Humphrey Bogart became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars because of his ability across genres, and two new home video releases showcase this nicely.
“The Big Sleep” is one of Bogart’s classic hard-boiled vehicles, taking on the Raymond Chandler novel and collaborating beautifully with co-star Lauren Bacall. This new Warner Bros. release features an earlier cut that makes more sense but has less sizzle.
John Huston’s “Beat The Devil” featured Bogart in a different key, a spoof of the international thriller, now released by The Film Detective. Costars Robert Morley and Peter Lorre provide much of the fun in this classic romp. – Kenneth Turan