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As any canon of work relies on trope and recognition, trope and repetition, all of which should be traceable back into the originating myths of its society, here is an archetypal late 1930s tale of motor madness, criminal expression, and the determination to go straight.
The latter is one of the greatest themes of the era. There were men who were innocent caught up in crime, there were veterans returning from the moral order of war to the confused criminal urban environments, and there were the charismatic guilty, who try as they might, could not avoid crime.
Indeed it was a long journey for America from WW1 to the 1950s, unaware in this moment that the world, which had always been round, was about to become global, a process best felt in the 50s and 60s, once America itself began to die and be replaced by the letters CIA.
As well as SPOILERS this article will display action stills depicting Black Face from the 1942 film The Big Shot.
Early film noir and the charismatic gangster characters often depicted in these films can indeed be seen as a reflection of America’s complex social and political climate during the late 1930s and early 1940s.
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| memoire ad cigarettem in The Big Shot (1942) |
With a broadly epic sweep, The Big Shot (1942) traverse time and landscape, urban and rural, prison and community, crime and commerce, and features an exciting action heist scene, the most reminiscent such scene of Michael Mann's Heat (1996) as well as one of the best, if not the best, snowy car and motorbike chase scene.
There is a also some great smoking commentary, which is worth noting, because while at one extend, all of film noir is great smoking commentary, although The Bog Shot (1942) does excel here. This is said because smoking is usually the backdrop, and not the subject, and when lucky, as here, it is also a metaphor or a symbol.
Take the conclusion. Gangster Duke Berne lies dying in hospital, dying of his wounds. He has just delivered the movie to the viewer in the form of a flashback. The bars of light form the classic film noir suggestive prison across his failing body, and in his mouth is his last cigarette.
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As Duke dies, the hand holding the cigarette weakens until it drops, and the burner, Duke Berne's burner, falls from between his fingers on to the floor. He is dead, although the tab still burns, up until a medical orderly's white and antiseptic shoe confidently crushes it out. This is the end.
The bonus to this type of storytelling is well felt in the 1940s and beyond. We do not need to provide several impactful scenes, as is commonly done now, winding everything up in a realistic manner. Instead we have a quick fire few seconds of narrative development, told in what is in fact expressionistic terms.
Hollywood ruined itself by training its eye on realism. The realism is not as most people might imagine in the mis en scene, but it is in the storytelling. Perhaps however, when the story is done, the kind thing to do is to let everyone leave the theatre, and fast. It is of course, just a film. The film maker is not here to bind the viewer to some agonising moral lesson they have in mind.
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Once the story is over in film noir, symbols clear things up and up to three, or four, or five actions swiftly rolled into one, announce that the end is here and that the next entertainment may begin.
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| Still smokin' — Humphrey Bogart in The Big Shot (1942) |
The Great Depression left a profound impact on the American psyche, fostering a sense of disillusionment and cynicism. Film noir, with its dark, brooding atmosphere and morally ambiguous characters, mirrored this societal mood.
The gangster characters, often portrayed as anti-heroes trying to navigate a corrupt world, resonated with audiences who felt betrayed by the economic collapse and the perceived failures of the American Dream.
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| Humphrey Bogart in the film noir cafe — The Big Shot (1942) |
It turns out then that if an actor was eloquent of face and voice when it came to expressing cynicism and disillusionment, then they would be most suitable for film noir, the ultimate case in this point being Humphrey Bogart.
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During the interwar period, many Americans were wary of becoming entangled in another global conflict after the traumatic experiences of World War I. This isolationist sentiment is subtly echoed in film noir’s themes of distrust and self-preservation. The gangster’s struggle to “do the right thing” in a world rife with corruption can be seen as a metaphor for America’s reluctance to engage in international affairs, preferring to focus on internal issues.
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| Enough already in 1942 with Irene Manning in The Big Shot |
The moral ambiguity of film noir characters reflects the uncertainty and complexity of the times. Just as these characters grapple with ethical dilemmas, America grappled with the decision of whether to intervene in World War II. The films often portrayed a world where clear-cut distinctions between right and wrong were blurred, mirroring the nation’s internal conflict over its role on the global stage1.
Film noir drew heavily from hard-boiled detective novels of the 1930s, which were themselves a response to the harsh realities of the Great Depression. These stories often featured protagonists who were tough, cynical, and morally complex—traits that resonated with a public disillusioned by economic hardship and wary of foreign entanglements.
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Humphrey Bogart's portrayal of Joseph Duke Berne in The Big Shot (1942) is a compelling study of a man caught between his desire for reform and his inability to escape his criminal past. Directed by Lewis Seiler, the film showcases Bogart's ability to embody a character who is both dark and vicious, yet capable of evoking sympathy from the audience. This duality is central to the film's narrative and Bogart's performance.
From the outset, Duke Berne is presented as a man trying to turn over a new leaf. Recently released from prison, he is determined to stay out of trouble. However, his past quickly catches up with him when he encounters Frenchy and Faye, small-time thugs who offer him a chance to participate in a robbery.
Initially, Duke declines, his nerve seemingly gone. But the promise of protection from the famed criminal lawyer Martin Fleming convinces him to go through with the holdup. This decision sets off a chain of events that ultimately leads to Duke's downfall.
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Director Seiler does not shy away from depicting the darker aspects of Duke's character. Throughout the film, we see Duke's capacity for violence and his willingness to break the law. Yet, Seiler also asks the audience to sympathize with Duke's plight.
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A poignant moment occurs late in the film when Duke laments that another character is taking the rap for him regarding a jailbreak. However, he shows no remorse for the prison guard who died as a result of the break. This callous display of priorities should make us feel disgusted with Duke, but instead, we find ourselves empathizing with him.
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This is a testament to Seiler's direction, the script, and Bogart's nuanced performance, which together paint a likable criminal who operates in the moral gray area.
The Big Shot is a must-see for fans of Bogart and the Noir genre. Released while Bogart was filming Casablanca, it offers an interesting contrast to his role in that classic film. Watching the two films as a double feature provides a fascinating glimpse into the diversity of Bogart's film career in a single year.
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The plot of The Big Shot is intricate and filled with twists and turns. Duke Berne, once a big shot, is now down and out. After being slapped around by Frenchy and Faye in a cheap café, he is offered a chance to take part in a robbery.
Despite initial reluctance, Duke agrees, driven by the need for money. Lorna, Fleming's wife, begs him not to go through with it, but Duke takes charge of the plot. On the night of the robbery, Duke fails to show up, leading Frenchy and Faye to bungle the job. The police suspect Duke and, after a swift trial, he is convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
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| The Big Shot (1942) |
This movie is very similar to Bogie's first movie Up the River. Having seen all but three of his movies I was not expecting very much and chose to watch it only because it was one I had never seen before. I was pleasantly surprised by the acting.
But, the location shoots and especially the stunt work was extremely well done for the time. The first car crash was very different than those of most movies that are over 65 years old, showing a car crashing through other cars and then flying off of a ramp and rotating through the air before it exploded into flames.
The location shots taken in the snow covered high mountain country provide glimpses of vintage life in rural America of 1940. And the ending car chase and motorcycle stunts were very impressive for stunt men without the safety equipment that is now used. Even the dance scenes that Dancer was in were also enjoyable and revealed some of the dancing style of vaudeville. All in all the movie was entertaining and worth seeing, especially if you are a fan of Bogart and early stunt work.
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| The Big Shot (1942) |
Determined to escape, Duke teams up with an ex-hoofer, and they plot a breakout during the annual prison show. They hide their guns and tools in the sawdust back of a dummy used in a comic sequence. During the show, Duke douses the lights, and they make their move.
The dancer is killed, but Duke manages to escape after killing a guard. Anderson, who helped stage the show, is charged with the guard's murder.
Duke and Lorna run away together, hoping to start a new life in Canada. However, their plans are thwarted when the police spot them. In a desperate chase, Duke escapes, but Lorna is shot and dies in the car beside him.
Before giving himself up, Duke confronts Fleming, believing he betrayed them to the police. In a dramatic showdown, Duke is mortally wounded but manages to kill Fleming. Before he dies, Duke calls the State Prison and confesses to killing the guard, exonerating Anderson.
“This armored car is no can of corn.” – Bogie as Duke Berne
The heist goes terribly wrong and Duke is misidentified by a witness, thanks to police coercion, and sent to prison for life. Lorna is his only alibi but neither can reveal that they were together that night. Salesman George Anderson (Richard Travis), desperate for money so he can marry his girlfriend Ruth Carter (Susan Peters), is hired as a fake alibi but things go terribly wrong for everyone involved.
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We know from the onset that things won’t turn out well for Duke. The first scene of the film shows Duke in the hospital ward of a prison dying with George and Ruth by his side. The majority of film is a flashback revealing Duke’s tragic story.
Directed by Lewis Seiler, The Big Shot (1942) is part film noir, part gangster flick, part courtroom drama and part prison film. This is a rare Bogart film which is an odd thing to say considering how easy it is to access the majority of Bogart’s film work.
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I was in fact I am now going to have to say, interested in this film because of Susan Peters, who was at the height of her career in 1942.
That same year she would land a plum role in Random Harvest and she would be nominated for an Oscar for that performance. 1942 also saw Bogart in the mega classic Casablanca so needless to say it was a really good year for him too.
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The 1942 film noir crime thriller, The Big Shot, directed by Lewis Seiler, represents a now largely forgotten entry in the oeuvre of Humphrey Bogart.
In this film, Bogart assumes the role of Duke Berne, a crime boss ensnared in the judicial system due to a misidentification during an identity parade. Irene Manning co-stars as Lorna Fleming, Duke’s erstwhile romantic interest.
Seiler’s modest production, The Big Shot, though relegated to the annals of cinematic obscurity, exemplifies the professional diligence of both Bogart and Seiler. Despite its assembly-line origins, the film underscores their commitment to the craft of entertainment.
Positioned between two of Bogart’s most iconic films, The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Casablanca (1942), The Big Shot is an overlooked gem. Bogart’s portrayal of Duke Berne, a thrice-arrested hoodlum striving to evade further trouble, is complicated by his wrongful trial following an identity parade error. Manning’s portrayal of Lorna Fleming, the wife of an attorney and Duke’s former lover, adds depth to the narrative as they reconnect following Duke’s audacious prison break.
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The Big Shot is ostensibly another Warner Bros. gangster B-movie, yet it manages to captivate audiences despite lacking a clear rationale for its appeal. This film marks Bogart’s final portrayal of a gangster for Warner Bros., although he would revisit the archetype in his penultimate film, Paramount’s The Desperate Hours (1955). The gangster persona was immensely popular in the cinematic landscape of the era, yet it posed a significant risk of typecasting for stars like Bogart, George Raft, and James Cagney, who were eager to diversify their roles to avoid career stagnation.
So yeah folks o' noir here it is, yes it is, The Big Shot is a testament to the enduring allure of film noir and the gangster genre, showcasing Bogart’s versatility and Seiler’s directorial competence. Despite its flaws and the passage of time, the film remains a noteworthy artifact of its era, reflecting the complexities and challenges faced by actors and filmmakers in the golden age of Hollywood.
This film is very flawed but still enjoyable to watch. There is a lot of fantastic dialogue delivered expertly by Bogart and even though Bogart and Manning didn’t get along on set they do make an electric pair on screen.
Some of the cinematography in the film is delightful. There is one scene in which Bogart reveals himself from behind a curtain and he is lit to perfection. Some of the editing is not that great and while I don’t have a fine tuned eye for this sort of thing it was quite noticeable in this film which is a bad sign. There are several plot lines which makes this film more a series of vignettes than one continuous story.
The biggest problem with the film is the black face. Isn’t that always a problem when it appears in old movies? Not to reveal too much about the plot but one of the pivotal scenes towards the end of the film involves a fellow prisoner of Duke’s donning black face for a prison talent show. The black face itself is not really a plot element, just something this character did, but it does date the movie for contemporary audiences. It may also be one of the many reasons this film remains relatively unknown.
The Big Shot is the fifth film directed by Lewis Seiler that I have reviewed for this blog, following Crime School, King of the Underworld, You Can't Get Away with Murder, and It All Came True. This film stands out for its devotion to the Noir genre, showcasing Seiler's growth as a director.
Gone are the silly gangster antics and melodramatic trappings of his earlier works. Instead, The Big Shot offers a gritty, detailed portrayal of a man trapped by his own choices and the harsh realities of his world.
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The Big Shot is a film that deserves somewhat more recognition. Bogart's performance as Duke Berne is a masterclass in portraying a complex character who is both sympathetic and reprehensible. Seiler's direction and the film's script work together to create a compelling narrative that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish. For fans of Bogart and the Noir genre, this film is a must-watch, offering a unique glimpse into the darker side of one of Hollywood's most iconic actors.
Via film noir this became something of an important male role, the anti-hero holed up in a cabin, working at the opposite of an idyll, provided with a moment of freedom, minutes of it when he is chopping wood in the American outdoors, his wife in an apron, comparing himself momentarily to Daniel Boone, as the cops close in and the mountains provide both security, anonymity and escape, but are every bit the prison as the clink was once.
It's a film noir image peculiar to the era.
"Maybe it's the altitude?"
"No it ain't the altitude, it's the air. There's too much fresh ait up here. They oughta mix it up with four parts cigarette smoke, and one part air, then maybe a guy could breathe."
"OK! Fill your lungs full if that nice, clean cigarette smoke, then come on out in the kitchen and give me hand."
"Well I will if it don't freeze up and drop off before I get there!"
The Big Shot, completed as the United States was on the cusp of entering World War II, marks a significant point in Humphrey Bogart’s illustrious career. This film would be one of the last times Bogart portrayed a gangster for Warner Brothers, a role reminiscent of his performances in High Sierra and George Raft’s portrayal in Each Dawn I Die.
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| "Life" psycho-montage from The Big Shot (1942) |
The narrative of The Big Shot unfolds through a series of flashbacks, with Bogart’s character, Duke Berne, recounting his tale from a prison hospital bed. Berne, a three-time convict, faces the grim prospect of a life sentence if convicted once more. Much like Roy Earle in High Sierra, Berne’s attempts to reform are tragically belated.
A pivotal twist occurs when Berne encounters his former lover, played by Irene Manning, now wed to the formidable criminal attorney and mastermind, Stanley Ridges. Their rekindled relationship sets off a chain of events that spell doom for Berne.
Note the incredibly teasing tags you might have swung by in the lobbies:
HUMPHREY BOGART as the Last of the Racket Barons... the Big Shot of 'em all!
THE SAGA OF THE RISE AND FALL OF A GANG LORD AND HIS LADY!
HE WAS THE LAST OF THE RACKET BARONS...the BIG SHOT OF 'EM ALL!
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR EXCITEMENT...YOU'LL THRILL TO THE BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE OF HUMPHREY BOGART...AND AN ALL-STAR CAST!
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THE RISE AND FALL OF A GANG LORD AND HIS LADY The bullet-streaked story of a guy who got to the top and couldn't stop
It's the biggest Bogart thrill! (Print Ad-Daily News, ((Los Angeles, Calif.)) 8 June 1942)
It's the Shot Heard Around the Underworld!
THE BIG SHOT RETURNS! Up From The Gutter To Make Gangland Shudder!
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The character of Duke Berne, akin to Roy Earle and Hood Stacey in Each Dawn I Die, is shrouded in an aura of inevitable doom. Despite his efforts, Berne’s fate is sealed, mirroring the tragic destinies of his predecessors. The film’s climax features a thrilling police chase, with Bogart and Manning pursued by law enforcement, providing a gripping spectacle for the audience.
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| His dying cignoirette — The Big Shot (1942) |
Chick Chandler delivers a standout performance as Dancer, a fellow convict who aids Berne in a daring prison break. Chandler’s background in vaudeville and as a song-and-dance man adds a unique dimension to his role. Stanley Ridges, as the malevolent antagonist, further elevates the film with his menacing presence.
Set between the cinematic milestones of The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca, The Big Shot may not reach the heights of these classics, but it surpasses other contemporaneous works like All Through the Night and Across the Pacific. For aficionados of Humphrey Bogart, The Big Shot serves as an excellent introduction to his magnetic screen presence and enduring charisma, even outside his most iconic roles.
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The Big Shot (1942)
Directed by Lewis Seiler
Genres - Crime, Drama | Release Date - Jun 13, 1942 | Run Time - 82 min. | Wikipedia
