To Have and Have Not
Lauren Bacall is one of the greatest actresses of all time to grace the big screen, appearing in a string of iconic roles during her career.
She made her major breakthrough at the age of nineteen, and went on to enjoy a career that spanned over sixty years.
She has passed away this week at the age of eighty-nine, and we take a look back and celebrate some of her greatest roles.
- To Have and Have Not (1944)
To Have and Have Not was the movie that really put Bacall on the map at the age of nineteen.
The movie saw her team up with Humphrey Bogart for the first time, in what would be a great professional and personal relationship.
To Have and Have Not was based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway and saw Howard Hawks in the director's chair.
It was a sexy and sultry performance from Bacall, and the chemistry between the actress and Bogart really makes the movie sizzle.
"You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow." remains one of Bacall's most famous lines, and Slim is her most iconic character and performance.
To Have and Have Not kicked off a wonderful screen partnership between Bacall and Bogart, which remains one of the greatest big screen teams.
- The Big Sleep (1946)
The Big Sleep saw Bacall reunite with Bogart two years later in The Big Sleep: a movie that also saw Hawks back in the director's chair.
The Big Sleep is another film-noir gem that oozes class and style from the opening frame to the closing credits.
This is a movie that explores the process of a criminal investigation, and it really does make for an intriguing watch.
Once again, Bacall and Bogart make a wonderful team, and it is their story and interaction that will keep you hooked. They are an acting duo that you cannot take your eyes off.
The Big Sleep was only the third feature film for Bacall, and this really established her further as a great leading lady.
- Key Largo (1948)
Bacall turned to the crime/drama once again in 1948 as she took on the role of Nora Temple in Key Largo.
John Huston was in the director's chair for the film, while Bogart and Edward G. Robinson were also on the cast list: this was the fourth film collaboration between Bacall & Bogart.
Key Largo is a taut and atmospheric classic that really sees the core cast on the top of their game: Bacall, Bogart, and Robinson are particularly terrific from start to finish.
Set in a hotel, this movie is incredible claustrophobic - which really adds to the tension and the drama.
Key Largo would be the final time that we would see Bacall and Bogart share the big screen.
- The Shootist (1976)
Another great movie from Bacall came in 1976 with The Shootist, a film that saw her team up with John Wayne.
The Shootist was an adaptation of the novel by Glendon Swarthout, and saw Don Siegel in the director's chair. This was also the final film for Wayne.
Wayne took on the role of a dying gunfighter who spends his final days looking for a way to die with dignity. Bacall played his landlady during his final days.
This Shootist is a movie that really is an ode to the Western, and see both Wayne and Bacall deliver touching and powerful performances.
Bacall went on to picked up a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her performance.
Other great Lauren Bacall movies include Dark Passage, How To Marry A Millionaire, and Death On The Orient Express.
Throughout her career Bacall was an actress who found success on the big screen as well as on the stage, and will be a talent that will be missed.
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