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Producers' Showcase

The Petrified Forest

  • Episode aired May 30, 1955
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
85
YOUR RATING
S1.E10
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  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
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Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, and Henry Fonda in Producers' Showcase (1954)
  • Drama
  • Musical
  • Comedy
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... Read allGabrielle 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... Read allGabrielle 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. W... Read all
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
85
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Delbert Mann
  • Writers
    • Tad Mosel(adaptation)
    • Robert E. Sherwood(play)
  • Stars
    • Humphrey Bogart
    • Henry Fonda
    • Lauren Bacall
Top credits
  • Director
    • Delbert Mann
  • Writers
    • Tad Mosel(adaptation)
    • Robert E. Sherwood(play)
  • Stars
    • Humphrey Bogart
    • Henry Fonda
    • Lauren Bacall
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Henry Fonda, and Delbert Mann in Producers' Showcase (1954)
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    Top cast

    Edit
    Humphrey Bogart
    Humphrey Bogart
    • Duke Manteeas Duke Mantee
    Henry Fonda
    Henry Fonda
    • Alan Squieras Alan Squier
    Lauren Bacall
    Lauren Bacall
    • Gabby Mapleas Gabby Maple
    Paul Hartman
    Paul Hartman
    • Jason Mapleas Jason Maple
    Jack Warden
    Jack Warden
    • Bozeas Boze
    Richard Jaeckel
    Richard Jaeckel
    • Rubyas Ruby
    Joseph Sweeney
    • Grampsas Gramps
    Natalie Schafer
    Natalie Schafer
    • Mrs. Chisholmas Mrs. Chisholm
    Richard Gaines
    Richard Gaines
    • Mr. Chisholmas Mr. Chisholm
    Jack Klugman
    Jack Klugman
    • Jackieas Jackie
    Dick Elliott
    Dick Elliott
    • Commanderas Commander
    Steven Ritch
    • Linemanas Lineman
    • (as Steve Ritch)
    Morris Buchanan
    Morris Buchanan
    • Pylesas Pyles
    Julia Montoya
    • Paulaas Paula
    Frank London
    • Radio announceras Radio announcer
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Delbert Mann
    • Writers
      • Tad Mosel(adaptation)
      • Robert E. Sherwood(play)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Lauren Bacall's television debut.
    • Connections
      Featured in Stars of the Silver Screen: Lauren Bacall (2013)

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Excellent, though I still prefer the movie.
    In the 1930s, "The Petrified Forest" was a smashing success on Broadway--so much so that Warner Brothers bought the rights to this play and made a movie out of it starring Leslie Howard. Unfortunately, Howard was killed during WWII, so he could not reprise his leading role. However, the villain in the play and film, Humphrey Bogart, was available and reprises his role of Duke Mantee--the leader of a murderous gang of bank robbers. And so, on May 30, 1955, this play was recreated live on American television for "Producer's Showcase".

    The setting is a combination filling station and restaurant in the desert near the Petrified Forest in the American Southwest. For the first half of the film, characters are introduced, you learn their back stories and an important relationship begins between a lonely waitress, Gabrielle (Lauren Bacall) and a drifter (Henry Fonda). The pair are on odd match--she is a woman aching to leave her humdrum life and travel to France and he is a world-weary man who has very little left to show for himself after he traveled to France and became a writer. Then, about midway through the production, Mantee and his compatriots arrive--looking to meet up with the rest of the gang as well as to hide out during a huge police dragnet. Soon they take over the joint and begin barking out orders. What's next? I won't spoil it--see the film.

    Had I not already seen and enjoyed the Warner Brothers movie, I would have been much more impressed by this TV teleplay. Now this is NOT to say it's bad--in most ways it is excellent and very compelling (aside from the cheap sound effects for gunfire). But, it's not original--and that I always hold against remakes. However, it IS good enough to see and recommend. And, if you do see it, also look for some interesting appearances by Jack Warden, Natalie Schaffer as well as small parts by Jack Klugman and Richard Jaeckel and Mantee's sidekicks.
    helpful•4
    0
    • planktonrules
    • Sep 29, 2014

    Details

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    • Release date
      • May 30, 1955 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • NBC Studios - 3000 W. Alameda Avenue, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Showcase Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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