Key Largo

In 1938, Warner Bros. produced a movie, The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, starring Edward G. Robinson, Claire Trevor and Humphrey Bogart.  It is the story of a wealthy doctor (Robinson) who does research in criminology.  He steals jewelry and then measures his blood pressure, temperature and pulse.  Subsequently, he makes contact with actual criminals, Jo, a fence (Trevor), and Rocks, the leader of a gang of jewel thieves (Bogart). 

Ten years later, movie producer Jerry Wald made another movie, Key Largo, starring Edward G. Robinson, Claire Trevor (won Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress) and Humphrey Bogart (the same three).  The cast also includes Lauren Bacall (Bogart's wife) and Lionel Barrymore (in a wheelchair because of arthritis).

The island, Key Largo, is located in the northern portion of the Florida Keys, "a coral cay archipelago" off the southern coast of the state.  At the far end of the Keys is Key West where the US Navy maintains a base (105 miles from Havana).  My brother Paul was stationed there during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.  

The movie, Key Largo, is the story of ex-army officer Frank McCloud (Bogart) who visits a hotel in Key Largo owned by the family (father played by Barrymore and widow played by Bacall) of a comrade of his who was killed in a battle they were both in (Italian campaign, WWII) to pay his respects.

Because McCloud arrives during the off season, there are only six other guests in the hotel, all claiming to be there for the fishing.  Unbeknownst to both McCloud and the family, the six are really criminals waiting for a second gang to arrive to sell them counterfeit money.  

The leader of the first gang is the notorious Johnny Rocco (Robinson) who is accompanied by his alcoholic girlfriend, a former professional singer, Gaye Dawn (Trevor).  Rocco had been deported to Cuba some years before as an undesirable alien.

While the gang waits, they take McCloud and the family prisoner so they won't betray them to the police.  In addition, a hurricane approaches causing some (especially Rocco) to be nervous.

During their captivity, McCloud demonstrates to the widow that he is a man of courage.  At one point, he disobeys Rocco's instructions and gives Gaye the drink she desperately wants.  Could this be the beginning of a beautiful friendship?

After their business transaction is completed, Rocco and his gang (minus Gaye who is abandoned by her boyfriend) need a ride back to Cuba.  The captain of the ship that brought them to Key West abandoned them as the hurricane approached.  

Rocco forces McCloud to pilot a small boat to take them home.  McCloud and the widow believe Rocco will kill him once they are safely in Cuba.  Do they?  Or will McCloud safely return to Key West and the widow?           
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I will be travelling next Sunday.  Have a happy Mother's Day.  The next post will be Sunday, May 19, 2019.