- If you need help distinguishing High Sierra from the rest of Humphrey Bogart's filmography, just remember that this is the one where he plays an aging robber who falls in love twice and carts a puppy around with him on heists. I'll have to check, but I'm pretty sure it's the only film of his to fit that description. Stranger still is the fact that such a dopey screenplay was written by John Huston, whose version of The Maltese Falcon would come out later in the same year, and W. R. Burnett, who contributed the source material for The Asphalt Jungle. I suppose it's a testament to the talents of both Bogart and director Raoul Walsh that High Sierra isn't completely terrible.
- Bogart's character, a man named Roy Earle, has only been out of prison for a short while before he falls in love with the first woman, a young innocent named Velma (Joan Leslie). Velma and her parents (Henry Travers and Elisabeth Risdon) have all sorts of problems ranging from reckless driving to Velma's club foot, but their homespun country simplicity appeals to Roy. It certainly forms a stark contrast with Roy's reckless associates in larceny (Alan Curtis and Arthur Kennedy) who spend their nights battling over a hard-boiled runaway named Marie (Ida Lupino). Unfortunately, their hotel robbery takes a few decidedly tragic turns, and Roy is forced to take Marie on the lam. And yes, the dog comes along for the ride, too.
- As you've no doubt inferred, the second woman that Roy falls in love with is Marie, but by then it's a little too late. The papers and radio bulletins are overflowing with reports about murderous "Mad Dog" Earle, and it's tough to imagine how Roy will ever be able to "crash out" of his criminal life. While the theme of escaping from crime-infested cities to a peaceful rural life are reminiscent of Dix Handley's struggles in The Asphalt Jungle, the similarity to that truly excellent crime noir unfortunately ends there. Despite solid performances from Bogart and Lupino and a fairly memorable mountain car chase, ultimately High Sierra comes across more like a cautionary tale about "starting out on a caper with a woman and a dog" than anything else. I'm glad that Bogart would never try that again.
- Also co-starring Henry Hull, Donald MacBride, Cornel Wilde, and Barton MacLane. And Zero the dog.
