I know that Humphrey Bogart's unusual stance was part of his grueling character, but what part? I've seen comic performances that imitate this arm position, and I'm wondering what it is supposed to symbolize. A life of hard work in prison? Some street gang-oriented injury? A genetic defect in the criminal mind that makes tough guys seem more like primates? Perhaps being chain-ganged in prison for a long time? The mind boggles.
shareAllegedly Bogart's stance and movement were modelled heavily on the mannerisms of notorious racketeer John Dillinger. I'm not too sure whether this explanation applies specifically to the position of his arms, but it's probably a safe assumption to make.
shareI believe the arms, the walk and even the talk was all supposed to reminiscent of Dillinger as Bogart "studied" Dillingers' mannerisms for the play and the movie.
Dire_Straits
lover of all B&W; especially film-noir
If you have ever seen the handcuffs that are worn as a belt and each hand is secured near the front of the waist to where the arms cannot move. A con who was often in them would become acclamated to his arms being in that position.
shareThat's a very interesting argument.
there's a highway that is curling up like smoke above her shoulder
If you have ever seen the handcuffs that are worn as a belt and each hand is secured near the front of the waist to where the arms cannot move. A con who was often in them would become acclimated to his arms being in that position.
I believe that he held his arms bent at the elbow in order to show that he was always ready for a fight and he never let his guard down. His DUKES were always at the ready (pardon the pun).
Ron.
Lauren Bacall says on the Casablanca special edition that Bogie "..invented that special way of walking because Mantee wore shoulder holsters, and fatigue had almost taken over." So. There ya go.
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I always was wondering the same... I think he walks in this movie, just like "the monster" in Frankenstein.
Come and meet those dancing feet,
On the avenue I'm taking you to,
Forty-Second Street
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I first thought that too! This is so weird...
Come and meet those dancing feet,
On the avenue I'm taking you to,
Forty-Second Street
The stage directions for the play (Bogie played Mantee on Broadway) say Mantee walks with "a convict's gait." mikesh goes to the head of the class.
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I was too busy noticing how much Dan Hedaya resembled Bogie to notice that Alley Oop caveman walk he had going on. Great character though especially how he sat high above them as a judge or God-figure observing the petty dramas playing out below him.
'Cause I'm Black you think I did it?
I remember hearing a contemporary actor (Chazz Palminteri?)saying on one of those TCM mini-bios shown between films (about Bogey) that he held his arms/hands that way because the Mantee had spent so much time on a chain gang.
shareYeah, The arms bent and all was the first thing i noticed about Bogart in this film and despite his amazing performance altogether, this was the one thing that stood out most because it was so odd(his walk itself didn't bother me because old time actors((mostly smaller roles)) walked weird anyway, so i took it as part of the performance). But the arms seemed more then just superficial, like there was a reason due to his past that made him walk this way.
Maybe he took it from Dillinger, I don't know how Dillinger walked. But from watching the performance and making an assumption, the fact that his wrist seemed to always stay around an inch above his waist I assumed it was because of handcuffs or shackles from jail. The chain gang thing seems most plausible, I never thought of that.
It was because he had been manacled for long stretches behind bars of course
shareNo! You're all wrong except weasle624. Lauren Bacall says that Bogart told her that he developed this posture for The Petrified Forest, because his character had been on the run for a good while. And with the weight of his guns hanging from his shoulder straps all day would have given the character a stiff walk with hunched shoulders later in the evening when he was just bagged tired. That's the reason. In addition to weasle624's source, Bacall also gives this explanation in 'Bacall On Bogart'.
My body's a cage, it's been used and abused...and I...LIKE IT!!