Customer Reviews

Petrified Forest [VHS]

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I've had the advantage of seeing The Petrified Forest as a movie and on stage. Taking into account the fact that the stage production I saw wasn't the greatest, I still think that the movie version captured the story better. The story is dated and clearly belongs in the time period it was made, but that works in the film. The performances also work. Leslie Howard, sort of a forgotten Thirties' star these days, manages to make some difficult dialogue play well. Humphrey Bogart, in an early role as the young gangster, makes his character an interesting and sympathetic figure, despite not having many moments to really develop the character with dialogue. Bette Davis brings a lot of conviction to her role as the young, full of ideas waitress that Howard falls in love with. The Petrified Forest is a hostage drama, but it's more than that. It looks at life, growth, love, and disillusionment. It presents a nice contrast of characters, since Howard and Bogart are both at the end of their roads, having gotten there in very different ways. Bearing in mind that the film/play was written for an audience in the Thirties, today's movie fan will still find truths and entertainment in it.

What a difference 70 years make. In 1936 THE PETRIFIED FOREST offered theater goes the exciting prospect of the re-teaming of IN HUMAN BONDAGE'S costars Leslie Howard and Bette Davis. Today Howard is practically forgotten and Davis moved on to much more memorable roles. The reason eternity pays heed to this movie is because of the breakthrough performance of the actor who shows up fifth on the cast credits, after not only Howard and Davis but Genevieve Tobin and Dick Foran as well. Although the term is overused, Humphrey Bogart is electrifying as criminal Duke Mantee, and he steals the show and wrestles a movie career in the process. Howard was a world class actor, and I can't remember another instance where Davis wasn't the most interesting character on the screen. For a 30-something stage actor, and a more or less failed film star, to steal a film from these two heavyweights is a staggering achievement. For my money, Duke Mantee stands as one of Bogart's best film performances ever.
The movie is based on Robert Sherwood's hit Broadway play of the same name. Howard plays gentle roustabout Alan Squier, an esthete young man hitchhiking across America, `looking for something to believe in.' The wind shakes him out of the even present dust and deposits him at the isolated Arizona diner young Gabrielle Maple (Bette Davis) runs with her father and grandfather. Davis plays the naïve and romantic and `gabby' young girl stuck in the middle of nowhere who paints and dreams of reuniting with her mother in France and reads the poems of Francois Villon to take the stink of the hamburger and gasoline out of her system. The first act, and much of the second, is used to bud the romance between Alan and Gabby, all the while reminding us that brutal criminal Nick Mantee is on the loose and in the area.
Of course, Mantee finally arrives and Alan presciently announces that `carnage is imminent and I'm due to be among the fallen.' Bogart, who modeled Mantee on real life criminal John Dillinger, then proceeds to lay claim to Hollywood immortality. With his heavy stubble and dark and haunted eyes and stooped shoulders Bogart looks like a hunted beast of a man. More a mono-syllabic killer than `the last great apostle of rugged individualism,' as Alan puts it. Or, as Mantee would say, `Maybe you're right, pal. I couldn't say.'
THE PETRIFIED FOREST never quite shakes it stage heritage. Although commentator Eric Lax (Bogart biographer) tells us in his fact filled and entertaining commentary the tons of dust used on the soundstage, the film spends almost all of its time on one set - the interior of the diner - and the movie has a pretty static feeling to it as a result.
The print looks and sounds great, by the way. The dvd also has a 15- minute feature "Menace in the Desert", in which film historian Alain Silver and others discuss the Robert Sherwood stage play, its conversion to the screen, and the role that set Humphrey Bogart's star. Also included on the disk is the delightful and always welcome Warners Night at the Movie. It opens with a trailer for Bullets or Ballots, an Edgar G. Robinson crime thriller where he plays the good guy. That's followed by "Rhymitis", a dancing short with Hal LeRoy and Toby Wing. It doesn't have much of a plot but it's fun. A modern day alchemist comes up with a pill that makes you want to dance dance dance whenever you hear a beat that can't be beat. Night at the Movies concludes with the color cartoon "The Coo Coo Nut Grove," a take-off on the Coconut Grove nightclub and a lampoon of contemporary Hollywood stars - i.e., W.C. Fields as a pig, Katharine Hepburn a horse, etc.

Actually, this was not quite Bogart's debut. He had been in a few utterly forgettable films in tiny roles in the early 1930s before returning to Broadway, but this is his "real" debut.

THE PETRIFIED FOREST had been a highly successful stage play starring Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart, and Warner Brothers wanted to do a film version of it. They therefore approached Howard with the offer, indicating that they would like to have him reprise his starring role, and have him star opposite Edward G. Robinson as Duke Mantee. Howard, however, indicated that he would only make the film if his Broadway costar, Bogart, played Duke Mantee. At this point in his career, Bogart's acting career had consisted primarily in playing juvenile parts in various plays (the famous line "Tennis anyone?" is perhaps mythically attributed to one of his roles, but sums up the spirit of onstage persona) and failed attempts to break into film. Playing Duke Mantee had been a dramatic departure for Bogart, who had never previously played a heavy. Luckily for film history, Howard insisted that he would not make THE PETRIFIED FOREST unless Bogart played Mantee.

Historically, the most important thing about this film is that it launched Bogart's film career. Although he would spend the next four years playing a huge number of gangsters, he was, nonetheless, after this film, a Hollywood mainstay, becoming the number four gangster in the Warner Brother stable after Robinson, Cagney, and Raft.

THE PETRIFIED FOREST is, however, entertaining on its own. The one great negative of the film is the fact that it is very obviously a film version of a stage play. The action of the film is limited to only a few locations, and overall the production has a very static feel. Although there are some interesting sets, with some fascinating painted backdrops of Arizona landscape (some of it was shot live, but most of it is done in a studio), the real interest in the film lies in the performances. Leslie Howard made far too few films for my taste. I know he was deeply involved in the stage, but he was both immensely talented and quite charismatic. Unfortunately, his bizarre death cut his talent off far too soon (during WW II, the Luftwaffe shot down a plane he was in, thinking that a military or political VIP was on it). Bogart is striking as Duke Mantee. Bette Davis is as enjoyable in this as any film I have seen her in. I have to confess that by and large I don't care for Bette Davis. She has a tendency to over enunciate every word in a way that is not merely unnatural but a little unnerving. She never seems at ease on screen. She always seems to be "acting." Still, she is well suited to this role.

This is an excellent film starring Leslie Howard, Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart. This is a must see if you are fans of these three incredibly talented actors. But even if you're not, there's still something here for everyone. Some might say that the setting is stark and resembles a stage, but that works to the films' advantage, where in the case of this classic, less is more. The performances may seem a bit over the top, but that also works to the films advantage. If you have never seen this great film, it's recommended that you do, as this is a good example of classic 1930's filmmaking. If you enjoy Leslie Howard and Bette Davis together, check out "Of Human Bondage". For those Bogie fans out there, be sure to see "To Have and Have Not" and "Key Largo".

"The Petrified Forest," I have found, is either loved or dismissed as boring corn. How untrue the latter statement is! Gaby Maple is naive, adventurous, but has a head on her shoulders and Bette Davis portrays her brilliantly, with little-girl sweetness but with fire lying not too deep inside. The chemistry between she and her co-star Leslie Howard is evident and they work well together. It's hard to believe just two years earlier she was cussing him out as trampy waitress Mildred in "Of Human Bondage." "Forest" just reiterates the well-known fact that Bette Davis' versatility was and is unsurpassed. Humphrey Bogart, in the role that made him a star, adds greatly as the tough gangster. The beautiful and unique setting also adds to the humbleness and sweetness of this classic film. Most films of this era WERE corn, as some critics have referred to this film, but 'boring corn' is a completely untrue statement. One who calls it boring and uninteresting wouldn't known a great film if it bit them on the rear!

When people think of "The Petrified Forest" most think of Bogart in his breakout role, or Davis in one of her early films. Unfortunately the real star of this film, Leslie Howard, is rarely ever mentioned. Almost completely forgotten today, Howard was a major 30's star that played in such classics as "Pygmalion", "Romeo and Juliet", "Intermezzo", and his most famous role: Ashley Wilkes in "Gone With The Wind". His career was cut short after an unfortunate plane accident killed him at the age of 50 in 1943. Howard was an excellent actor that was able to manage dialogue that would seem unnatural if anyone else but him were to say it, and used subtle face expressions and body language that made his acting style totally unique. "The Petrified Forest" is a wonderful film that should be watched and appreciated. But don't watch it for Davis and Bogey - watch it because Leslie Howard is an actor too good to be forgotten.

This is an excellent film, obviously from a play. The dialogue is witty and intelligent. Howard and Davis are particularly good, but Bogart is excellent in a supporting role. I find it refreshingly understated, particularly compared with many overdone, big-budget movies today. The ending is a bit melodramatic, but the overall experience makes it worth it.

Definitely the film I `wasn't' expecting, `The Petrified Forest' is a beautifully controlled film about longing, loving, loss and self-sacrifice. Labeled as a `gangster' film, this is far from the clichéd genre typecast but instead rises above and sets itself apart. Filled with breathtaking performances and heart-stopping tension, `The Petrified Forest' simply `has it all'.

The film takes place in a small service station set in the middle of nowhere (last stop type joint) where the Dow-eyed Gabrielle Maple dreams of escape. She longs for a better life (painting in Paris) but knows that getting out of her small town is more of a long-shot. Alan Squier, an author on a bit of a self-discovery type journey, shows up at her front door with no money yet a pocketful of ideals that Gabby finds herself drawn to immediately. They strike up a doomed relationship as Gabby falls for Alan because of all he has accomplished and Alan falls for Gabby because of all she wishes to accomplish.

Enter dream killer Duke Mantee, a blood thirsty gangster on the run from the cops.

I don't know how to really say this without SPOILERS so I'll just throw that out there.

The film on the outset may seem like your simplistic `boy meets girl' type story, but the underlying message of sacrifice (whether it be of noble causes or of hesitant conformity) is notable. I love how the characters of Alan Squier and Mrs. Chisholm seem to compliment one another by completing the message for the viewer, giving us two sides of the sacrificial spectrum. Squier finds in Gabby something to believe in and thus finds a worthy recipient of his good graces. He finds a reason to die; literally. Chisholm on the other hand has basically been forced (by societies hand no doubt) to relinquish her dreams and marry a man who doesn't truly appreciate her. She thus has died, figuratively, for a cause she cannot believe in.

They both made the ultimate sacrifice, just for different reasons.

The performances are all outstanding. Leslie Howard is phenomenal as Alan Squier. He speaks with such nobility yet he never loses his charm and `everyman' appeal. He is relatable and likable as apposed to distanced and snooty. Bette Davis matches him perfectly, delivering a beautifully composed portrait of a dreamer. This is a different look for Davis, not a performance that we are used to seeing from someone who chews scenery so astoundingly. She is very docile and vulnerable here, which adds a nice touch to the character. Humphrey Bogart made a big impression here as the ruthless Duke Mantee. He is brutish and stern and carries with him the look of a `tough guy'. I can see why he was typecast (and I swear, I still see so much Denzel Washington in him, or visa-versa).

For me, the real standout here is a small yet poignant performance given by Genevieve Tobin. As Mrs. Chisholm, Tobin delivers such a devastatingly tender and deeply felt performance. Her plead with Gabby is just so moving. I love the subtle change in her eyes as she states her case and musters enough courage to make a stand, probably feeling as though they would be her last words. It's a marvelous performance.

In the end I completely recommend this film, for it has everything going for it. Don't listen to those who say this is boring, because boring it is not. It is a beautiful character study that exposes sacrifice at its most selfless.

There are probably many reasons why THE PETRIFIED FOREST is as watchable today as it was in the 1930's. It would be easy to point to the collection of stars in it: Bogie, Bette Davis, Leslie Howard, but for me its appeal becomes obvious only after multiple viewings. The inner charm of the film lies in the quickened relationship between Ms. Davis and Mr. Howard. At the start of the film, Gaby, played by Davis, is clearly unhappy with her life, her job, her dumb jock boyfriend. She seems to be waiting for something to happen to her in a dramatic way. Enter Leslie Howard, who supplies instant magnetism and charm as the itinerant intellectual in pursuit of his own dream in California that takes a detour in a scruffy diner in the American desert. Much of the charm of the first half of the film lies in the reversal of roles of who pursues whom. Typically, the male chases the female, but in a manner later duplicated numerous times by David Janssen as the Fugitive, Howard strolls into a sleepy small town environment wherein the local lovely simply takes a gander at the Handsome Smart Stranger and falls for him to such an extant that she is willing to run off with him. Howard clearly cares for her too, but he has the smarts to know that the odds are stacked against them, so off he goes. Now if the movie had ended right there, it still would have been a fascinating period piece. As soon as Howard takes off, a crew of bank robbers headed by Humphrey Bogart force him and a wealthy married couple to return to the diner as hostages. It is at this point that director Archie Mayo complicates and intensifies the relation between Davis and Howard by having the wealthy married matron interact with Davis such that the movie takes on a tender tone of 'what might have been' for that matron. This matron tells Bette Davis her own life story which parallels what Davis' life might have been had she married for reasons other than love. The matron describes her marriage decades earlier to a wealthy banker prompted by her greedy parents. Not a day goes by, she warns, that she does not regret giving up her true love. The matron exhorts Davis to 'go for it.' From this point, the film revolves around a complicated triangle of the robbers, Davis and Howard, and the pursuit of the law. By the film's end, Howard sacrifices his life so that Bette Davis can have hers.
THE PETRIFIED FOREST is justly known for the steely performance of Bogie as killer Duke Mantee, but for me, what made the movie click was the blossoming yet doomed relation between the thwarted lovers. Director Mayo seems to suggest that the petrification of the trees outside the diner need not include a similar hardening of the hearts of the actors. Take a chance, the matron urged. Maybe we all should.

"The Petrified Forest" is a filmed version of the 1935 Broadway smash. The play starred Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart and their stage performances were preserved when Warner Brothers bought the play to the screen in late 1935. The addition of Bette Davis made good box office sense as she was beginning to hit her stride and was reteamed with Howard after their earlier matching in "Of Human Bondage".

The film is set in the Arizona desert. A killer on the run holds up in a road house taking hostage a group of people there. The play has a few things to say about "the meaning of life" with the juxtaposition of outcast wanderer and intellectual Alan Squier (Howard) and vicious gangster Duke Mantee (Bogart). The film was a breakthrough for Bogart. The morality still resonates because it is contained in Howard's dialogue which he delivers superbly. Genevieve Tobin has a supporting part as a rich wife and makes a terrific impact with her admissions. Davis, as the waitress who yearns for a better life, is a revelation, acting with simplicity and freshness. She is also very well photographed by Sol Polito and her big eyes glow. The film is static as for the stage and at times drags.

The print is excellent and a lot of extras are included. Eric Lax, a Bogart biographer, provides an expert and very detailed commentary about the film and the players but does not draw breath so it is hard to keep up. The short documentary about the film covers much of the same ground and is more precise. The Warner's "Night at the Movies" includes a terrible Vitaphone short with the absurd Toby Wing, a chorus girl who could not sing or dance but grins incessantly, the gangly dancer Hal Leroy and a singer called Frances Hunt who seems to be imitating Frances Langford and delivers an awful song called "Weary". I would call it "Deadly". There is a delightful cartoon about the Cocoanut Grove with famous stars satired, the best of which is Katharine Hepburn as a horse. The newsreel shows 2 major events of the period - Roosevelt's re-election and the abdication of the throne in England by Edward for Mrs Simpson. The Lux radio performance of the play included in the package is almost unintelligible with a very poor Tyrone Power in Howard's role.

The DVD is excellent value especially if it is purchased as part of the Warners Gangster Collection.