High Sierra (1941)

After being released from prison, notorious thief Roy Earle is hired by his old boss to help a group of inexperienced criminals plan and carry out the robbery of a California resort.

Director:

Raoul Walsh

Writers:

John Huston (screenplay), W.R. Burnett (screenplay),

Stars:

Ida Lupino, Humphrey Bogart, Alan Curtis

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ida Lupino	...	Marie
Humphrey Bogart	...	Roy Earle
Alan Curtis	...	'Babe'
Arthur Kennedy	...	'Red'
Joan Leslie	...	Velma
Henry Hull	...	'Doc' Banton
Henry Travers	...	Pa
Jerome Cowan	...	Healy
Minna Gombell	...	Mrs. Baughmam
Barton MacLane	...	Jake Kranmer
Elisabeth Risdon	...	Ma (as Elizabeth Risdon)
Cornel Wilde	...	Louis Mendoza
Donald MacBride	...	Big Mac
Paul Harvey	...	Mr. Baughmam
Isabel Jewell	...	Blonde

Storyline

Roy 'Mad Dog' Earle is broken out of prison by an old associate who wants him to help with an upcoming robbery. When the robbery goes wrong and a man is shot and killed Earle is forced to go on the run, and with the police and an angry press hot on his tail he eventually takes refuge among the peaks of the Sierra Nevadas, where a tense siege ensues. But will the Police make him regret the attachments he formed with two women during the brief planning of the robbery.

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Plot Keywords:

robbery | police | california | prison | hotel | 

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Taglines:

The Blazing Mountain Manhunt for Killer 'Mad-Dog' Earle!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 January 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Entscheidung in der Sierra

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$455,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Humphrey Bogart's part in this movie was originally intended for Paul Muni. Muni did not like the first draft of the screenplay which was authored solely by John Huston and given to him by Hal B. Wallis, so Wallis got the book's author, W.R. Burnett, to assist Huston in a second rewrite. This was presented to Muni who still disliked it and turned the movie and the role down completely. In the meantime, On May 4th, 1940, Bogart sent a telegram to Wallis reiterating his continuing desire, which he had mentioned several months earlier, to play the part of Roy Earle. After Muni turned down the script the next person on the list for Warner Brothers was George Raft. Bogart, knowing that Raft was trying to change his image and move away from gangster roles, found out about this and mentioned to Raft when he saw him next that the studio was trying to get him do another gangster movie where the gangster gets shot at the end. Raft marched into Wallis' office and flatly refused to do the movie. Bogart finally ended up with the role he wanted all along by default.

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Goofs

In the chase scene on the mountain road at the end, Roy has to swerve to avoid hitting an oncoming car. Soon after this Roy comes to the 'Road Closed' sign, so where did the oncoming car come from?

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Quotes

'Doc' Banton: Roy, this is the land of milk and honey for the health racket. Every woman in California thinks she's either too fat or too thin or too something.

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Crazy Credits

"Pard" as Portrayed By "Zero"

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Connections

Featured in Bullets Over Hollywood (2005)

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Soundtracks

"I Get a Kick out of You (1934)"
(uncredited)
Written by Cole Porter
Played on a record at Velma's Home
Danced to by Joan Leslie and John Eldredge

User Reviews

Bogie Goes From Bad To Good Guy

Aw, the film that launched stardom for Humphrey Bogart and changed him from the perpetual villain to the "good guy."

The movie doesn't feature a lot of action but it keeps your interest. You have two women in here: the hard-boiled Ida Lupino and the soft-and-sweet Joan Leslie. Both are entertaining to watch and both demonstrate a few surprises in the personalities of the characters they are playing. Bogart does the same: goes back and forth between tough guy and softy.

Another key member of this unusual crime story/film noir is "Pard:" a little dog! Human supporting roles are supplied by some familiar and solid actors such as Arthur Kennedy, Alan Curtis, Henry Hull, Henry Travers, Barton MacLane and Cornel Wilde. Most of the people in here, including "Pard," are that endearing but there are so many different angles to this story, it's always interesting to see.