Main Cast: John Garfield, Phyllis Thaxter, Patricia Neal, Juano Hernandez, Wallace Ford
Release Year: 1950
Country: US
Run Time: 97 minutes
Plot
This second screen version of Ernest Hemingway's To Have and Have Not is closer in spirit to the original than the first version, though it still is far from faithful to its source. John Garfield stars as Harry Morgan, who has metamorphosed from Hemingway's gun-runner to an ex-PT boat captain, now running a charter boat service in Southern California. Deeply in debt, Morgan agrees to smuggle aliens and later tries to sneak a bunch of gangsters out of the country. By the time he's been given a wake-up call by his conscience, Morgan has caused the death of a close friend. Patricia Neal and Phyllis Thaxter make the most of their limited footage as, respectively Harry Morgan's casual mistress and faithful spouse. Many critics feel that The Breaking Point represents Michael Curtiz' finest directing job--no small praise for a man who helmed such classics as Casablanca and Yankee Doodle Dandy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Truer to its Ernest Hemingway source than the previous film version, The Breaking Point is a sadly neglected little gem that deserves to be wider known. It's not a great film, but it's an effecting and often powerful piece of cinema that benefits greatly from both John Garfield's sterling lead performance and Michael Curtiz's assured and imaginative direction. Not that the screenplay isn't worth mentioning, for it does a fine job of getting to the essence of the Hemingway story and transferring one of his flawed, haunted heroes quite effectively to the screen. It simply has a few bumps in it along the way, a few stretches of dialogue that miss the mark. But it also allows director Curtiz to shoot n emotionala, memorable closing sequence that juxtaposes the "happy" ending of the lead character's with the image of a now-orphaned child alone on the waterfront, searching for the father who won't be returning to him. Curtiz is also in exceptional form in the climactic sequence in which Garfield gets the best of gangsters while at sea. Garfield is simply sensational, giving a bravura performance that still has room for beautifully nuanced moments, creating a living, breathing character that practically leaps from the screen. There's also excellent support from Patricia Neal and Phyllis Thaxter, and Juano Hernandez takes advantage of the then-rare chance for a minority actor to play a real character and delivers a beautiful performance. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Edmon Ryan - Rogers; Ralph Dumke - Hannagan; Guy Thomajan - Danny; William Campbell - Concho; Sherry Jackson - Amelia; Donna Jo Boyce - Connie; Peter Brocco - Macho; John Alvin - Reporter; Mary Carroll - Girl; Spencer Chan - 1st Chinese Cook; John Doucette - Gotch; Norman Field - Dock Attendant; Alex Gerry - Mr. Phillips; James Griffith - Charlie; Helen Hatch - Mrs. Cooley; Len Hendry - Boatswain; Paul McGuire - Leona's Escort; David McMahon - Coast Guardsman; Victor Sen Yung - Mr. Sing; Glen Turnbull - Taxi Driver; John Morgan - Reporter; Juan Duval - Bartender; John Close - Deputy; Bob McLean - Leona's Party; Beverly Mook - Kid
Garfield plays Harry Morgan a penniless fishing hire proprietor whose business is on the skids and whose family is feeling the economic pinch. He begins to work with a shady lawyer who persuades him to run illegal immigrants into California. When this goes wrong he comes even more under the influence of the lawyer who blackmails him into helping the escape of a gang of crooks who pull a racetrack heist.
