The first film Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made together is undoubtedly their best. The two actors would go on to become one of the defining movie actor duos of Hollywood’s Golden Age, collaborating on a total of four movies and falling in love with one another in real life. To Have and Have Not is Bogart and Bacall’s first film together, and it’s also Bacall’s first movie before becoming a Hollywood icon. Having starred in films like High Sierra and The Maltese Falcon, Bogart was a certified film noir star by the time To Have and Have Not was released.

The movie combines a medley of genres, such as romance and adventure, and features captivating performances by Bogart and Bacall. Though the film earned mixed critical reviews at the time and was heavily compared to Casablanca, it’s easy to see just how great To Have and Have Not is in hindsight. The chemistry beaming from the on-screen duo, and the real-life relationship and continued film collaborations that would follow, are only part of why To Have and Have Not is considered to be Bogart and Bacall’s best movie together.

To Have And Have Not Is Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall’s Best Movie Together

Bogart And Bacall’s On-Screen Chemistry Was Unmatched At The Time And Previewed Their Successful Careers

To Have and Have Not is loosely based on Ernest Hemingway’s 1937 novel and sees Bogart’s Harry Morgan aiding the French Resistance by transporting a few of its members to an island after initially swearing to stay out of current political affairs. At the same time, Harry falls in love with American wanderer Marie “Slim” Browning (Bacall), adding a compelling element of romance to the film. With Harry and Slim’s romance being set against a political backdrop, To Have and Have Not has earned several comparisons to Casablanca, which is often considered to be the best war romance movie ever made.

As a result, To Have and Have Not has been unfairly overlooked over the years and dubbed an inferior remake of Casablanca. However, such a notion couldn’t be further from the truth as it diminishes just how exciting a film To Have and Have Not is. Howard Hawks’ direction is stylish, and the changes from Hemingway’s novel, in which screenwriter William Faulkner chose to place a greater emphasis on the love story between Harry and Slim, ultimately end up being the film’s greatest strength.

With its themes of resistance and conflict, there is plenty of tension throughout To Have and Have Not to keep audiences hooked. The fate of Bogart and Bacall’s characters also gives audiences something to hold out hope for, with the strength of the actors’ performances amplified by their overwhelming chemistry. Bogart and Bacall’s natural and alluring shared presence in To Have and Have Not is unlike anything seen in narratively similar movies like Casablanca, and provides audiences with a promising look into their future as a Hollywood duo.

How Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall Became A Legendary Movie Pairing

Audiences Were Captivated By The Real-Life Romance And On-Screen Talent Of The Pair

The duo’s chemistry is significant to the legacy of To Have and Have Not, but in the years that followed, Bogart and Bacall proved that their strength as an acting pair wasn’t solely reliant on their romantic connection. After To Have and Have Not, Bogart and Bacall soon married one another in real life and went on to star in three more movies together. The actors’ real-life romance and continued chemistry on-screen certainly play a part in the audience’s interest in the pair, but their strength as individual performers can’t be denied.

Bogart and Bacall’s combined talents elevated the formulaic narratives of films like Dark Pᴀssage and Key Largo, and they are well-suited to the complexity of a movie like The Big Sleep. While Bogart was already considered a star at the time, Bacall admirably came into her own as a performer during the actors’ rise as a duo. Bogart and Bacall are skilled dramatic actors on their own, and their romantic relationship on and off-screen only adds to their appeal and influence in Hollywood at the time, cementing them as a legendary film noir duo.