The Breaking Point **** (1950, John Garfield, Patricia Neal, Phyllis Thaxter, Juano Hernandez) – Classic Movie Review 1347

Director Michael Curtiz and the Warner Bros studio go for a much more faithful version of Ernest Hemingway’s novel To Have and Have Not in 1950 and cast it strongly and ideally with John Garfield, Patricia Neal, Phyllis Thaxter and Juano Hernandez.

The result is a tense, fast paced, atmospheric and highly watchable black and white thriller, even a neglected little gem. But The Breaking Point just lacks the extra spark of the Humphrey Bogart-Lauren Bacall classic version To Have and Have Not, which has overshadowed it, despite it bearing little resemblance to the 1944 film.

Garfield (in his next to last film) is seen at his best here as the penniless, shady boat boat owner Harry Morgan, who smuggles for crooks but eventually sees the light.

Neal is luminous as the loose-moralled femme fatale Leona Charles who falls in love with him, even though he is married man with a wife in Lucy (Thaxter). Hernandez is superb as Garfield’s hard-boozing buddy and partner, Wesley Park. Thaxter is ideal in her regular persona as the ever-patient wife. There is taut, tidy handling from director Curtiz, who keeps it grounded and credible.

And Hemingway’s novel was filmed once more as The Gun Runners, a 1958 movie directed by Don Siegel and starring Audie Murphy in the Bogart/Garfield role and Everett Sloane in the Walter Brennan/Hernandez part as the alcoholic sidekick.

Howard Hawks, the director of To Have and Have Not, told Hemingway he considered it his ‘worst book’ and said it was ‘a bunch of junk’. The Breaking Point shows just how wrong Hawks was.

Also in the cast are Wallace Ford, Sherry Jackson, Edmond Ryan, Ralph Dumke, Guy Thomajan, William Campbell, Victor Sen Young, Peter Brocco, John Doucette and James Griffith.

The Breaking Point is directed by Michael Curtiz, runs 97 minutes, is made and released by Warner Bros, is written by Ranald MacDougall, based on Ernest Hemingway’s novel To Have and Have Not, is shot in black and white by Ted McCord, is produced by Jerry Wald, is scored by Max Steiner and Ray Heindorf, and is designed by Edward Carrere.

Phyllis Thaxter died on 14 August 2012, aged 92, in Orlando, Florida. She debuted in Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944). Her last film role was as Ma Kent in Superman (1978).

http://derekwinnert.com/to-have-and-have-not-1944-humphrey-bogart-walter-brennan-lauren-bacall-classic-movie-review-1346/

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1347

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more film reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/