The success of "Casablanca" two years before undoubtedly influenced the writing of this film, which started as an adaptation of a book by Hemingway. Most of the plot and details from that book were jettisoned. The final script has Humphrey Bogart playing a business owner in a Vichy-controlled French colony who is drawn into political intrigue despite the fact that he normally avoids such involvement.Bogart's Steve is a libertarian at heart. He believes in a "live and let live" approach to life. Don't bother him--or his friends, or those who are unable to defend themselves--and he will not bother you. His sidekick is Eddie, a "rummy" who depends on Steve. Eddie (Walter Brennan) is a liability because he talks too much, but he is more than a dependent; he is "family". Steve runs his charter fishing service and Eddie drinks the beer.As the internal politics heat up in Martinique, Steve largely avoids being affected, though the increase in regulations are beginning to chafe. What motivates him to step outside his carefully maintained neutrality is a woman. He meets "Slim"--played by Lauren Bacall--a young woman with a dubious past, whose smoky presence alters the equilibrium of Steve's life.Shot in B&W on a sound stage--like "Casablanca"--"To Have and Have Not" has a moody, noir feeling that sometimes feels claustrophobic, as if the outside world does not exist. "Key Largo" has a similar mood. The lighting is a large part of this atmosphere. The music also plays a significant role, with Hoagy Carmichael's piano playing alternating between jazzy, sultry and tropical. Lauren Bacall's husky singing voice is the perfect complement. Watch for Sheldon Leonard who plays "muscle" for the mean-spirited Vichy authority who disrupts Steve's world. (An interesting comparison is Leonard's role as Harry the Horse in "Guys and Dolls", 1955).In the end, it is Bacall who steals the show. Her presence is the star whose gravity affects the orbits of every actor in the scene. Her little dance at the end of the film totally changes our perception of the ending and our belief what the future holds for this new family trio.

It's the island of Martinique in the summer of 1940 just after the fall of France. American captain Harry 'Steve' Morgan (Humphrey Bogart) operates a small fishing boat for tourists. He's reluctant to take on risky jobs for the resistance. Marie 'Slim' Browning (Lauren Bacall) is new to the island and a pickpocket. When his client gets shot before paying him, he loses all his money to the new Vichy cops while Slim gets slapped around. He decides to help the resistance.Newcomer Lauren Bacall was just 19 when this was shot. And soon after she will be married to her co-star Humphrey Bogart. Nobody has a cooler look than Bacall. She's made to be in the movies. She makes this 'Casablanca' copy more than just a copy. It has a more noirous ultra-cool look mostly due to Bacall highlighted by the line "You know how to whistle, don't you Steve. You just put your lips together and blow".The story isn't quite as good as 'Casablanca'. I prefer that more than this movie. This still moves along fine although it doesn't flow as well. The last third of the movie after the boat ride isn't quite as compelling.

This film is nothing more than a quickie commercial vehicle for the main actors, using a borrowed plot. Bogie was a sure bet at the box office, and Bacall was promoted by her discoverer, Howard Hawks.It's a cheap remake of Casablanca, but ends up more like Jack Benny's "To Be Or Not To Be". In this one, the Greenstreet and Lorre characters were played by cheap doubles.Casablanca was a minor gem, where you really identified with all the characters and which left you feeling inspired about life, as you left the theatre.Don't get me wrong, it is also highly watchable just for the intriguing personalities of the star leads, but you end up as a voyeur contemplating more about their talents, careers, and private life, than you do about the borrowed plot. The rest of the cast were poorly developed and eminently forgettable stereotypes, as were the sets, especially, as another reviewer has pointed out, The Bar, supposedly an exotic locale, reeking of foreign intrigue, but it looks more lake a studio canteen at lunchtime.I give it 6 out of 10 for it's two stars.It's movies like this that makes Casablance so great.

Set in the French colony of Martinique during the war fishing boat captain Steve Morgan finds life is getting more complicated under the local Vichy supporting authorities. He doesn't want to get involved in any conflict though; he just wants to get on with his life… he flat out refuses to help when members of the resistance try to employ him. All that changes though when his wealthy American client is killed before he can pay him and the police confiscate his money and his passport. Around this time he also meets another American; Marie 'Slim' Browning; a part time lounge singer and part time pickpocket who he wants to help leave the island; she however wants to stay with him. When he eventually takes the job for the resistance he has the somewhat unwelcome assistance of his friend Eddie; a man who isn't happy unless he is having a drink and thus potentially unreliable.This film is inevitably going to be compared to 'Casablanca' given that it stars Humphrey Bogart as a reluctant American in French territory during the war who gradually is forced to take sides. This is unfortunate as it inevitably suffers in comparison; 'Casablanca' is of course one of the greatest films ever made. If you can put that aside though this is rather enjoyable; Bogart is great as Capt. Morgan and Lauren Bacall does a fine job, in her first role, as Slim. Given her chemistry with Bogart it is no wonder they went on to star in more films together. Walter Brennan is good as Eddie; managing to make what could have been a cliché drunk a sympathetic character. The story itself is fairly routine but it is well told and there are some decent enough action scenes as well as a degree of tension. After quite a bit of tension the ending seemed a little anticlimactic; almost as if the last few minutes were missing… we see the bad guys defeated and the heroes walking away but it felt like we should have at least got to see them sailing away on the boat. That is a minor complaint, and perhaps just a matter of taste, overall I found this to be enjoyable and I'm sure any fan of Bogart or Bacall will like it too.