Key Largo (1948)

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Maxwell Anderson (play)
Richard Brooks (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

31 July 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

Tagline:

A storm of fear and fury in the sizzling Florida Keys !

Plot:

A man visits his old friend's hotel and finds a gangster running things. As a hurricane approaches, the two end up confronting each other.

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Hurricane | Gangster | Seminole Indians | Key Largo

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Frank McCloud
Edward G. Robinson	...	Johnny Rocco
Lauren Bacall	...	Nora Temple
Lionel Barrymore	...	James Temple
Claire Trevor	...	Gaye Dawn
Thomas Gomez	...	Richard 'Curly' Hoff
Harry Lewis	...	Edward 'Toots' Bass
John Rodney	...	Deputy Clyde Sawyer
Marc Lawrence	...	Ziggy
Dan Seymour	...	Angel Garcia
Monte Blue	...	Sheriff Ben Wade
William Haade	...	Ralph Feeney
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Beulah Archuletta	...	Passenger on Bus (uncredited)
Luther Crockett	...	Ziggy's henchman #1 (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	The traveler (uncredited)
Felipa Gómez	...	Old Indian woman (uncredited)
Jerry Jerome	...	Ziggy's henchman #2 (uncredited)
John Litel	...	Dispatcher (uncredited)
Alberto Morin	...	Skipper of Rocco's boat (uncredited)
John Phillips	...	Ziggy's henchman #3 (uncredited)
Rodd Redwing	...	John Osceola (uncredited)
Jay Silverheels	...	Tom Osceola (uncredited)
Joe P. Smith	...	Bus Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
John Huston

Writing credits
Maxwell Anderson		(play)
Richard Brooks		(writer) and
John Huston		(writer)

Produced by
Jerry Wald	....	producer

Original Music by
Max Steiner

Cinematography by
Karl Freund

Film Editing by
Rudi Fehr

Art Direction by
Leo K. Kuter

Set Decoration by
Fred M. MacLean

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist
Betty Delmont	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Chuck Hansen	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arthur Lueker	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Dolph Thomas	....	sound

Special Effects by
Robert Burks	....	special effects
William C. McGann	....	special effects director (as William McGann)

Stunts
Allen Pomeroy	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Everett Dexter	....	grip (uncredited)
Ellsworth Fredericks	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Mac Julian	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Leah Rhodes	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Murray Cutter	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Jean Baker	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Key Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16 (nf) | South Korea:15 (2003) | Australia:G (cable rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #12932)

Filming Locations:

Florida Keys, Florida, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The main character, Frank McCloud, describes having served with Nora's late husband in the WWII battle at San Pietro, Italy; director/co-screenwriter John Huston had been involved in that battle as the creator of the documentary film San Pietro (1945) while he was in the U.S. Army's motion picture unit.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Rocco's boys are out to dump Sawyer's body into the sea, the "dead" Sawyer helps push himself into the water.

Quotes:

[Rocco is showing strain at the height of the hurricane's force]
Frank McCloud: You don't like it, do you Rocco, the storm? Show it your gun, why don't you? If it doesn't stop, shoot it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Sopranos: Whitecaps (#4.13)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Moanin' Low

The genius of John Huston on display!

John Huston was a remarkable man who was an excellent director, as well as a superb adapter of other people's materials, as he clearly shows in "Key Largo". This movie, based on Maxwell Anderson's play, is a triumph for Mr. Huston, who co-wrote the adaptation with Richard Brooks, another man who would go on to direct his own movies.

Mr. Huston had an uncanny way to get the best people in the business in his projects. Karl Freund's black and white cinematography is wonderful, as is the haunting music provided by Max Steiner, a man who was a genius in his own right for always giving that special touch to the scores he was hired to do.

"Key Largo" has been compared with "The Desperate Hours", in which Humphrey Bogart also appeared. In fact, both were theatrical plays, and perhaps that's the basis of the comparison. As much as Mr. Huston tried to open "Key Largo", it still has a certain feeling of the drama one would get in a stage production.

This is a film that has Humphrey Bogart playing a good guy, Frank McCloud, not his usual bad guy from other movies. Also, we see a rather quiet Lauren Bacall as Nora Temple; in her other films with Mr. Bogart she played more sultrier roles. Edgar G. Robinson is perfect as the crooked Johnny Rocco, the gangster that has decided to take over the Largo Hotel to do his business. In a great performance, Mr. Robinson shows an ugly side. Claire Trevor plays a gangster moll Gaye Dawn and has a great opportunity. Also Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Gomez and Harry Lewis are seen in supporting roles.

"Key Largo" will not disappoint because it shows a tense situation in which at the beginning seems a hopeless cause, but the hurricane will change things around and justice and sanity will prevail.