Humphrey Bogart is one of the most prolific and well-known actors from Old Hollywood. Though he was initially typecast as a gangster in multiple low-level crime films, Bogart broke the mold and became famous for his lead role as Rick Blaine in Casablanca. He also made a name for himself in lauded pictures such as The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of Sierra Madre, In a Lonely Place, The Caine Mutiny, The African Queen, and Sabrina. Given that Max has a wide collection of classic films, it’s no surprise that many of Bogart’s films are available to stream there.

Some of Humphrey Bogart’s best movies across different genres are but a click away on Max’s digital library. While Max has popular films featuring the renowned actor, there are also several movies featuring Bogart before he found success as a leading man. As a result, many of these Humphrey Bogart films available for streaming aren’t so well known. Despite this, such movies starring Bogart still deserve to be seen, given they’re relics of Hollywood’s Golden Age and crucial works in the life of a Hollywood legend.

7

Invisible Stripes (1939)

Directed By Lloyd Bacon

Invisible Stripes revolves around an ex-convict who struggles to make an honest living outside of prison, deciding to commit robberies with another ex-con to support himself and his family. Though it wasn’t a huge film, Invisible Stripes was one of multiple movies that Bogart starred in alongside future big-screen icons like George Raft and William Holden. Raft takes the spotlight as protagonist Cliff Taylor, but Bogart still shines in his supporting role as gangster Charles Martin.

While Invisible Stripes may be a simple crime movie, it is still a tragic tale that sends an important message about how society makes it difficult for ex-cons to reform and reintegrate into life outside of prison. At the same time, the film shows how the world of crime refuses to let its people go, with Bogart’s character effectively trapping Cliff in another prison. Although the story has been told many times, Invisible Stripes is still worth cinephiles’ attention.

6

You Can’t Get Away With Murder (1939)

Directed By Lewis Seiler

This underrated crime drama shows a mobster and his young protégé getting arrested after a robbery gone wrong, with the latter facing a moral crisis after his sister’s boyfriend is also accused of the murder his boss committed. In one of his multiple collaborations with director Lewis Seiler, Bogart stars in You Can’t Get Away with Murder as the villainous gangster who forces his young accomplice to feign ignorance in an attempt to spare himself from death row.

Other than Bogart’s role in the film, You Can’t Get Away with Murder deserves a watch due to the compelling ethical conflict faced by its naive young protagonist. It is a great movie that also offers an interesting look at Bogart in the early stages of his leading actor career.

Though this film was released before Bogart established himself as a leading man, the actor displays his strong acting skills as antagonist Frank Wilson. This character goes from a friendly mentor to a ruthless criminal on a dime, with Bogart adding both allure and menace to his role. He also stands out thanks to his chemistry with Billy Halop, having previously worked with him on director Michael Curtiz’s film Angels with Dirty Faces. Though Bogart was no hero in this movie, he was still a major highlight of it.

5

It All Came True (1940)

Directed By Lewis Seiler

It All Came True is an unusual part of Bogart’s filmography due to its status as a comedic crime musical. The story features a pianist who is forced to hide his gangster boss from the police in his mother’s boarding house, where they set up a nightclub with a gifted young singer. Bogart plays his typical role as the suave and manipulative mobster, and the actor does not sing in this film. Nevertheless, It All Came True is a refreshing break away from the more traditional crime movies Bogart is known for starring in.

Likewise, the movie delivers some spectacular musical numbers courtesy of its incomparable star, Ann Sheridan, who shares the screen well with Bogart after previously working with him on several films. And thanks to Sheridan’s chemistry with costar Jeffrey Lynn, It All Came True adds a compelling romance that makes this an entertaining and well-rounded picture.

4

They Drive By Night (1940)

Directed by Raoul Walsh

This drama picture was one of Bogart’s multiple projects working with director Raoul Walsh, who created classic noir films like High Sierra and White Heat. They Drive by Night, on the other hand, stands out as a more unconventional crime film, as it follows two exhausted truck drivers struggling to make ends meet and live happy lives. Things get especially difficult after a series of accidents on the road, one of which takes one of the brother’s legs, and an obsessed woman frames the other brother for murder.

Bogart only plays a supporting role in this film, which puts a greater focus on George Raft’s character, Joe Fabrini. Nevertheless, the former handles himself well by playing the tough but vulnerable brother who tries to support his loving family and cope with his challenging career. Such a story displays the everyday struggles of blue-collar workers that many audiences can still find relatable. Despite its more intense moments, They Drive by Night achieves a terrific balance of heavy drama and quick-witted humor to make it an enjoyable watch.

3

The Roaring Twenties (1939)

Directed by Raoul Walsh

Based on Mark Hellinger’s short story, “The World Moves On,” The Roaring Twenties follows three men who, after meeting on the battlefield in World War I, work together to bootleg liquor during the Prohibition. Following off the heels of several crime movies from the 1930s, this movie features the traditional story of the rise and fall of a gangster’s criminal empire. While not as popular as The Godfather or Goodfellas, one can see traces of such classics in the plot and visual style of this Pre-Code crime film, making it an essential watch for fans of gangster movies

The Roaring Twenties‘ success can also be credited to its cast, including Bogart. This movie has him in one of the leading roles as the charismatic but cold-blooded George. Not only that, but it also features him alongside other iconic Hollywood actors like Priscilla Lane, Gladys George, and James Cagney, with the film being the latter’s last collaboration with Bogart. While The Roaring Twenties isn’t the most groundbreaking film, Bogart and his costars have helped it go down as one of the most revered gangster movies in cinema history.

2

Pᴀssage to Marseille (1944)

Directed by Michael Curtiz

One can consider this a spiritual sequel to Casablanca due to its story and cast. Pᴀssage to Marseille follows a journalist as he learns about the lives of five convicts who have broken out of prison to help free France from Nazi control. The film is notable for its unique storytelling style, which features flashbacks within flashbacks within flashbacks that explore the character’s tragic lives leading up to the war. Bogart’s character, in particular, resonates strongly in the modern era as a journalist who loses his business and his freedom to speak out against the rise of government corruption.

Pᴀssage to Marseille didn’t just have Bogart team up with Casablanca director Michael Curtiz once more. It also featured Bogart alongside several of his costars from the latter film, including Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Helmut Dantine. Bogart was able to play off his costars quite well in Pᴀssage to Marseille, allowing them to shine with their distinctive characters while still achieving perfect chemistry. Thanks to their experiences together in Casablanca, Bogart and his pals in the cast made Pᴀssage to Marseille the perfect film for fans of the former.

1

Casablanca (1942)

Directed by Michael Curtiz

There is arguably no other movie in Humphrey Bogart’s filmography as well known as Casablanca. This Oscar-winning classic features Bogart as a depressed bartender who confronts his former lover in the тιтular city as she tries to flee from the Nazis with her rebel husband. Casablanca has several iconic quotes and scenes that have appeared in some form or another throughout popular culture, thanks particularly to the performances of Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains. This has cemented Casablanca as a benchmark picture in cinema history and the embodiment of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Casablanca also presents an incredible character study through Rick. He starts off as a bitter and melancholic man mourning his lost love, only to become the reluctant hero who sacrifices his own desires to help those who need him. The character and the film are only elevated by Bogart’s hardened but vulnerable lead performance, which, after getting him his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor, has become most ᴀssociated with him since its release. Not only is this Humphrey Bogart‘s all-time best film. It’s one of the greatest films, period.