High Sierra (1941)

Great Film overall

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

High Sierra is a fine film, its only real story is a love story though, formed through persistence. The love of Marie and the love of Pard, who keep forcing themselves into Roy's life. All the other stuff is pretty uneventful and lackluster. Roy's goons losing control of the car, while not being chased, catching fire was utterly ridiculous. I liked that Velma didn't want to be with Roy, she wasn't very nice about it, but people aren't always nice. Nearly every Bogart film, women are throwing themselves at him, it was good to see at least one turn him down, even though he still got the better deal. Ida Lupino was very alluring. People sure do love Humphrey Bogart, "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" I think is his best work from what I have seen, probably mostly due to believing him in that role and not the role of a gangster or a detective, but this would be among his better performances. In all seriousness though, Pard stole the show.

High Sierra tells the story of a gangster with a heart who has a chance and a desire to change. But can he really? Bogey gives a great performance as Roy Earle, who is let out of prison by his old boss, only to be signed up for the biggest event that will finally allow him to retire from his life of crime.He meets Ida Lupino, beautiful talented actress, who plays Marie, a down and outer, street-smart girl who has led a dubious life. Then he meets Velma, a sweet, unspoiled girl, who he is drawn to. Velma's father is played by that actor who played Clarence the angel in It's a Wonderful Life, and he was terrific too.The script is tight, and the dialog even better. Not much wasted dialog here, as Bogey was always one of the most economical actors ever. Will he find true love, will he be able to break out? Watch this gem to find out. You will love High Sierra.

The movie mentions that the dog belonging to Earl is named "Pard". They seem to imply that it is a strange name. In "The Virginian" (1914), a silent film, they use "Pard" to mean "Partner". Since this is set in the West, it may have been a common term in the past. Sorry, I need 10 lines. There seems no way to avoid getting trapped on the big mountain. It also would seem that the girlfriend, played by Lupino, would be charged today with aiding a criminal. There are several ways that could phrased. It is a shame that the 2 leads did not appear together again. Being trapped up there with no food or water, and no warm clothes at altitude could have been fatal.

Raoul Walsh directed this tense thriller that stars Humphrey Bogart as Roy Earle, nicknamed 'Mad Dog' in his youth, but who has now calmed down. After he gets out of prison, he is enlisted by his former employer to crew chief two inexperienced crooks(played by Alan Curtis and Arthur Kennedy) which he resents, but goes along with it. They plan to rob a rich hotel resort in Nevada, but along the way lonely Roy helps a crippled girl named Velma(played by Joan Leslie) get an operation to correct her physical impediment. She is grateful, but Roy is too old for her, and he leaves, but does find love with Marie(played by Ida Lupino) who loves him despite his doomed fate, as the heist goes wrong, and Roy finds himself on the run, until they get to the Sierra Nevada mountains... Well-filmed on location, exciting story of a doomed man whom time has passed by was Bogart's breakout role to leading man status.