It was her first movie role, and what a memorable role it was. Lauren Bacall was the perfect partner for Humphrey Bogart in To Have And Have Not (1944). At the tender age of 19 she could crack wise with Bogie, measure up to his personality and was even “a little more insolent than he was”, as Howard Hawks, the film director, said. She was dubbed “The Look”, in tribute to the way she tilted down her chin and glanced up through the side sweep of blonde hair. It was the only way she could stop her voice shaking and her head trembling because of emotions. The two fell in love on the set of the film and the incredible thing is that the off-screen love story unfolds before our eyes.
Lauren Bacall was discovered by Howard Hawks’ wife, Nancy “Slim” Hawks, who had seen her on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar and told her husband that that was a star in the making. Hawks changed the heroine’s name in the film from Marie to Slim, after his wife. The houndstooth wool suit with peplum jacket and pencil skirt was inspired by a similar one Hawk’s glamorous wife liked to wear. Lauren wore it with a matching bag and a black beret in her hands. The suit is tailored to perfection and emphasises Bacall’s lean figure, just as all the other costumes do. It’s a timeless suit that’s never gone out of fashion.
Lauren insisted to keep her hair the way she liked it. “The wave…on the right side – starting to curve at the corner of my eyebrow and ending, sloping downward, at my cheekbone.”
In a simple striped dressing gown, with shoulder pads, in her famous seduction scene. “You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow.”
In a striped day dress. Bacall’s cool look influenced women who saw the film and the publicity photos in magazines. It was reported that “even the high school girls are trying to copy her striped hair, aidling walk and guttural wheezes”. Lauren Bacall became an instant icon of American style and sensuality. As I was watching the film for this blog post, I was thinking: this is the stuff stars were made of. She holds the screen in every scene she’s in.
She’s wearing a utility dress with striped insertions – maybe a reference to the dresses that Martinique and Cuban (the film is set in Martinique) women wore. The costumes were designed by Milo Anderson.
The midriff revealing black satin gown Bacall wears when she sings in the Café de France has a Latin American feel, with a hoop that links the top to the draped skirt. Like all her other costumes in the film, it has structured shoulders (it was the ’40s after all), and it is paired with a pair of black peep toe shoes. It was a show-stopper.
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photos: film stills captured by me from the film edition available in the Bogie And Bacall: The Signature Collection / credit: Warner Brothers
My most MOST favourite movie EVER! Love, love, adore Lauren Bacall (totally an icon for me!) and I can say that I’ve been inspired by that suit/ beret/ hairstyle many a times since I’ve watched that movie in my teens (too many years ago!!). I’ve still got a copy on VHS!:) And did you know that during one take of that scene (wearing the long black gown with the midriff ring) she cut out a photo of Humphrey Bogart and put it in the ring and and she danced up to him he saw it and they cracked up laughing! She is THE Hollywood siren/heroine/diva for me….. You’ve made my day Ada!! :)xx
So glad you enjoyed it, Helen. No, I didn’t know about the ring thing. The two were made for one another. I’ve also read that she didn’t do “The Look” off screen, except for a gag. Bogie would say “give us that from-down-under-look” and she would do it just for the laugh of it.
I think you have made my day too!
This film is more than a film; it’s a beautiful love story in disguise. I have nothing to add here, you have said it all, but I think I may have to watch it again soon. It’s been way too long.
If my readers are happy, then I am happy too, Lisa. 🙂
Absolutely stunning…my late lovely Dad’s favourite actress.
when i was a young girl watching old movies i just thought lauren bacall was the most beautiful woman – still do. i love the checked suit she wears in this movie.
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