Plot: What’s it about?
Roy “Mad Dog” Earle (Humphrey Bogart) has just left prison and returned to the free world, but not because he has served his time. No, he was broken out by an old associate and his freedom comes with a price. As soon as he reaches freedom, he is told of a scheme to rob a bank and of course, he is asked to be involved. At one time, he wouldn’t have hesitated to sign up, but times have changed since he was locked up. The others in the plan aren’t the kind of men he remembers, as these younger gangsters lack the substance of his old buddies. As such, he finds no real connection to the men or the plot, but since he was broken out of prison, he feels an obligation of sorts. He has a desire to leave his criminal ways behind, but he also has that inner burn to test the law and tempt danger. As the plan continues to be fine tuned, Earle finds himself a love interest, though Pat (Joan Leslie) is a young girl of half his own age. He also spends some time with Marie (Ida Lupino), who has been through the same kind of experiences in her own life. The time soon comes to carry out the robbery, but things go haywire and a man winds up murdered. This spurs Earle to make a run for the Sierras, where he tries to keep one step ahead of the law. Can he escape from his secluded hiding place and when the chips are down, which of his loves will remain loyal?
A solid hardboiled gangster movie, High Sierra has some great sequences, though the writing sometimes falters. These days, filmmakers don’t need to have a squeaky clean hero and in fact, audiences will often even get behind the villains. But back in the time of High Sierra, most producers wanted good guys to be just that, even in darker films such as this one. Humphrey Bogart plays a man fresh out of prison that returns to his former criminal ways, but the writers bend over backwards to make him seem like a victim. Yes, he is a ruthless man with a dark side, but his tender side is there and seems forced. This wears thin at times, but Bogart’s performance is strong enough to compensate in most cases. John Huston’s script has some great moments however, such as some classic lines and superb action driven scenes. This is a fine example of an old school gangster movie, with lots of tommy guns blazing, well dressed mobsters, and of course lines such as such, “You’ll never take me alive, copper!” I admit, this might strike some new viewers as dated and ineffective, but I found High Sierra to be a solid picture. Although it has some flaws, Bogart is in fine form and he is surrounded by a talented cast. So if you’re a fan of gangster movies, film noir, or even just Bogart, High Sierra is well worth a look.
He’s one of the cinema’s brightest stars, with a career lined with hits and in High Sierra, Humphrey Bogart added another fine performance to his resume. He wasn’t an instant star, but with a little time he climbed the ranks and by the time he worked on High Sierra, Bogart was on the cusp of a string of would-be classics. His turn here hits all the right marks, which is all the more impressive because of the sometimes flawed writing. His character is tough and ruthless, but the writing wants to shove in a more human side, even when it shouldn’t be there. As such, some mixed signals arise from his character, which can lessen the experience. Even so, Bogart is able to pull off his role and when the material crosses itself, he still manages to push on and never miss a beat. If someone else were in the role, the result might have been disastrous, but Bogart was up to the challenge and the film is that much better. Other films with Bogart include Dark Passage, Casablanca, They Drive by Night, The Maltese Falcon, and The Big Sleep. The cast also includes Ida Lupino (Sea Devils, Lust for Gold), Alan Curtis (Hitler’s Madman, The Invisible Man’s Revenge), and Arthur Kennedy (The AntiChrist, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie).
Video: How does it look?
High Sierra is presented in full frame, as intended. This film is over six decades old, so it would be understandable if the visuals weren’t top notch. I mean, time can take a toll on source elements, especially elements that are this old. But Warner has given us a superb presentation here, one which takes decades off the visuals. The print has some grain, but looks cleaner than ever before and allows for a crisp, refined presence. A few instances of debris and marks can be seen, but for a movie of this vintage, the print looks incredible. The black & white visuals are bolstered by smooth contrast, which yields stark black levels. So in the end, Warner has gone top drawer here and High Sierra has never looked better.
Audio: How does it sound?
A simple mono option is provided here, which serves the needs of the material, but offers little beyond the basics. A few age related flaws can be heard, but pops and hiss are minimal, which is great news. As this is a mono soundtrack, don’t expect much depth or presence, but the elements have a good overall texture. So sound effects won’t shatter the windows, but as far as mono is concerned, they sound more than acceptable. The same holds true for the music, which sounds limited, but still comes across well enough. No troubles at all with the dialogue either, as vocals are clean and clear throughout. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, if you should need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a brief retrospective featurette, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
