Film Review: High Sierra

High Sierra: One of the first films to take Bogart and turn him into the character we all now and love now - the bad guy with the big heart. Fuck me - it is awesome. Well, not awesome compared to other Bogart movies, but awesome compared to most films in general. But not other Bogart films - cos he has been awesomer than this. But not by much.

Anywho...Bogart plays a career criminal bailed outta jail to do one last job by his old boss. On the way he hooks up with two up-and-coming wannabe gangsters on their first big job; a weather-beaten moll intent to never return to her past life; a family of hillybillys trying to start a new life and a mangy ol pup that you won't fail to fall in love with.

At just over an hour and a half the films breezes through and although the plot is a bit ropey every now and again you cannot fail to be impressed with Bogart's performance and especially that of his co-star Ida Lupino. Her weather beaten moll has more moxy in her furrowed brow than any Lara Croft, Aeon Flux or shaven-headed fuckwit Queen Padmé will ever have. Her's is a character you dont see enough of in todays films - a woman who stands up to the world but isn't afraid to let her emotions show as well. She is never weak or vulnerable - even her toughest moments she shows courage that frankly just isn't seen enough in films anymore. The womans one tough cookie and she more than holds her own alongside her leading man.

Back to Bogart - the man's a legend! He carries this film impeccably throughout and makes it look effortless in doing so. Its hard to look at him and think that he's played some of the coolest characters around! That ugly mug of his, that snarling grin, the way the words fall out of his mouth - almost as if he's spitting them out in disgust at having to waste the energy to say them at all. Here you can see future glimpses of Sam Spade, Marlowe and Casablanca's Rick all thrown into one character. He takes no shit, says it like it is and never asks for anything in return.

I assume by now you've realised i quite like the man! Anyways, if you're bored you could do a lot worse than this - granted there's better Bogart out there, but this is a good a place to start or even pick up from. You wont be disappointed. Good fuckin show. 3. 5 / 5