Knock on Any Door (1949)

Humphrey Bogart has created an impressive resume in movies. Thus when trying to choose which film personifies his best, it's difficult to say. Some would offer it's the 'Petrified Forest', others would argue and suggest 'The African Queen', or 'The Maltese Falcon'. They are all Classics, still this movie " Knock on any Door " is the one I would select. The story is taken from the novel by Willard Motley and able directed by Nicholas Ray. Seen in Black and White it relates the story of Nick Romano, superbly played by handsome John Derek (the stone-cutter from The Ten Commandments). Growing up wild and undisciplined in the wet streets of a big city, he is arrested for a Capital crime and stands a good chance of imprisonment or death. However, the only obstacle to that bleak future is able defense attorney Andrew Morton, attorney at law. The courtroom drama is inter-fused with the life of the young Romano and Bogart is at his best with a incredible narrative which encompasses the film. The drama is excellent as is the acting, leaving little doubt the end result is one of Bogart's best. Easilly offered or recommended to any fan of Bogart or Derek as a Classic picture. ****

A disappointing effort at the (apparently) age-old trope that crime and criminals are caused by society rather than the failings of men. These were done before this, and (many) were done after. In spite of the billing, John Derek is really the star of this picture, and he can't quite pull it off. Humphrey Bogart, as always, is excellent when he is on-screen, but this is not enough to carry the picture. Allene Roberts was beautiful, and played her role well, but it was doggedly one-dimensional. Back to the liberal theme here, the idea that bad neighborhoods, bad luck, bad times, and bad associates cause the loss of good young young people into eternal thug-hood is belied by all those (including Bogart's character) who rise above these things, and become decent and moral citizens. I found the whole effort ham-handed and preachy.

Humphrey Bogart stars in this rather uneven courtroom, flashback-dominated drama as a good-hearted defense attorney standing up for a young man (John Derek) accused of shooting a police officer dead while making an escape attempt. As Bogart fights against a persistent prosecuting attorney placed by George Macready, he tells the jury the story of his client's past. How this man accused of murder and facing the death penalty became the man he is, the sort of things he'd gone through, and all the while, trying to prove his innocence. Basically, Bogart spends most of the time trying to create sympathy for his client. Sympathy that the jury and the audience frankly cannot come to terms with."Knock on Any Door" is basically a standard courtroom drama picture with an iconic leading man narrating the whole story. It's fairly short, but sort of drawn out at the same time because this whole story of a demented young individual poisoned by the ravages of civilization has been told many times before and in better situations. Filmmakers like Otto Preminger and Sidney Lumet would later go on to prove that when it comes to courtroom dramas, it's better to relate to the killings through word of mouth rather than showing it either as a prologue or a flashback, for it just seems to get in the way and there is far more drama that can be generated by the actors relating to this event none of them have seen."Knock on Any Door" is a spotty and very uneven courtroom drama with very little to surprise and even less to move the audience. Even the famous and well-acted final sentencing speech done by Bogart does not strike with the impact that one should expect it to. But do not be confused. I am not bashing "Knock on Any Door". I am just simply saying that it's an underplayed, but nevertheless worthy way of spending exactly one hundred minutes of your time. Humphrey Bogart is great as usual, but the problem is that his character is a frankly uninteresting and two-dimensional defense lawyer. Bogart gives the character some charisma, but the writing just generates a recyclable hero. But do not be misled. I am not panning "Knock on Any Door." It works fine for what it is. But if you want to see Humphrey Bogart in a truly charismatic, well-written role, then rent "Casablanca." And if you want a truly well-realized courtroom drama, then set your sights on "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959) and/or "12 Angry Men" (1957).

Knock on Any Door (1949) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Humphrey Bogart gets top billing here but in reality the film is a showcase for John Derek who plays a thug who suffered from a rough upbringing. He eventually gets charged with the murder of a cop but he claims to be innocent and his lawyer (Bogart) believes him. Director Nicholas Ray does a good job with his duties but he's letdown by a pretty standard screenplay, which puts the main focus of the film on Derek's life story, which doesn't contain anything we haven't already seen in countless other movies. The film picks up towards the end when the trial start because Bogart takes center stage and delivers a very good performance. Derek is decent in his role but never strong enough to carry the film, which is what the screenplays asks of him. The only part of the flashback scenes that really work are the ones with Derek and his wife played by Allene Roberts. Roberts nearly steals the film and certainly out acts Derek in every scene. There's some nice dialogue including a great final speech by Bogart but there's just not enough originality here to make it work all the way through.