Bogie: A Celebration of the Life and Films of Humphrey Bogart

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Humphrey Bogart's 1957 death, acclaimed writers Schickel (Brando: A Life In Our Times) and Perry (James Dean) present this illustrated look at one of Hollywood's most lasting icons. Tracing Bogart's life from his well-to-do boyhood through his 20-year film career, this volume covers such highlights as his first films in the 30s, his breakout in 1941's The Maltese Falcon, his Oscar-winning 1951 performance in The African Queen and his last film, 1956's The Harder They Fall, with plenty of space devoted to 1942's Casablance-still regarded by some film enthusiasts as the best picture ever made. Enlivened with more than 200 candid and studio photos-many from the family's private archives and previously unpublished-this ""celebration"" covers the breadth of Bogart's career admirably, if at times fawningly (especially in son Stephen's foreword). The lengthy appreciation by Schickel, however, is convoluted but critical, taking aim at Bogart's initial lackadaisical approach toward acting and panning some of his earliest work. Likewise, Perry's extensive filmography doesn't flinch, but it occasionally veers into territory already covered by Schickel. A worthy addition to any film buff's library for the photos alone, this should serve as a fine reference.