Film Review: The Petrified Forest (1936)

Ascendancy of gangster films in 1930s Hollywood is often explained by the popularity of real and larger-than-life figures from criminal underworld that excited imagination of impoverished masses during Great Depression. This phenomenon affected even the works that don’t belong to gangster genre in the strictest of sense. One example can be found in The Petrified Forest, celebrated 1935 play by Robert E. Sherwood. A year after its Broadway premiere it was adapted into feature film directed by Archie Mayo.

The protagonist is Alan Squier (played by Alan Squier), British writer whose career failed and who now, lacking ambition and money, wanders around America still ravaged by Great Depression. He ends up in small diner near Petrified Forest in northeastern Arizona, which is run by Great War veteran Jason Maple (played by Porter Hall), his father Gramp (played by Charles Grapewin) who entertains patrons with tales of the Old West outlaws and Jason’s daughter Gabrielle (played by Bette Davis). Alan as smooth-talking intellectual quickly wins the heart of Gabrielle who, as as a tender soul with artistic ambitions can’t stand provincial nature of rural America and dreams of joining her mother who lives in France. Alan is also attracted to her but nevertheless decides to leave. His plans are interrupted with an arrival of Duke Mantee (played by Humphrey Bogart), notorious gangster whose confederates stumble into Maples’ diner during their escape towards Mexico. Alan and everyone else in the diner is taken hostage, but Alan uses this as an opportunity to find some sort of purpose for his life.

Robert E. Sherwood found a lot of inspiration for his play on the violent exploits of notorious bank robber John Dillinger and the character of Duke Mantee was mostly based on him. In the original Broadway production Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart were playing the same roles they play in the film; Bogart, for his part, took great pains to make his character resemble Dillinger through his choice of clothes and mannerisms he had carefully studied in newspaper reports and newsreels. The role in the film, however, almost didn’t go to Bogart, because Warner Bros., the studio behind the production, preferred Edward G. Robinson, its more bankable star specialised in role of gangsters, to play Mantee. In the end Leslie Howard insisted on Bogart being cast, which ultimately boosted his career and soon made him one of the grand Hollywood icons. Bogart always credited Howard as person that should get most credit for the success of his career.

Duke Mantee, although he is a not a main character, represents one of the best and most iconic roles of Humphrey Bogart. However, before he appears audience have to deal something which is less a gangster film and more a social drama. Stage origins of The Petrified Forest are also visible in plot being limited to a single location. On the other hand, Mayo directs film with great ease and The Petrified Forest represents good example of Classic Hollywood craftsmanship. Howard and Davis, the latter enjoying zenith of her stardom, are confidently playing their roles. Script by Charles Kenyon and Delmer Daves confidently deals with various themes – conflict between illusion and reality; idealism and practicality and, finally, changing face of America, which, among other things, include replacement of semi-legendary outlaws of rural Old West with foreign gangsters with “strange names” that inhabit big cities. The ending of The Petrified Forest might look a little bit too melodramatic and for today’s audience, at least those accustomed to modern day cynicism, but the film itself will provide enjoyable experience for fans of Classic Hollywood and especially fans of Bogart for whom The Petrified Forest represented glorious beginning.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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