To Have And Have Not (1944)

Set in Martinique, an island in the West Indies in 1940. A freelancing fisherman (Humphrey Bogart) avoids taking sides as the island is held by the pro German Vichy French. Eventually, in desperate need of money, he agrees to smuggle an anti German resistance member (Walter Surovy) and his wife (Dolores Moran) into Martinique. Very loosely based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway (and co-adapted for the screen by William Faulkner) and directed by Howard Hawks (RED RIVER). A splendid entertainment that represents the best of the Hollywood studio system. Yes, the ghost of CASABLANCA hovers over the movie but it's still a first rate yarn. In her auspicious film debut, Lauren Bacall became a star right out of the gate overshadowing the other female co-star, Dolores Moran (who I actually prefer). Hemingway's novel was later remade in 1950 as THE BREAKING POINT and 1958 as THE GUN RUNNERS but all three versions ignored the political and social factions of the original novel which is probably just as well (Hemingway considered it his worst book). With Walter Brennan, Marcel Dalio, Dan Seymour and Hoagy Carmichael.