Bogie: A Celebration of the Life and Films of Humphrey Bogart (Hardcover)

~ (Author), George Perry (Editor), Stephen Humphrey Bogart (Foreword) "We'll always haw Casablanca..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Humphrey Bogart's 1957 death, acclaimed writers Schickel (Brando: A Life In Our Times) and Perry (James Dean) present this illustrated look at one of Hollywood's most lasting icons. Tracing Bogart's life from his well-to-do boyhood through his 20-year film career, this volume covers such highlights as his first films in the 30s, his breakout in 1941's The Maltese Falcon, his Oscar-winning 1951 performance in The African Queen and his last film, 1956's The Harder They Fall, with plenty of space devoted to 1942's Casablance-still regarded by some film enthusiasts as the best picture ever made. Enlivened with more than 200 candid and studio photos-many from the family's private archives and previously unpublished-this "celebration" covers the breadth of Bogart's career admirably, if at times fawningly (especially in son Stephen's foreword). The lengthy appreciation by Schickel, however, is convoluted but critical, taking aim at Bogart's initial lackadaisical approach toward acting and panning some of his earliest work. Likewise, Perry's extensive filmography doesn't flinch, but it occasionally veers into territory already covered by Schickel. A worthy addition to any film buff's library for the photos alone, this should serve as a fine reference.
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From Booklist

In this appreciation of Bogart 50 years after his death, American film critic Richard Schickel observes that of his cohort of male stars, which includes Astaire, Cagney, Tracy, Gable, Cooper, Grant, and Wayne, Bogart now glows the brightest. Projecting tough romanticism in sympathetic roles and evoking unsympathetic characters' demons without negating their humanity--think of Captain Queeg in The Caine Mutiny, Fred C. Dobbs in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Dixon Steele in In a Lonely Place (Schickel's pick as Bogart's best performance)--he forged a masculine persona that continues to be the envy of men and irresistible to women. In his review of Bogart's life and career, British film critic George Perry points up Bogart's real personality--preferring privacy and nonactor friends, unwise in marriage until wedding Lauren Bacall, hard-drinking and -smoking, impatient with fools and bullies, genuinely gentlemanly in his manners. While evaluating certain films differently (Perry is kinder to more of Bogart's lesser efforts), the two critics together make this a quite satisfying commemoration of a thus-far unforgettable figure. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; 1st edition (December 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312366299
• ISBN-13: 978-0312366292
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #522,988 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Back to basics on Bogart..., April 9, 2007

By	William E. Adams (Midland, Texas USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In addition to excellent photos covering Humphrey's life and career, this volume has a concise biography, an insightful appreciation of his acting, and details on all of his nearly 80 films and his dozen or so appearances on the Broadway stage. For casual fans, it is a must-read, and for fanatic fans a must-own. Good job from the creators and publishers, it would make a fine gift for any Bogie-lover one knows.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars bogie; a celebration of the life and films of humphrey bogart, August 6, 2007

By	J. gomez (nyc) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

great book, if you want to know everything about humphrey bogart , buy this book
j .gomez

5.0 out of 5 stars films, October 22, 2007

By	Scott V. Garloch "book nut" (salt lake city) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is just what it says-A Celebration of the Life Films of HB-the Stephen Bogart book on HB is more of the biography that I should have gotten-however, the Bogie book is great in its presentation of the films, the actors, and directors of those films