SIROCCO

US, 1951, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Humphrey Bogart, Marta Toren. Lee J. Cobb, Everett Sloane, Gerald Mohr.
Directed by Curtis Bernhardt.

Sirocco is a minor thriller produced by Humphrey Bogart's company, It had made Tokyo Joe, Knock On Any Door, In A Lonely Place. This is not a distinguished Bogart film. It is of interest especially for the amoral character that he plays and his quick dispatch with a hand grenade. There is strong support from Lee J. Cobb who has more chance to draw his character as the ambiguous French Colonel. Everett Sloane is good as the General. Marta Toren is the heroine. While minor Bogart, his next film was The African Queen for which he won his Oscar.

1. A Humphrey Bogart vehicle?

2. Entertaining thriller, political thriller? Humphrey Bogart's image in his time, later reputation? The type of character Bogart plays, presence, charisma?

3. Black and white photography, the re?creation of Syria in 1925? Atmosphere and authenticity? The musical score?

4. The significance and focus of the title? The presentation of Damascus in 1925? The presence of the French and the Syrian reaction? Audience response to the French presence - for the benefit of peace in the area, colonialism? The Syrians and their need for independence? The presentation of the point of view of each at the beginning? The raid and assassination of so many French troops?

5. The theme of reprisals and warfare at the opening of the film? The French General and his anger, military attitude, despising of the Syrians and their barbaric attitudes? His wanting to conquer by might? The Syrians and their defiance? The French General's discussion with the Colonel and the alternate point of view, its prevailing? This political and social background for the thriller aspects of the film?

6. Humphrey Bogart's style as Harry Smith? Seeing him waiting for the Colonel, his collaboration with the other businessman and the impositions of the Colonel? The various personalities around Damascus? Harry Smith and his Syrian aide and their deals, the amorality of the gun running? His wheeler-dealing? His presence at the Syrian headquarters, his acceptability, his greed for money, his being forbidden their presence?

7. The introduction of the girl, her presence with the Colonel, love, fight? The explosion and her reaction? Her falling out with the Colonel and being bored by him, their antagonism? Her being helped by Harry, her dependence on him? Her seeking him out and his arranging for her to go to Cairo?

8. The personality of the Colonel - as a good soldier, compassionate? His infatuation with the girl, his brutality towards her and her alienation? The various sides of his personality?

9. The various businessmen around the city? Their preoccupations, the businessman played by Zero Mostel and the comic and ironic touch? Harry and his going to Cairo, his needing to escape, his appeal to the Syrians and their forbidding his presence at the headquarters? The bus sequence, the girl and her presence with him on the bus, the chase and his capture?

10. The interrogation and his agreement to help the Colonel for an appointment with the Syrians? The background of the soldier who had been sent for discussions and had his throat cut? The Colonel's obsession with a ceasefire and talks? His presence with the Syrians, their ridiculing him? Their letting him go for the money? The irony of the cease?fire and his going free? The personalities of the various French soldiers ? the General and his concern about the Colonel, the aide and the discussion about military school and their being in Syria? The Syrians letting him go?

11. Harry and his final wheeler-dealing, the money? The sudden irony of their throwing a hand grenade after him after asking for hand grenades from him?

12. The picture of political trouble, the clash of eastern and western mentality, war, violence? Small-scale personality battles in the background of war? The wheeler-dealers? The ever-presence of death?