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IMDbPro

Key Largo

  • 1948
  • Approved
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
46K
YOUR RATING
Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, and Edward G. Robinson in Key Largo (1948)
Theatrical Trailer from Warner Bros. Pictures
Play trailer2:24
1 Video
99+ Photos
Film NoirActionCrimeDramaThriller

A drifter visits the family hotel of a war buddy who was killed in action only to find that a Chicago mobster and his gang have taken over the place. As a hurricane approaches, a confrontati... Read allA drifter visits the family hotel of a war buddy who was killed in action only to find that a Chicago mobster and his gang have taken over the place. As a hurricane approaches, a confrontation ensues.A drifter visits the family hotel of a war buddy who was killed in action only to find that a Chicago mobster and his gang have taken over the place. As a hurricane approaches, a confrontation ensues.

  • Director
    • John Huston
  • Writers
    • Richard Brooks
    • John Huston
    • Maxwell Anderson
  • Stars
    • Humphrey Bogart
    • Edward G. Robinson
    • Lauren Bacall
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    46K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Huston
    • Writers
      • Richard Brooks
      • John Huston
      • Maxwell Anderson
    • Stars
      • Humphrey Bogart
      • Edward G. Robinson
      • Lauren Bacall
    • 236User reviews
    • 82Critic reviews
    • 74Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 4 wins & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Key Largo
    Trailer 2:24
    Key Largo

    Photos161

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    Top cast26

    Edit
    Humphrey Bogart
    Humphrey Bogart
    • Frank McCloud
    Edward G. Robinson
    Edward G. Robinson
    • Johnny Rocco
    Lauren Bacall
    Lauren Bacall
    • Nora Temple
    Lionel Barrymore
    Lionel Barrymore
    • James Temple
    Claire Trevor
    Claire Trevor
    • Gaye Dawn
    Thomas Gomez
    Thomas Gomez
    • Richard 'Curly' Hoff
    Harry Lewis
    Harry Lewis
    • Edward 'Toots' Bass
    John Rodney
    John Rodney
    • Deputy Clyde Sawyer
    Marc Lawrence
    Marc Lawrence
    • Ziggy
    Dan Seymour
    Dan Seymour
    • Angel Garcia
    Monte Blue
    Monte Blue
    • Sheriff Ben Wade
    William Haade
    William Haade
    • Ralph Feeney
    Beulah Archuletta
    • Bus Passenger
    • (uncredited)
    Chris Willow Bird
    Chris Willow Bird
    • Bus Passenger
    • (uncredited)
    Luther Crockett
    • Ziggy's Henchman #1
    • (uncredited)
    Pat Flaherty
    Pat Flaherty
    • The Traveler
    • (uncredited)
    Joe Garcio
    Joe Garcio
    • Bus Passenger
    • (uncredited)
    Felipa Gómez
    • Old Indian Woman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • John Huston
    • Writers
      • Richard Brooks
      • John Huston
      • Maxwell Anderson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews236

    7.746K
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    Featured reviews

    8byght

    Superb cast and taut drama

    While chiefly remembered as a Bogart/Bacall vehicle, this story of expatriate gangsters commandeering a sleepy tropical hotel is, in actuality, a tightly directed ensemble piece with acting chops to burn.

    There's Edward G. Robinson as Johnny Rocco--the brash, boisterous, sleazy gangster whose frailties (cowardice and a yearning for better times) gradually unfold before us. There's Lionel Barrymore as James Temple, the delightfully feisty and crusty hotel owner overcome with revulsion at Rocco's presence. There's Thomas Gomez, Harry Lewis, Dan Seymour and William Haade as Curly, Toots, Angel and Ralphie--Rocco's colorful but hard-edged thugs who are presences unto themselves. There's Claire Trevor as Gaye, Rocco's declining, alcoholic moll who symbolizes more than anything how far Rocco has fallen.

    That's an awful lot. Too much scenery-chewing from Bogart or Bacall would push it over the top--and director/screenwriter/demigod John Huston knows it. He coaxes remarkably restrained and subtle performances out of his star couple. The romantic tension between them is suggested but never shoved in the audience's face. Bogart's wandering war vet Frank McCloud keeps his lips tight and plays his cards close to the chest--a streetwise outsider through and through. Bacall's Nora Temple lets her anger and distaste pour out through her smoldering eyes more often than her mouth.

    Ultimately, the subtlety is so well-hidden between the gigantic performances of Robinson and Barrymore that you might miss just how sophisticated Frank's story is. Disillusioned and drifting since the war, he stops in to visit the wife (Nora) and father (James) of a fallen comrade whose bravery he admired. Implicit in his visit is an unspoken apology that it is he, and not their loved one, who is returning home. The fallen soldier is a constant unseen presence in the film--his bravery and honor mocking what Frank sees as his own cowardice and inability to stand up to Rocco (Bogart's fast-talking explanation of why he didn't shoot Rocco when he had the chance is classic and rare--a protagonist lying to his friends and his audience--"One Rocco more or less isn't worth dying for!"). Frank's eventual decision to take on Rocco and his hoods is a victory against the fear that plagues and shames him.

    In a larger sense, this is a true period movie about a generation of men returning home from the greatest conflict the world has ever known. Most of our national memories of World War II are proud and triumphant, but, as with any war, it left countless people scarred physically and mentally. Though Frank is a decorated soldier, he feels somehow that what he did wasn't enough (because he lived and his friend did not?), and he returns back to a country in which he has no place with no real pride or satisfaction. The confrontation with Rocco affords him a chance (perhaps only possible in Hollywood or on the stage, where the story of "Key Largo" was first performed) to make things right with his world.

    While it has not aged as well as the better-known films of Bogart's and Huston's careers, "Key Largo" is a film that, for a little investment of attention and thought, will pay big dividends to anyone that really and truly loves movies.
    8avik-basu1889

    Post World War II pessimism !!!

    John Huston's 'Key Largo' is set in a Post World War II America and the film is unapologetic about showcasing the pessimism that had enveloped America and Americans after the war. It's about the loss of a self-respecting identity. This is epitomised by the character of Frank McCloud played by Humphrey Bogart. This is not a very characteristic role for Bogart. McCloud is a war veteran who has now become a homeless drifter due to his lack of interest in a settled life. He is a sane version of Travis Bickle, he might have been a vibrant, hopeful man in his pre-service days, but after coming back from the war and watching an America that has further collapsed into corruption, mob activity and evil, he has slipped into a state of depression and deliberate indifference. Bogart gives a subdued performance with moments of tenderness reminiscent of the tenderness of Rick Blaine in 'Casablanca'. But McCloud also shows signs of selfishness and cowardly reluctance which are a consequence of his pessimism towards life after war. There is an ambiguity to his character that makes him interesting.

    Lauren Bacall doesn't give us the quintessential 'Lauren Bacall' performance either. Instead of being the 'Femme fatale' with the seductive allure and the sharp tongue, her character Nora is a sweet, kind-hearted widow taking care of her father-in-law. There are genuinely sweet and charming moments between Bogart and Bacall. Nora's presence and her innocent sweetness has an undeniable effect on McCloud which makes him reconsider his moral stance and contemplate the idea doing something instead of continuing his reluctance about standing up to the gangsters.

    Edward G. Robinson is a dynamite in every scene he is in. Johnny Rocco oozes charisma and a sense of control. It takes a lot to be in the same scene with Bogart and go toe to toe with him in terms of exuding authoritativeness, but Robinson does it effortlessly.

    Although Huston doesn't use too many attention seeking shots or too much fancy camera work, one can easily see the noir-ish elements in the lighting and prominent shadows in the film. There are some carefully used tracking shots and extreme close-ups for artistic purposes that work perfectly and the film on Blu-Ray looks very pleasing to the eye. Huston's biggest achievement is maintaining a tone of suspense throughout the running time. The staging of 90 percent of the film in the confines of the interiors of Hotel Largo adds to the claustrophobia which the viewer feels along with McCloud, Nora and Temple. The only flaw is that the shootout scenes are very clumsily directed and almost look comical now after all these years.

    'Key Largo' is thematically a film which wrestles the idea of whether someone should or shouldn't give a damn even if he/she feels an assertive action doesn't mean much in the bigger picture. A thematically potent core along with good direction and acting make 'Key Largo' an easy recommendation.
    Petey-10

    Bogey and Bacall shine together

    Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart) comes to a hotel in Florida where a gangster called Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson) is giving some hard times.The hotel is run by a crippled James Temple (Lionel Barrymore) and his daughter-in-law Nora (Lauren Bacall).Key Largo (1948) is a movie from John Huston.It offers you sharp dialog and great emotions.And a cast to remember.Robinson makes a great bad guy.Bogart and Bacall, who were married at that time until Humphrey's death in 1957, are both marvelous in this movie.Lauren Bacall just turned 80 yesterday and that's when I saw this movie.And I'm glad I did.This is a true crime classic.You can feel the tense atmosphere while you're watching the movie.In the movie there is a great storm going on outside, a storm that even makes the crook scared.It shows us no matter how big you are the storm is always bigger.This movie is a thrilling ride from the beginning till the end.
    StanleyStrangelove

    Three screen legends: Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Lauren Bacall

    See the screen legends of Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson and Lauren Bacall in one film, not to mention great Lionel Barrymore and Claire Trevor.

    The film is directed like a stage play with basically one set, the hotel on Key Largo, but it's not static or dull in the least.

    Robinson's villain gangster Johnny Rocco is one of his most memorable performances and he steals the movie.

    Robinson and his "boys" are hold-up in a hotel on Key Largo awaiting the arrival of some business associates when a hurricane hits. The hotel is owned by Barrymore and his daughter Bacall. Bogart is there to give Barrymore some possessions of his son who was killed in the war.

    Bogart plays a returning WWII veteran and Bacall is the daughter of the hotel owner Barrymore. The film isn't a love story but you can still tell that Bacall adores Bogie and their chemistry is obvious. Bacall is lighted beautifully to show off her outstanding facial features.

    A top rate drama full of crackling dialog and superb performances from everyone.
    8jeffhaller125

    Stagy? Thank God!

    People often criticize this movie for really not being much more than a filmed play. Yeah! So what's wrong with that when the characters are three dimensional and the actors are brilliant. This movie gets dull only when it moves out of the hotel (the stage) and becomes a traditional action movie. The black and white photography is brilliant (I once saw it colorized and it was dreadful). The production design is perfectly honest. The direction is so clear and unpretentious; when you have faces as brilliant as these, you gotta take advantage of closeups. There is not one less than outstanding performance. Bacall's role doesn't call for her to do a lot of "acting" and as a result, she is very moving. Trevor had tough competition for her Oscar that year and she won because she understood that too much restraint would have been wrong yet she never goes too far. Bsrrymore is unusually tough and commanding, almost heroic against the thugs. Bogart is quiet and direct and when he gives Trevor her drink has the most powerful moment in the movie. Robinson? It is a real showy role, and Edward knew what not to do. He is savage. And he almost is sexy when he gets Claire to sing her song but he can revert to a monster within seconds and give the audience chills. It really is his movie. Gomez and his fellow stupid thugs are funny at times but the script is unusually honest and barbaric. Take away their guns and these guys are wimps. But why didn't they just stay in the hotel? The shootout at the end could have been done that way. The escape to Cuba isn't believable or compelling. Those who call this movie slow, just don't get it. They don't understand that artists use pacing for effect. Today's generation loving special effects and action and over-the-top acting will hate this movie. Their loss. And the loss for the future of film and theatre.

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    Related interests

    Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep (1946)
    Film Noir
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
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    Drama
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    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Lionel Barrymore was severely disabled by arthritis (clearly visible in his hands) and was confined to a wheelchair, making the scene in which his Mr. Temple character gets up and falls taking a swing at Toots more than a dramatic moment.
    • Goofs
      During the confrontation between Rocco and Nora (after his shave), the scratch mark from Nora changes sides of Rocco's face. Not a goof: Nora scratches Rocco on both sides of his face and leaves two marks on each side.
    • 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.

    • Crazy credits
      At the southernmost point of the United States are the Florida Keys, a string of small islands held together by a concrete causeway. Largest of these remote coral islands is Key Largo.
    • Alternate versions
      Also available in a computer colorized version.
    • Connections
      Edited into Tales from the Crypt: You, Murderer (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Moanin' Low
      (uncredited)

      Music by Ralph Rainger

      Lyrics by Howard Dietz

      Sung by Claire Trevor

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 31, 1948 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Huracán de pasiones
    • Filming locations
      • Overseas Highway, Key Largo, Florida, USA
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $889
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 40m(100 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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