My house has a through-lounge, on one chimney breast is the poster for The Shawshank Redemption (1994), on the other is the poster of the lovely Rita Hayworth in Gilda (1946).
In my previous home the living room was covered with A4 black and White pictures of movie stars from the 1920s to 1960s. Many male stars of that time were very handsome but the actor whose picture took center place was Humphrey Bogart. He is sitting side angle in a suit with a cigarette burning away creating a upward smoke trail. Not handsome or even good looking. 'How can an ugly man be so handsome?' asked Marta Toren in Sirocco (1951), Bogart was one cool dude.
'Here's looking at you kid' is quoted by most but my favourite Casablanca (1942) one liner is; 'Are my eyes really brown?'. Rick (Bogart) looks in the note book of the German Nazi sitting next to him, in it are Ricks personal details. In real life Bogart's eyes were brown, but who can tell from a black and white film?.
I have an old copy of A.B.C Film Review magazine which has an interview with Bogart by R.Quilter Vincent. The journalist informs Bogart 'You have a way of making some quite commonplace remarks seem very funny' to which Bogart replied 'Well, I don't play for laughs unless I have funny lines'.
The connection between Shawshank Redemption and Gilda?, the inmates are watching Gilda when Red says he loves when she bends forward and stands up flicking back her hair. Had Shawshank Redemption been written and made around its set year of 1947 Tim Robbins part of Andy Dufresne could have been played by Montgomery Cliff and a then 48 year old Bogart would have been perfect for old timer Red.
