i be not a big fan of leslie howard but the petrified forest be his best film and in my book . he be great in the 49th parallel and of human bondage and and he great here too . in this film and he be a lazy writer go awry and try to live out his dream in bette davis character ( who be a painter ) . in a way and he totally opposite of humphrey bogart duke mantee character and and the dichotomy really be the justification of classic give to this film . bogart and davis performance be just average in this film although at the time of the release and this be bogart best film . i think the old man charley grapewin and genevieve tobin ( a mrs. chisholm ) do a great job with their small part . tobin be also a very attractive lady . i enjoy the banter between the two driver a well and both african american cast in a white movie at wb in 36. it a shame they weren not give large role . talky and melodramatic and certainly unbelievable ( the middle of nowhere desert gas station be almost always full of people and for starter ) and this stagy and yet classic film be not for everyone . your kid will hate this film . but to me this be good stuff . this be prototypical 1930 cinema .