Biography of Humphrey Bogart


Biographies of historical figures and personalities

Mask and charisma

25 December 1899 14 January 1957 New York's wealthy family, Prince of film "hard", was born on 25 December 1899. After abandoning his studies and his military service in the Navy, directs his interests in show business working for the impresario William Brady and debuting as an actor on theatre stages. Audiences and critics begin to notice him when he plays Duke Mantee in the adaptation for the stage of the "petrified forest". Before the 1941 participates in many productions, especially by genre (as well as a few western and fantahorror), some of which are remembered for the presence of prestigious protagonists rather than for his interpretations. But when John Huston chose him in the role of Sam Spade in "the Maltese Falcon" success is unconditional. Actor and Director created the character Bogart, sardonic and hard, which is enriched with interesting introspective undertones in trials that follow. However, as written by Pino Farinotti: "Contrary to the great stars of the era, Bogart is small and normal, and did not even strong expressive but has some particular form, a little suffering that works. [...]. Established "painstakingly" than his contemporaries, however more with him, Bogart was lucky. His mask "normal but strong," possessed a sort of confused, unconscious modernity that earned him an image and a posthumous success beyond its actual quality. " Notwithstanding these limitations, remains his immortal charisma. Outlaw tired and redeemed with Raul Walsh of "a bullet for Roy," romantic adventurer and taciturn in "Casablanca" by Curtiz, he played many different roles. With Howard Hawks's detective Marlowe of the "big sleep", again with Huston is the spiky bargeman "African Queen" or the vet of "coral island". By the late ' 40, Bogart, Idol of audiences and public figure known for unconventional choices, continues to work with less grit and commitment by rediscovering its magnetism only with directors sensitive that now rely on difficult and controversial characters ("the Caine Mutiny") or that the unthinkably catapult in comedy ("Sabrina"). Mature man, but still has great charm, fills the chronicles do with his love for the young Lauren Bacall, for a passion for the sea and for alcohol, for its intractable and caustic sense of irony towards the press and the star-system, for the long and desperate illness (died on January 14, 1957 due to lung cancer). Loved in life and I live in legend (Woody Allen talking to reimburse the myth with "play it again, Sam"), Bogart, on the screen, deep gaze drowned in melancholy recollections, individualistic spirit that no illusions on the world around him, the man vulnerable behind the hard rind. Classic hero and strikingly modern collection. Inimitable, even in the way of light and smoke the cigarette.

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