The Petrified Forest 

Gabrielle Maple works in a dusty desert gas station-café, but yearns for the life of an artist in France, knowing there must be something finer than the provincial dead-end she is trapped ... See full summary »

Director:

Delbert Mann

Writers:

Tad Mosel (adaptation), Robert E. Sherwood (play)

Stars:

Humphrey Bogart, Henry Fonda, Lauren Bacall

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Humphrey Bogart	...	Duke Mantee
Henry Fonda	...	Alan Squier
Lauren Bacall	...	Gabby Maple
Paul Hartman	...	Jason Maple
Jack Warden	...	Boze
Richard Jaeckel	...	Ruby
Joseph Sweeney	...	Gramps
Natalie Schafer	...	Mrs. Chisholm
Richard Gaines	...	Mr. Chisholm
Jack Klugman	...	Jackie
Dick Elliott	...	Commander
Steven Ritch	...	Lineman (as Steve Ritch)
Morris Buchanan	...	Pyles
Julia Montoya	...	Paula
Frank London	...	Radio announcer (voice)

Storyline

Gabrielle Maple works in a dusty desert gas station-café, but yearns for the life of an artist in France, knowing there must be something finer than the provincial dead-end she is trapped in. A hitch-hiking writer, the disillusioned Alan Squier, appears and revitalizes her dreams of a better place, and finds his own sense of worth refreshed by this vital young girl. When Duke Mantee and his gang, wanted killers, show up and take hostages, Gabrielle falls in love with the poetic Alan, and Squier begins to see a way to give Gabby the life she deserves.

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Genres:

Drama | Musical | Comedy | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 May 1955 (USA)

Filming Locations:

NBC Studios - 3000 W. Alameda Avenue, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Showcase Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Survives only in black and white.

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Connections

Version of Robert Montgomery Presents: The Petrified Forest (1950)

User Reviews

Worth Your While

This is a real gem if you can find it. Almost 20 years later, Bogart reprises his role as Duke Mantee in the made for TV movie. Bacall is in the Bette Davis role of Gabby, and Henry Fonda plays Alan Squier, the role made famous by Leslie Howard.

It's not perfect. Bacall and Fonda don't have the chemistry that Davis and Howard had. They're older, and the the whole film skews darker because of it. But Fonda knows how to act, and he holds his own. The romance may not work, but he still plays the part well enough.

But it's a lot of fun to see Bogart step back into the role of Duke Mantee one more time. The menace is there, and with his age, there's an added air of tiredness as well, but it works for the part of the gangster on the run. How often do you get to see a legend step back into a role like this???

If you're a Bogart fan, this is a must see - especially if you're a completist!