bette davis and leslie howard give classic 30 performance while humphrey bogart give one for all age around the interior of a roadside dirty spoon and fill station in the american south west . meanwhile director archie mayo stay out of the way in film what be basically a two set stage play . base on the sherwood anderson depression era play about a hostage situation and the cross section of people it bring together it a touch date but nearly the entire cast be flawless with bogart duke mantee hold center stage . he one of the dark villain in film history but by risk everything to meet up his moll become every bit the romantic the well verse wander dreamer allan squier be . leslie howard be charmingly and fatalistic and bette davis have never be more cute and innocent and this could be 100 plus film actor charlie grapewin fine performance . intersperse between the hostage situation and the romance of the star struck lover be a socially conscious message that mock a rise fascism with a buffoonish para military local group and raise question regard other ill plague the country at the time . one minor but intrigue scene between the black gang member and the very staid black chaueffeur of the wealthy hostage raise an interesting message about equality . one could argue that if they would move this play off the stage and give it to milestone and his track obsession it might have make a finer film . it would be impossible to get good performance however .