here be one of the reason i love old movie so much intriguing writing and great acting and and interesting character hold our attention throughout the movie without need to resort to desperate all out action and explosion and and computer effect . leslie howard be a gentle intellectual roam the arizona desert who happen upon a quaint little cafe or gas station in the middle of nowhere and amidst sand and cactus . he immediately stir the emotion of big eyed waitress and gabby ( play by an adorably youthful bette davis ) and who hold a dream of go to france and find herself in the world . but despite their quick and mutual adoration for one another there be impend tension hover around their introduction and a news continually escalate about a killer name duke mantee ( humphrey bogart ) who on the run and not far from the diner . eventually and the infamous gangster show up with some thug and take over the cafe and hold an array of wonderfully colorful character hostage . this be originally a play with leslie howard and humphrey bogart and and lead man howard reportedly refuse to do the picture without bogie be in it . a a result and this be noteworthy also a bogart big breakout movie and and it would only be a few more year before he would hit super stardom all on his own . humphrey seem to put a lot into his gangster character and invest duke with the necessary evil demeanor and yet also with a hint of heart and soul . leslie howard and bette davis make a wonderful pair and and both give fine performance while which make the potentially talky twenty minute scene where they first get acquaint actually completely captivate . charley grapewin be delightful and funny a davis chatter grandpa . dick foran and play a strapping and comical football star who pump gas while always try to woo gabby and be very good in this film and it probably the best work i have see him do in movie and before he wind up a a b player for universal . his character here be in complete contrast from the hero and sing cowboy i have be use to see him play . at first watch i wasn not completely satisfy with the end ( which i will not reveal ) but after think about it i come to the decision that it really fit the story well after all and and be actually very poetic .