REEL MEMORIES NO. 146

REEL MEMORIES NO. 146

To Have and Have Not

by William V. Reynolds

There’s a story that Howard Hawks approached Ernest Hemingway and told him that he could take his worst book and turn it into a great film. Hemingway gave him “To Have and Have Not” which led to the making of the film. The film did not follow the book primarily because Hawks used only about 20% of the book along with its title and a few of the principal characters.

The story is set on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean. The time is 1940–World War II. Harry “Steve” Morgan (Humphrey Bogart) and his buddy Eddie (Walter Brennan) operate a fishing boat catering to wealthy clients. Things are not going very well and when one of their clients is accidentally killed owing them $825 things really get tight.

The owner of the local hotel, Frenchy (Marcel Dalio), a member of the French resistance, offers Harry a job bringing a member of the resistance to the island. Harry turns it down. He is determined to remain neutral in the war, but the loss of his last client’ s payment forces him to take desperate action.

Harry tries to make the trip by himself leaving Eddie behind. But Eddie stows away on board the boat and makes his presence known after Harry is at sea. Harry and Eddie make the pickup and are bringing their client, Capt. M. Renard (Dan Seymour), back when they are accosted by a police patrol boat. During a brief exchange of gunfire, their client is wounded. Harry manages to get him to Frenchy’s hotel where he is hidden in the basement.

Meanwhile Marie “Slim” Browning (Lauren Bacall) and Harry have been having an off and on romance. Harry, believing that Slim has left the island, is surprised to discover that she’s still there when he returns from his clandestine mission. Unable to get a doctor for their client, Frenchy insists that Harry operate on him.

The operation is successful and Harry wants to get off the island, but doesn’t have any money. Finally in desperation, he agrees to take his former client to Devils Island where he is supposed to retrieve a person important to the resistance.

It’s hard to believe that Lauren Bacall was only 19 when she made this film, her first. At one time some of the directors thought they might have to dub another singing voice over her, but she did an excellent rendition of her song “How Little We Know” written by Hoagy Carmichael, the piano player in the film, and Johnny Mercer.

Today we give a reel memories salute to To Have and Have Not (1944).

William V. Reynolds is the author of “Murder in the Okefenokee” available at McCaysville Public Market and Pat’s Country Kitchen in McCaysville; Parris Pharmacy, The Book Nook and Ingles in Blue Ridge; Book Nook in Blairsville; and Phillips and Lloyd in Hayesville.