Humphrey Bogart

Pyramid Illustrated History of the Movies

by Alan G. Barbour

From Rick (of "Rick's Cafe") to Charlie Allnut, from Sam Spade to Fred C. Dobbs, Humphrey Bogard created a gallery of unforgetable film characters. Through most of his career, he epitomizeed the tough minded, hard bitten man who often (but not always) adhered to a private code of honor and decency.

Alan Barbour's profusely illustrated book examines the man, the actor, and the myth and evaluates the over seventy films that have kept Bogart a never-fading legend over the years.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Film, Media Tie In

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[morgan ☽ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very concise telling of Bogart's career, mainly focusing on the characters he played. It doesn't give many details, and is mostly just the authors opinions on the various films and roles discussed.

[Gerd · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's an okay read if you are only looking for a short primer on Bogey's work.
But it features some annoying errors, like calling Casablanca's Major (sic!) Renault (perfectly played by Claude Rains) a "sentimentalist" (the character is actually an opportunist using his position to take advantage of women - or to call it by its name he's a rapist) - who at last decides to switch sides.
The author also claims Ugarte (a role played by Peter Lorre) to be a friend of Rick's (played by Bogey).
Nothing could be further from the truth, as we learn right away in the movie:

Ugarte: "You despise me, don't you?"
Rick: "I gave you any thought, I probably would."

Casablanca is oddly enough one of the movies talked about in greatest lenght, yet there's so much misinformation about the character roles, one has to wonder if Barbour bothered to actually watch the movie at all.

[MKF]

Bogart's biography is only one chapter and the rest of the chapters describes his movies and acting career. If you want to sit and read almost all the details to his films even incorrect stuff then you will probably enjoy this book.

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok if you don’t have access to Rotten Tomatoes or IMDB. Very little insight into Bogart the man.

[Julio The Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book consolidated my life-long love affair with Humphrey Bogart. I was already a Bogie nut by the time Alan Barbour published his loving though not uncritical tribute to the legend and his films. In just under 100 pages Barbour dissects, with the precision of a surgeon, all 70 plus of the man's films, from the low ("Bogart regarded SWING YOUR LADY as his worst film") to the highs (HIGH SIERRA, THE MALTESE FALCON, TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE) to the oddities, from Bogart's only Western, THE OKLAHOMA KID, to his own horror movie, and the all-around fascinating mess of BEAT THE DEVIL ("Only the phonies thought it was funny" was Bogie's verdict). I agree completely with Barber that Bogart's Oscar, for THE AFRICAN QUEEN, "came too late in his career; the great performances were all in the past" and that he left us at age 57 with a classy goodbye, THE HARDER THEY FALL. Bogart fan or just a novice, this volume may mark your love affair with the GOAT of the movies.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Humphrey Bogart” by Allan G. Barbour
Enjoyable parade though the theatrical life of Bogie via the subjective yet reasonable perspective of the author. The many photos helps remind readers of their experience having watched these films. Good book. ****

[Murat Başaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Afa gençliğimize en güzel sinema kitaplarını bıraktı ve gitti. Bu da gerek içeriği gerekse kağıt kalitesiyle doyurucu bir okuma sunan bir biyografi. Bogart filmlerini eşzamanlı izlerken okumak ayrı bir keyif. Kaçırmayın, derim.

[Peter Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy to read account of his life,movies and impact.Good for what it is -a short intro into his work.

[Erin]

This book discusses his films moreso than his life which is not what I was anticipating. It is very factual but easy to read. If you want to know about Bogie's total 75 films, this is the book. However, it is not autobiographical.