Movie Description:
A rundown diner bakes in the Arizonaheat. Inside, fugitive killer Duke Mantee sweats out a manhunt, holding disillusioned writer Alan Squier, youngGabby Maple and a handful of others hostage. The Petrified Forest, Robert E. Sherwood`s 1935 Broadway success aboutsurvival of the fittest, hit the screen a year later with Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogartmagnificently recreatingtheir stage roles and Bette Davis ablyreteaming with her Of Human Bondage co-star Howard. Sherwood first wanted Bogart for a smaller role. "I Thought Sherwood was right," Bogart said. "Icouldn`t picture myself playinga gang- ster. So What happened?I made a hit as the ganster." So right was he that How- ard refused to make the film withouthim... and helped launch Bogie`s brilliant movie career.