the black market in Syria during the French occupation. Bogart can't return to the U.S. because of his shady past. He has no loyalty to either side ... he is his number one concern. He becomes intrigued by Marta Toren, the mistress of a French officer, Lee J. Cobb, who wants to make peace between Syria and France. He crosses paths with Bogart several times as both men pursue Toren and become embroiled in the political conflict.

Sirocco isn't a particularly interesting film. Bogart seems bored by the whole thing, giving a tired, been there, done that performance that makes you wish you were watching one of his earlier films where this type of character and situation was much better played out. The characters aren't compelling enough to care about, which really kills any chance for dramatic tension. The script is dry, the direction bland, and the film appears to have been made on the cheap. Fans of Bogart will want to watch this if only to see him, but it ranks amongst his lesser efforts.

Rating:
Summary: Mediocre effort, at best, but a few segments sparkle.
Review: This isn't as bad as most critics, and Bogart himself (who said this was a "real stinker") have suggested.

It's fairly mediocre, but then not every actor's career can be a gem, and even a solid effort can be appreciated. Bogart reprises a role similar to the one he played in Casablanca and To Have and Have not, but there just isn't much there for him so you have to take the weight of his persona and film history instead of relying on his character. IT works, but barely.

The other characters let the story down, as sadly is so often the case in Bogart's movies. It's almost as though they rely on him to carry the film and don't bother giving him interesting people interact with. The cinematography and location camerawork is pretty good though.

worth seeing, but very barely, and only if you are a Bogart fan.

Rating:
Summary: Mediocre effort, at best, but a few segments sparkle.
Review: This isn't as bad as most critics, and Bogart himself (who said this was a "real stinker") have suggested.

It's fairly mediocre, but then not every actor's career can be a gem, and even a solid effort can be appreciated. Bogart reprises a role similar to the one he played in Casablanca and To Have and Have not, but there just isn't much there for him so you have to take the weight of his persona and film history instead of relying on his character. IT works, but barely.

The other characters let the story down, as sadly is so often the case in Bogart's movies. It's almost as though they rely on him to carry the film and don't bother giving him interesting people interact with. The cinematography and location camerawork is pretty good though.

worth seeing, but very barely, and only if you are a Bogart fan.