Petrified Forest

Year: 1936

Grade: B

Country: USA

Director: Mayo

Review

part of warner’s gangster collection this film is most well-known for its introducing humphrey bogart to more prominent roles. the most striking thing about the picture is the setting – the arizona desert (filmed near mojave). it gives such a confined feel to the picture and that adds to the major theme of the film – the frozen, petrified nature of the situation and the characters. bette davis plays the most “alive” of the characters because she, at least, has dreams and aspirations of leaving the desert. the old man, his son and the football player are all characters who are living in the past, resting on their laurels, petrified and preserved in the middle of the desert. it takes a wanderer and a criminal to shake things up, hmmm. the film reminds me of another bogart film i’ve actually never seen – key largo, because of the hostage angle. bette davis really makes the film worthwhile because her character is the most important, and her performance is quite good.