Key Largo

directed by John Huston
Category: "Suspense"
Year of Release:1948
Date Added:03/29/2005
Date Watched:03/29/2005
Description:Major Frank McCloud (Humprey Bogart) travels to the Florida Keys to see James Temple (Lionel Barrymore) the father of George, his army buddy who died in Italy. James is a cripple, helped around the hotel by George’s young widow, Nora (Lauren Bacall). McCloud finds the hotel rented by the gangster Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson), his four goons and his moll, Gaye Dawn (Claire Trevor). Rocco plans on making a connection with Ziggy, another gangster from Miami, then heading for Cuba. But a hurricane disrupts their plans and they have to wait out the storm at the hotel.

Meanwhile, the local sheriff is tracking two Seminole Indian boys who have escaped from prison. These two boys, and the rest of the tribe, head for the hotel to take cover from the storm, but Rocco won’t let them inside. When the deputy shows up looking for the Indians, Rocco’s men knock him out. When he wakes up, he tries to grab a gun and go for help, but is shot. Rocco’s men throw his body in the ocean.

When the storm finally ends, the sheriff returns looking for his deputy. He finds his deputy's body washed up by the storm. Rocco tells him the Indians killed the deputy, so the sheriff finds the escaped boys on the dock and kills them. Ziggy shows up and Rocco sells him a pile of counterfeit money. Rocco’s boat has disappeared in the storm, so he forces McCloud to take Temple’s boat and take them to Cuba. Before he leaves, James and Nora both tell McCloud that they want him to return and stay with them at the hotel.

When Gaye finds out she’s to be left behind, she steals Rocco’s gun and gives it to McCloud. Halfway to Cuba, he manages to kill three of Rocco’s men. Rocco kills the fourth himself when he refuses to go on deck and confront McCloud. Rocco tries to outwit McCloud, but he gets shot. McCloud, wounded but alive, manages to take the boat back to Key Largo. He calls ahead to let a worried Nora know he’s coming. Meanwhile, Gaye has ratted on Ziggy and he’s caught at the Georgia border.
My Rating:8

Reviews for Key Largo

Review - Key Largo

Great characters. The romance between Bogart and Bacall is understated but obvious. Robinson’s Rocco is deliciously evil and his henchmen are excellently cast. Lionel Barrymore is good as the crippled hotel owner. The storm, while not really affecting the action, sets the mood and creates fantastic suspense.

This movie would be an ideal one to watch on a hot summer evening when a thunderstorm is brewing outside. Turn off your lights and your air conditioner, grab a tall glass of ice-cold lemonade and enjoy.

Reviewed by Roger on 2005-03-29 21:09:06

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