147. High Sierra (1941)

Directed By Raoul Walsh

Synopsis

A gangster is released from jail and goes on another caper. In the process he meets Velma a young girl with a club foot who he falls in love with and Marie another tough girl that falls in love with him. Caper goes terribly wrong, Velma shuns him and he rushes inexorably towards violent death.

Review

With the Production Code in place directors couldn't show baddies getting away or glorify gangsterism, this film comes close to the second thing, however. The character played by Bogart is actually lovely, tough but fair and really nice to women.

It is also one of the first examples of the film noir and it is a good film. Even tough it goes a little slow in the middle the end definitely pays off. It is one of those endings you see coming a mile away because there are premonitions galore through it, the dog, Pard, is a gun in the mantelpiece, and you know from the moment the stereotypical black guy tells the story of the dog, that things aren't going to end well.

The film also includes the most amazing chase scene to date, followed by a great stand-off in the mountains. So get it.

Final Grade

8/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

The film was remade twice:

* Once, as the 1949 western Colorado Territory also directed by Raoul Walsh.

* The story was remade again in 1955 as I Died a Thousand Times starring Jack Palance and Shelley Winters.

Trailer: