Key Largo Page #2

Synopsis: Frank McCloud travels to a run-down hotel on Key Largo to honor the memory of a friend who died bravely in his unit during WW II. His friend's widow, Nora Temple, and wheelchair bound father, James Temple manage the hotel and receive him warmly, but the three of them soon find themselves virtual prisoners when the hotel is taken over by a mob of gangsters led by Johnny Rocco who hole up there to await the passing of a hurricane. Mr. Temple strongly reviles Rocco but due to his infirmities can only confront him verbally. Having become disillusioned by the violence of war, Frank is reluctant to act, but Rocco's demeaning treatment of his alcoholic moll, Gaye Dawn, and his complicity in the deaths of some innocent Seminole Indians and a deputy sheriff start to motivate McCloud to overcome his Hamlet-like inaction.
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Director(s): John Huston
Production: Warner Bros. Pictures
  Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.9
Rotten Tomatoes:
97%
NOT RATED
Year:
1948
100 min
1,290 Views


she's got a hangover and arguing.

One minute she gets sore at you

and won't talk.

Next she's making a play for you

right in front of the guy!

And he gets sore at us,

mind you, not her.

Everything's spoiled,

including our dispositions.

It's cost us all this dough,

and for what?

The world's worst time.

I ask you, can you blame us

for getting rude?

- I don't blame you.

- How about a drink?

Not now, thanks.

Hotel Largo.

Just to show there's

no hard feelings.

No, thank you.

Thank you very much.

- Storm signals are up.

- What's that mean?

Hurricane's on its way.

See what I mean?

Hurricanes yet!

Dad's in here, major.

Sit down, major.

The war's over, Mr. Temple.

I'm not a major anymore.

I know the men that went don't

like talking about the war...

...and I don't like imposing on you.

But this letter here

from the War Department...

...is the only facts we have.

And it leaves us in the dark

about a few things.

I'll tell you everything I know.

Will you, Frank? Will you?

I'd be most grateful.

- Where shall I start?

- Anywhere.

He was a good soldier

from start to finish.

You'd have been proud.

Every man in his regiment was.

- Were they, Frank?

- With good reason.

It wasn't just a matter

of doing his duty.

He was always looking

for a way to do more.

And finding it.

George was a born hero.

He couldn't imagine his death.

Only dishonor.

No, of course not.

It's a wonder he lasted

till Cassino.

When you believe like George believed,

dying isn't very important.

Once, outside San Pietro,

George and a couple others...

...established an observation post.

They got a direct hit,

and the others were killed.

That left it up to George.

Three days and three nights

he stayed awake directing our fire.

Most of that time, I was on

the other end of the line.

To keep himself awake,

he talked into the phone.

Talked and talked.

Most of his talk

was about you two.

You'd be surprised how much

I know about you both.

For instance, inside your

wedding ring there's an inscription:

"Evermore. "

That's right.

And you, Mr. Temple.

Remember telling George what

this hollow is above the upper lip?

Before he was born,

you said...

...he knew all the secrets

of life and death.

And then at his birth, an angel

came and put his finger right here.

And sealed his lips.

I remember that.

He couldn't have been more

than 7 years old...

...when I told him that fairy story.

What's it like where he's buried?

Just crosses on a slope.

High up, there's

what's left of a church.

You can see a river

from where George is.

I'd like to pay a visit to that place.

Yep, I would.

Nora, maybe we'll do just that.

Go to Italy and see

where George is buried.

It belongs to us, don't it?

That plot of ground?

I'm very grateful to you, Frank.

Thank you.

There was a storm warning, Dad.

You better see to the boat.

What brought you here?

Thought I might make

my living on the sea.

- Doing what?

- Doesn't matter. Hand on a boat.

Life on land's become

too complicated for my taste.

What'd you do before the war?

I was circulation manager

for a newspaper.

- You never went back to it?

- I couldn't stick it.

I've done lots since the paper.

Driving taxis, waiting on tables.

Anything to make a dollar.

Including day labor.

Getting kind of rough.

Major, this is Mr. Feeney.

- Hi.

- How do you do?

How's your ground tackle

off the stern?

Plenty heavy.

Then we'd just better double up

on these bowlines.

Where'd you learn about boats?

My first sweetheart was a boat.

How do you like that boat?

Nice. She should be away from

those reefs with this blow coming.

That so?

Put that on that piling over there.

Charlie!

Charlie Wenoka and his family

from Crawfish Island.

The Wenokas are royalty.

Charlie's a Seminole prince.

His ancestors go back to the gods.

He sells seashells by the seashore.

Hello, Mama Ochobee.

Every Indian here is

a descendent of Mama Ochobee.

She admits to being 108 years old.

But she has a son who's 112.

We suspect Mama doesn't tell

the truth about her age.

Him new husband? No, Mama.

Not new husband.

You got cigarette?

Pretty big blow coming?

Indians always know.

Don't ask me how, but they do.

More will be along. They come to

us from as far as Matecumbe Key.

This one was born in our lobby

during the last big blow.

Hello, Tom.

Hello, John.

Tom and John are Osceola.

How do you do?

We get Mr. Temple message.

We hear give ourself up to police.

He thinks it's the best.

What Mr. Temple say, we do.

Him good friend to Indian.

Why don't you go to the hotel?

Dad'll call Palm Grove.

Thanks, Miss Nora.

Poor fellas got into some trouble

and were arrested.

I know.

Mr. Temple told me about them.

They really trust Dad Temple.

All the Indians.

As far as they're concerned,

he's the United States of America.

You're very happy here,

aren't you?

- Very.

- You're never lonely?

Did George tell you?

I met him at a USO dance.

He was lonesome.

He wanted company.

I was working at a defense plant.

I knew lots of people,

but I was lonesome too.

Before George, my life

hadn't made much sense.

I never had much of a home,

and I didn't like what I had.

George...

...gave me roots.

When he went overseas,

I came here to stay with his father...

...and the roots took hold.

Now I'm like one of those mangroves.

Our police always get their Indian.

Close the shutters

while I get the oil lamps.

Hey, pal.

Getting ready for the hurricane?

- Join me for that little drink now?

- No, thanks.

- Not a drinking man?

- Not right now.

Hey, Curly.

What all happens in a hurricane?

The wind blows so hard

the ocean gets up on its hind legs...

...and walks right across the land.

And singing a song:

Rain, rain go away

Little Ralphie wants to play

Isn't that Ben Wade's car?

Nora! Have you seen him?

No, Dad. I haven't.

They're snooping around looking

for these two boys, and here they are.

Better go out there and sit

in his car and wait for him.

Better yet, go and find him.

What's so funny, Toots?

There are two cons in a cell.

One tries to sell the other

a fountain pen.

And he says,

"This pen is guaranteed for life. "

Don't you get it?

A con.

Guaranteed for life.

We get it, all right.

Have you seen Wade or Sawyer

anywhere around, Frank?

No, I haven't.

- His car's out there in the rain.

- Yes, I know.

It's funny.

How about a drink, everybody?

What'll it be, Miss Temple?

Nothing, thanks.

How about you, Pop?

He's not supposed to drink anything.

That leaves it up to you, pal.

Another time.

Don't you like me?

I'm beginning to think

I got smallpox or something.

Still laughing at that

stinking joke?

Here's another one.

Elevator's busting through a roof.

The elevator boy says

to a couple passengers:

"I told you there was

no 11 th floor. "

Explain it for us, Toots.

Wise guy.

What's the idea of them?

They shut the electricity off,

we still have light.

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Richard Brooks

Richard Brooks (May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was an American screenwriter, film director, novelist and film producer. Nominated for eight Oscars in his career, he was best known for Blackboard Jungle (1955), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) Elmer Gantry (1960; for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay), In Cold Blood (1967) and Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977). more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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