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Bogart & Bacall: A love story
A Love Story of the ages between these two Mega-Stars played out in Hollywood Movies then, in real life. Excellent early and later period photographs throughout the text.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 23, 2022
Joe Hyams, Hollywood columnist and well-received author at the time of celebrity biographies. Bogart & Bacall details the lives of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall; their births, backgrounds, how they met, and their careers and life spent together up until Humphrey's death. A marriage lasting 12 years but probably one of the most renowned celebrity marriages in Hollywood history (and it's such a sweet one). I found this book entertaining, interesting, and without unnecessary frills. The dialogue is direct, the anecdotes are colorful in their simplicity.
(Lauren talking to her first director Howard Hawks at a party)
Lauren : I've got a ride home.
Howard : Good for you. What did you do?
Lauren : I did what you told me to do. I insulted a man. I asked him where he got his tie. He said, 'Why do you want to know?' I said, 'So i can tell other people not to go there."
Howard: Who was the man?
Lauren : Clark Gable
Mr. Hyam, from what the reader can perceive, really got to know the Bogarts and was well trusted by them to share their story. This book was published in 1975, about 18 years after Bogie had passed. Lauren was 51 years old when this book came out- widowed at age 33 and (at the time of publishing) continuing/growing her career in film & broadway. Side note- Lauren passsed away in 2014 well into her 80's. (I remember this distinctly because I was at work and had caught a glimpse at my patient's TV and read the headlines at the bottom of the screen; my jaw dropped and I did feel a wave a sadness pass over me).
I've been a huge Bogie and Bacall fan since my early college years. If not for the Maltese Falcon or To Have and Have Not, I probably would've never gotten into film noir. I also used to read anything my university library had on either of these two actors (mostly Bogie though). This little paperback I found in a used bookshop is probably my favorite biography on them so far!
(Lauren talking to her first director Howard Hawks at a party)
Lauren : I've got a ride home.
Howard : Good for you. What did you do?
Lauren : I did what you told me to do. I insulted a man. I asked him where he got his tie. He said, 'Why do you want to know?' I said, 'So i can tell other people not to go there."
Howard: Who was the man?
Lauren : Clark Gable
Mr. Hyam, from what the reader can perceive, really got to know the Bogarts and was well trusted by them to share their story. This book was published in 1975, about 18 years after Bogie had passed. Lauren was 51 years old when this book came out- widowed at age 33 and (at the time of publishing) continuing/growing her career in film & broadway. Side note- Lauren passsed away in 2014 well into her 80's. (I remember this distinctly because I was at work and had caught a glimpse at my patient's TV and read the headlines at the bottom of the screen; my jaw dropped and I did feel a wave a sadness pass over me).
I've been a huge Bogie and Bacall fan since my early college years. If not for the Maltese Falcon or To Have and Have Not, I probably would've never gotten into film noir. I also used to read anything my university library had on either of these two actors (mostly Bogie though). This little paperback I found in a used bookshop is probably my favorite biography on them so far!
October 29, 2023
This was a nice little read, particularly after reading Verita Thompson's Bogie and Me. It really makes you wonder about the credibility of Verita, but, frankly, Hyam's book is so obsessed with how cool Bogart was that it doesn't necessarily ring as entirely truthful or forthcoming itself. Bogart was so honourable, would never cheat, they were so in love, yadda, yadda. So who to believe? It's nice to think their life was perfect, and it's unlikely a biographer from the 70s would air their dirty laundry, so with that in mind I say it's a decent book and worth the read as it's only 198 pages. It's also a nice little history of Hollywood at that time, a particularly fascination of mine.
The other thing I will say about this book is that many times the author is aiming to complement Bogie by saying he was mentor for Bacall, several times calling him her father and lover, which just does not read as a complement in 2023 (remember that Bogart was 44 and Bacall 19 when they met). Hyams is also quite misogynistic, but doesn't realise it, so he does nothing to mask his or Bogart's casually sexist comments. There is a particularly sad scene where Hyams aims to show that Bogart, now seriously ill, is still "master of his house" by describing how Bogart disciplined his son Stephen for hitting his sister. Bogart explains that Stephen shouldn't hit her because "she's littler than you, and besides, she's female. They cause us a lot of trouble, but we got to endure it. They're not as strong as we are."
They were men of their time, surely, but it's a lesson in how far we've come to be reminded how casually powerful men reduced the women in their lives to accessories, servants, or as just plain weak.
The other thing I will say about this book is that many times the author is aiming to complement Bogie by saying he was mentor for Bacall, several times calling him her father and lover, which just does not read as a complement in 2023 (remember that Bogart was 44 and Bacall 19 when they met). Hyams is also quite misogynistic, but doesn't realise it, so he does nothing to mask his or Bogart's casually sexist comments. There is a particularly sad scene where Hyams aims to show that Bogart, now seriously ill, is still "master of his house" by describing how Bogart disciplined his son Stephen for hitting his sister. Bogart explains that Stephen shouldn't hit her because "she's littler than you, and besides, she's female. They cause us a lot of trouble, but we got to endure it. They're not as strong as we are."
They were men of their time, surely, but it's a lesson in how far we've come to be reminded how casually powerful men reduced the women in their lives to accessories, servants, or as just plain weak.
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June 27, 2019I have the german edition: Humphrey Bogart und Lauren Bacall
May 26, 2022
i could’ve written a better biography and i didn’t even meet them
June 13, 2025
A pretty well written, if extremely rose-tinted, biography of Bogart and Bacall!
February 18, 2012
This is a good picture of Bogart's rise and his life with Bacall by a journalist who knew the both fairly well. The book is in three parts: an interleaved story of both principals' youth and rise, their marriage and collaboration, Bacall's life after Bogie. It was most interesting to me how Bogie's success was despite his own anti-social behavior throwing away opportunity and chances while living his adult life as a functional alcoholic.
November 8, 2010
The story of how these two met was very interesting.
July 27, 2012
An enjoyable read. Bogart and Bacall truly lived the greatest love story ever played out in Hollywood. For more about Bogart and Bacall, read Bacall's autobiography "By Myself".
February 7, 2015
A very interesting story about a interesting couple. They met when filming "To Have or To Have Not" when he was 44 and she was 19.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews