The Breaking Point

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Overview

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 ...
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DVD (Black & White)
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Note: This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. This disc is expected to play back in DVD Video "play only" devices and may not play back in other DVD devices including recorders and PC drives.

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Overview

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.
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler
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.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 7/29/2011
  • UPC: 883316341223
  • Original Release: 1950

    • Rating:

  • Source: Warner Archives
  • Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
  • Presentation: Black & White
  • Sound: Dolby Digital Mono
  • Language: English
  • Time: 1:37:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 17,345

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
John Garfield Harry Morgan
Phyllis Thaxter Lucy Morgan
Patricia Neal Leona Charles
Juano Hernandez Wesley Park
Wallace Ford Duncan
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 Close Deputy
John Doucette Gotch
Juan Duval Bartender
Norman Field Dock Attendant
Alex Gerry Mr. Phillips
James Griffith Charlie
Helen Hatch Mrs. Cooley
Len Hendry Boatswain
Paul McGuire Leona's Escort
Bob McLean Leona's Party
David McMahon Coast Guardsman
Beverly Mook Kid
John Morgan Reporter
Glen Turnbull Taxi Driver
Victor Sen Yung Mr. Sing
Technical Credits
Michael Curtiz Director
Edward Carrere Art Director
Alan Crosland Jr. Editor
Ray Heindorf Score Composer, Musical Direction/Supervision
Leslie G. Hewitt Sound/Sound Designer
George James Hopkins Set Decoration/Design
Ranald MacDougall Screenwriter
Ted D. McCord Cinematographer
Bill Phillips Makeup
Leah Rhodes Costumes/Costume Designer
Jerry Wald Producer
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Menu

Disc #1 -- Breaking Point
   Play
   Trailer
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