Prismark10 John Huston directs an adaptation of a stage play but never really opens it up. It is essentially a home invasion thriller not too dissimilar to The Desperate Hours.Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart) is a drifter who arrives at a hotel in Key Largo during hurricane season to visit the family of an army buddy, George Temple killed in Italy. George's father, James Temple (Lionel Barrymore) is in a wheelchair and pleased to see Frank who he sees as a war hero. His widow Nora Temple (Lauren Bacall) manages the hotel with her father in law. The police in the area are looking for two native Indian prisoners who have escaped, while other native Indians are coming inland to escape the worse of the weather.Frank senses that a few of the characters hanging around the hotel are shady and they are hostile to Frank apart from a woman called Gaye (Claire Trevor) who is fond of a drink. It turns out that holed out in the hotel is gangster Johnny Rocco (Edward G Robinson) who was deported from America but has returned. His cronies hold them all hostage as he is working on a deal with other gangsters regarding some counterfeit money.Frank recognises for Rocco of who he is. Despite Rocco telling everyone that they will be unharmed as long as they do what he says and he will leave the hotel once his business has concluded. James and Nora antagonise him which leads Rocco to show his menacing side.It really is a question of if and when Frank would be able to stand up to Rocco and his men. He had one opportunity but spurned it leading people to think he is a coward but Frank might be biding his time for the right moment.Robinson delivers a malevolent performance, Bogart gives the impression he only cares about his own self preservation but the audience senses otherwise. It is a tense film but it gets grating to see the Temples constantly putting themselves in danger by insulting Rocco and his men when they are in no position to defend themselves.

Vimacone The gangster film had significantly changed since the mid-30's as did the roles of the actors that originally portrayed them. Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, and James Cagney had played different and more complex roles, which were often more savory characters than the ones that made them famous.Key Largo seems reminiscent of THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936), which also starred Humphrey Bogart, but in a reverse role. Both are about a disillusioned traveler caught up in a hostage situation during adverse weather conditions.Edward G. Robinson continues to play the ruthless sociopathic gangster that made him famous in LITTLE CAESAR. While he was usually entertaining in the older roles, here he is a more threatening and convincing menace. I find it remarkable how effectively he was able to portray those type of characters which were reportedly in sharp contrast to his real life persona. There are so many twists and turns in the story, that the first time viewers are never quite sure how the story will turn out or what will happen to the characters. (SPOILER: I am glad that Bogie's character was spared, unlike the characters of that type like in THE PETRIFIED FOREST or BULLETS OR BALLOTS). This is an excellent thriller that will leave the viewer on the edge of their seat. A classic that has aged very well.

PimpinAinttEasy Dear John Huston, Key Largo was a terrific thriller which revealed the ravaged psyche of citizens and general sense of doom in post-world war 2 America. A somber ex-soldier (Bogart) visits a hotel run by his dead fellow soldier's wife (Bacall) and father. He gets entangled in their predicament as a bunch of gangsters have taken over the hotel and are waiting for a hurricane to pass so that they could take a boat to Cuba.Edward.G.Robinson steals the show as Johnny Rocco - the leader of the gang. He is helped by the fact that both Bogie and Bacall are playing extremely submissive roles. His use of face expressions and posture helps distract attention from his short and portly demeanor. Even the cinematographer and the writer seemed to be in love with the character. He gets many close ups and obviously the best lines.The film foregrounded the sweeping power of evil as it renders everyone helpless and impotent. The film might as well be an allegory for the plight of the common man during the great war. The ending establishes the self-destructive nature of evil.A fine rollicking score by Max Steiner sets the mood for a tense night in a hotel during a hurricane attack.Brian De Palma was obviously inspired by the shaving scene in Key Largo for the opening scene in The Untouchables. A group of people forced to spend time together in a confined space due to the forces of nature ..... The Hateful Eight? The fact that the film completely ignores the outdoors of Key Largo is a drawback. There are shots of a few monstrous waves. That's it.Best Regards, Pimpin.(7.5/10)

Christopher Reid I often feel like I don't fully understand these kinds of movies. Old ones basically, where there's lots of talking. Ways of life have changed so much. I don't get all of the social cues that are going on. I have no idea what the subtext of all the dialogue is. And yet, I've gotten used to certain patterns over time. I can tell when something's about to go down or if a character's lying or pushing buttons. Still, words aren't needed for certain facial expressions, you can immediately tell what someone is feeling or thinking.Most of this movie takes place in a hotel. Something comes up and some gangsters are forced to reveal themselves and take the guests and owners as hostages. They don't want any trouble. But then a hurricane comes and things get more complicated. Nobody can leave, at least for a while. Maybe someone will try to be a hero or talk smart. The tension builds.Johnny Rocco is a famous gangster (based on Al Capone and Lucky Luciano) who all the regular people despise. So much so that some of them can't keep it to themselves in spite of the harm it might bring to them. Edward G. Robinson really gets into the role alternating between brutal coldness and smarmy talking. He's confident but Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart) begins to see weaknesses, giving him some leverage. Frank talks logic, he thinks ahead and explains things.Key Largo seems to have a bit of a theme about war veterans in contrast with gangsters, these two extremes of Americans. The really noble, brave kind Vs. the heartless, selfish, evil kind. Frank (like every Bogart character) announces that he only cares about his own business and it seems true. But even he has to morally conclude that stopping someone like Rocco by any means could only be a good thing. This means he's willing to take some risks to harm Rocco which puts himself and the others in danger. I think there's a bit more emotion here from Bogart than usual. He even smiles a couple of times.The finale was pretty riveting and satisfying. It's always good when you're actually rooting for the good guys and you want the bad guys dead (because they're that bad). And you're on the edge of your seat because you hope things turn out well but know that anything could happen. It shows that you believe in and care about the characters. Well, what a turbulent experience for all of them!