To Have and Have Not: A remake of Casablanca?
Warner Brother's To Have and Have Not, released in 1944, paired a new actress, Lauren Bacall, with the already established Humphrey Bogart. Their sexual tension and chemestry erupted on the silver screen, and once again, Bogart's name was in the tabloids with his scandalous divorce and marriage to a woman half his age. But was the film version of a Hemmingway tale just another spin on the Casablanca story? The only thing missing from this classic Bogart film is the mysterious titles of Casablanca, Maltese Falcon and African Queen.
To Have and Have Not takes us to Martanique, another mysterious Vichy France islands, where Harry Morgan (our very own Bogart) runs a fishing boat. Just like Rick, Harry is a no-nonsense fellow whose attitude could be sumed up with Rick's favorite saying, "I stick my neck out for nobody". Like Rick and Sam (although it could easily be argued that Sam's counterpart is the piano player at Harry's hotel), Harry has a sidekick, a has been sailor who lives for his bottle of beer. Enter Slim (Lauren Bacall). The biggest difference between Slim and Ilsa is obvious. Slim doesn't sport a wedding band, even if Harry does call her "kid". But, Ilsa's alter ego isn't really Slim at all, but the wife of a resistance fighter that Harry transports after having a need for money and change of heart once involved with Slim. Note the fact that Bacall seems very jealous when Harry deals with the resistance wife. If it weren't for Slim, we may have a bit of romantic chemestry with the resistance wife, but here Slim seems to be the chance for Bogart to get a girl, save the day, and still keep top billing.
The most astounding similarity between To Have and Have Not and Casablanca is Harry's dealings with the resistance couple. Here in Martanique, Harry is not as friendly with the Vichy as Rick was in Casablanca, but, once again, Bogart makes a deal that he never intends to keep, then turns his gun on the Nazis. But, at least in this picture, Bogart ends up with the girl, as he and Slim (Lauren Bacall) sail off to help the resistance. Good news for Bogart - he would end up getting the girl in real life too. His divorce finally behind him, Bogart and Bacall would tie the knot and become one of Hollywood's longest lasting couples.
Summary Score card:
Vichy French territory. Check
Night Club / Boat Owning "stick my neck out for Nobody" attitude. Check.
Resistance Couple in need of help. Check.
Bumbling Germans. Check.
Plot twist. Double Check.