Why not on the Top 250?

It's not so much how many votes it got, it's how many good votes it got. The more good votes, the higher on the 250 it goes.

[deleted]

Humphrey Bogart's character, Harry Morgan, was American and seemed only to speak English, and seemed not to understand any French. But, when he held Renard the police chief at gunpoint and made him call the jail to release Eddie the drunk, Renard spoke English and Humphrey Bogart listened in to the jailer's responses on the phone. Now, if the character of Captain Morgan (heh) didn't understand any French, but he understood the Jailer, then Renard and the Jailer on the other end of the phone must have been speaking English.

Plus, it was portrayed as English in the movie, but even if I was to PRETEND that they were speaking French, Morgan would therefore not have understood.

Wouldn't that tip the Jailer off that something was amiss, since Renard would normally have spoken French with him? So why did the Jailer free Eddie the drunk instead of sending dozens of cops to arrest Capt. Morgan and rescue their chief, Renard? Yes I know it's just a movie, but this is one of the many reasons why I couldn't give this movie a higher rating than 7, and this is one of the many reasons why this movie is not deserving to be in the IMDb top 250.

"Enough of that technical talk, Foo!"

Right now, To Have and Have Not has an 8.1 rating with over 5,200 votes. It may be included in the top 250 within the upcoming weeks.

"Dry your eyes baby, it's out of character."

The thing with this movie is that while it is a great movie the story itself is pretty lame. The characters are great, the direction is perfect and I can never tire of watching Bogey and Bacall. But if you strip away those elements what you have is a boring film with very little meaning and not much going on. That's why it probably shouldn't be in the top 250. On the other hand I think it is something that should be shown to every wannabe and current movie maker today so that they understand how you can make a great film out of any material no matter how weak.

It sounds like I'm really critising the basic plot, it wasn't that bad really but it certainly wasn't anything special in itself. It really is the director that makes this film special, even more then Bogey and Bacall themselves because I've seen non-Hawks films with the two in that they didn't seem to have anywhere near the chemistry they have here and in the Big Sleep. Really should have been up for best director that year.

Okay after saying all that, I will admit I prefer it to some of the other films in the top 250. But I certainly wouldn't say this is one of the best films of all time because to get that title it should have a good basic story as well as the rest.

Having said that, I don't think Hawks ever really concentrated on complexity of the plot. His films were more about the characters themselves and he's always been highly underated for some reason. All his films should be rated higher.


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I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own.

It is now.

As of today, this film is No 250 on the Top 250.

Hooray!

"This is going to be the beginning of a beautiful hatred."
-Bogie in The Two Mrs Carrolls

Who cares if it is in the IMDB's Top 250 or not? It is a great movie and that is the only thing that matters. It should be in any respectable Top 250 films list.