Movies have always had their fair share of filmmakers and actor duos, such as John Ford and John Wayne, Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant, and Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, who have made a monumental impact on the art and craft of cinema. While there are a number of exceptional pairs to celebrate, Humphrey Bogart and John Huston reign as a remarkable duo who left an unforgettable mark on the silver screen.
Bogart and Huston first worked together on the film, High Sierra, where they developed a bond that grew into a close and unbreakable friendship. While Bogart rose to fame as one of the greatest actors of all time, Huston was right alongside him, becoming a fascinating storyteller and visionary force who cast Bogie in some of his best films, including The Maltese Falcon, The African Queen, and Key Largo.
7
‘Beat the Devil’ (1953)
Starring Gina Lollobrigida, Jennifer Jones, and Peter Lorre
The comedy adventure, Beat the Devil, is a parody of Huston’s The Maltese Falcon and features a script that was written on a day-to-day basis by Huston and famed author, Truman Capote. Bogart stars as a wealthy American, Billy Dannreuther, who plans on buying a piece of land in Africa that is full of uranium. While en route with his wife (Gina Lollobrigida), the couple meet several fellow passengers who also seem to be interested in the same property as Billy.
Bogart delivers a deadpan performance with a witty, sarcastic tone that blends well with the film’s overall chaotic comedy. Like most of Huston’s films, Beat the Devil was primarily shot on location in Italy near the Amalfi Coast, where the director effectively utilizes the country’s rustic style and traditional architecture to add a bit of glamor to the movie’s general gritty backdrop. Despite not being one of the duo’s top-rated hits, Beat the Devil has since gained support from historians and critics, including Roger Ebert, who gave the film four out of four stars, citing it as one of the first camp films.
6
‘Across the Pacific’ (1942)
Starring Sydney Greenstreet, Mary Astor, and Charles Halton
Across the Pacific is a thrilling spy film set on the cusp of the United States entering World War II with Bogart taking on the lead role of an American captain, Rick Leland, who is dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Army. When Leland boards a Japanese ship, he appears to be willing to turn on his own country for the right price. On board, he engages in a brief romance with an elusive woman (Mary Astor) and meets a mysterious man (Sydney Greenstreet), who eventually pulls Leland into a dangerous mission of international espionage.
Across the Pacific is a fast-paced melodrama with all the elements of a classic Huston film, including unhinged intensity, immersive close-up shots, and a cast of seedy characters who each have their own set of secret motives. Bogart gives a sensational and perplexing performance as a man torn between loyalty and self-preservation, which correlates perfectly with Astor’s facade of being a damsel in distress and Greenstreet’s traditional role as the film’s catalyst.
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5
‘High Sierra’ (1941)
Starring Ida Lupino, Joan Leslie, and Cornel Wilde
Bogart delivers his breakthrough performance in Raoul Walsh‘s noir crime drama, High Sierra, which was co-written by Huston and William R. Burnett. Based on Burnett’s 1940 novel by the same name, the film follows a notorious thief, Roy Earle (Bogart), who, after being released from prison, is hired by his former boss and aging mobster, Big Mac (Donald MacBride) to help him plan one more heist before retiring.
According to Huston’s autobiography, An Open Book, Huston had already gained notoriety with Warner Bros. as a screenwriter and wanted to move into directing. The studio agreed to give Huston a chance to direct, but only if his next script, High Sierra, was a success. The film was both a commercial and critical success, which substantially elevated both Huston’s and Bogart’s careers. Bogart executes a near-perfect performance, delivering a hard-boiled tough guy while also meticulously revealing his character’s genuine kind heart and empathetic nature, making High Sierra more than just a gangster film.
4
‘Key Largo’ (1948)
Starring Edward G. Robinson, Lionel Barrymore, and Lauren Bacall
Key Largo is one of the best noir crime films directed and co-written by Huston and also features a star-studded cast who deliver exceptional performances. Bogart stars as a World War II veteran, Frank McCloud, who travels to Key Largo, Florida to visit the family of his friend who was killed in action. When McCloud arrives at the hotel owned by his friend’s widow (Lauren Bacall) and father (Lionel Barrymore), he realizes the place has been taken over by a Chicago mobster (Edward G. Robinson).
Key Largo is a suspenseful classic with unforgettable performances by Bogart and the supporting cast, notably Claire Trevor, whose performance earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Huston and Bogart orchestrate a spellbinding film with unwavering suspense and tense drama, conveying their creative chemistry to its fullest extent, which is heightened by the already-established compelling dynamic between the cast and Huston.
3
‘The African Queen’ (1951)
Starring Katharine Hepburn, Robert Morley, and Peter Bull
The African Queen is a romantic adventure film starring Bogart alongside fellow Hollywood icon, Katharine Hepburn, and was filmed on location in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Set in 1914, Hepburn stars as Rose Sayer, who, along with her brother, are in East Africa doing missionary work when war breaks out between Germany and Britain. When Sayer’s brother is killed, a coarse mechanic of a supply ship (Bogart) offers Sayer safe passage on his boat, The African Queen.
Bogart and Hepburn are the classic example of opposites attract in The African Queen, bringing lighthearted humor and banter to soften the film’s overall intensity. Huston puts together an off-beat romance with a touch of politeness and charm while still capturing visually stunning landscapes and exciting action which only a filmmaker of Huston’s caliber could ever achieve. The African Queen received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Actress, and ended up winning Bogart’s one and only Oscar for Best Actor.
2
‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1941)
Starring Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet
Bogart stars in The Maltese Falcon as the iconic San Francisco private eye, Sam Spade, who is hired by a mysterious woman, Miss Wonderly (Astor), to find her sister who she believes has run off. Shortly after Spade takes Wonderly’s case, he finds himself entangled with a group of questionable characters who are all in search of a priceless statue known as the Maltese Falcon.
Huston made his directorial debut with The Maltese Falcon, which ranks as one of the best detective noir films. The film earned three Oscar nominations, including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Greenstreet. Spade became one of Bogart’s signature roles, essentially providing the prototype for the hard-boiled, cynical private eye archetype seen frequently in the classic film noir genre. While Bogart and the supporting cast are the main attraction of The Maltese Falcon, Huston’s astounding talent behind the camera and his detailed and perfected sketches of each scene serve as the heart and soul of this timeless classic.
1
‘The Treasure of the Sierra Madre’ (1948)
Starring Walter Huston, Tim Holt, and Alfonso Bedoya
Huston was one of the most versatile filmmakers and his 1948 Neo-Western classic, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, is a testament to his impeccable range and vision. Based on the 1927 novel by B. Taverns, the film centers around two wanderers, Dobbs (Bogart) and Curtin (Tim Holt) who, along with a former prospector (Walter Huston), travel into the Sierra Mountains in search of gold. While the trio strike it rich, they must still overcome the dangerous wilderness, lingering outlaws, and their own paranoia and greed, which threaten to ensue conflict between the men.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is defined as John Huston’s magnum opus as well as one of the best films ever made. While the film is a reflection of Huston’s finest work, Bogart gives a shell-shocking powerhouse of a show, which many consider to be his greatest performance of all time. The Treasure of Sierra Madre earned four Academy Award nominations and went on to win three, including Best Supporting Actor for Walter Huston, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay, both for Huston, marking the director’s only two Oscar wins.
