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| The Petrified Forest | ||
Howard as Alan Squier and Davis as Gabrielle Maple |
The Petrified Forest was Bogie's "breakthrough" film. His depiction of Duke Mantee the architype
on which his early cinema successes would be based. Bogie had played Mantee beside Leslie Howard in the stage play of Petrified Forest to great success, but his movie career at this time was floundering. When the studio decided to bring Petrified Forest to the screen, they didn't want Bogie in it. Howard, however, refused to reprise his incredibly successful and popular performance (which the studios did want) unless they cast Bogart. The studios gave in to his demands. Bogie was forever grateful, and even named his second child 'Leslie', after his friend. | |
| The Petrified Forest is a beautifully photographed and fascinating film. Set in a diner in the vast and isolated Arizona desert, a disillusioned drifter
(Howard as Alan Squier), wandering through, strikes up a wonderful romantic friendship with the diner waitress (Bette Davis as Gabrielle Maple). This chance meeting of
like minded souls seems likely to become nothing more than a tender memory, until it is dramatically impacted by the arrival of a violent criminal (Mantee) on the run from the law,
who takes over the diner as a temporary hideout. The drama that ensues is a fascinating character study of all the participants, and impacts Alan and Gabrielle in a way that will powerfully change the courses of their lives. Also playing excellent supporting roles are Genevieve Tobin, Paul Harvey, Dick Foran, Charley Grapewin, Porter Hall, Joe Sawyer, Slim Thompson and John Alexander. | ||
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Shot in Black & White. The DVD presents the film in it's original aspect ratio of 1.33:1 Extra Features: Commentary by Eric Lax. Warner Night at the Movies - Introduced by Leonard Maltin, starts with a Theatrical Trailer for Bullets or Ballots, followed by a cinema newsreel, then a comedy/musical Vitaphone short feature called "Rhythmitis" and finally a cartoon "The Coo Coo Nut Grove" , all from 1936. The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert (Good quality 2005 making of featurette with comments from several film historians including Eric Lax). 15min 49sec. A radio adaptation of The Petrified Forest featuring Bogart, Tyrone Power, and Joan Bennett. Theatrical Trailer for The Petrified Forest. | Bogie as Duke Mantee |