Although she began a career as a model for the Walter Thornton Model Agency,Lauren Bacallrapidly made a name for herself in the film industry, becoming a huge movie star after a year of acting classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Soon enough, she starred oppositeHumphreyBogart, 25 years her senior, in her breakout performance in the well-known film noirTo Have and Have Not. The two ended up marrying and remain one of the most iconic Hollywood couples of all time.
Many Lauren Bacall films deserve a nod if only for the actor’s impeccable efforts, alluring on-screen presence, and undeniable talents. However, at the end of the day, some inevitably stand out more than others and endure unforgettable watches today for a number of reasons, whether these are the femme fatale characters that she portrayed or the films' unique narratives.To celebrate the star’s remarkable body of work, we look back at the best Lauren Bacall movies.
10’How to Marry a Millionaire' (1953)
Director: Jean Negulesco
How to Marry a Millionaireis an iconic film for several reasons — one of them being, of course, how it brought together three massive movie stars with memorable results. TheJean Negulescomovie focuses on three gorgeous and fashionable Manhattan models, (Bacall,Marilyn Monroe, andBetty Grable) who set out to find eligible millionaires to marry but end up finding true love in the process.
The first color and CinemaScope film ever shown on prime-time network television endures, to this day, a celebrated feature, and it’s not difficult to understand why.Examining “degrees of feminity”,How to Marry a Millionairefeatures top-notch physical comedy and beautiful costumes that add to its appeal. It almost goes without saying that the three central actors are also a major stand-out,with Bacall absolutely nailing her elegant and sophisticated role, as expected.
How to Marry a Millionaire
Rent on Apple TV
9’Harper' (1966)
Director: Jack Smight
ThisPaul Newman-led moviefeatures one of the star’s most unforgettable performances; he successfully channels his innerHumphrey Bogartand offers audiences great acting efforts. Plot-wise, theJack Smightmystery thriller film centers around a private investigator named Lew Harper who is hired by a wealthy California matron (Bacall) to locate her kidnapped husband, Ralph Sampson, who has been now missing for twenty-four hours.
Featuring Lauren Bacall as his widow in a wonderful performance, the amusing detective genre spoofHarperclearly pays homage to Bogart’s films. This includes his portrayals of Sam Spade inThe Maltese Falconand Philip Marlowe inThe Big Sleep. Therefore, Harper is sure to be a great pick for fans of the actress, as well as those interested in the iconic relationship between the two acting legends.
Watch on Tubi
8’Murder on the Orient Express' (1974)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Another major film in Bacall’s filmography isSidney Lumet’sMurder on the Orient Express, an absorbing mystery based on the 1934 novel of the same name byAgathaChristie. Featuring an ensemble cast, the film illustrates the new quest of iconic Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot (AlbertFinney), who is asked to investigate the murder of an American business tycoon aboard the Orient Express train.
A movie that counts on the likes of Lauren Bacall,SeanConnery,AnthonyPerkins,andIngridBergmancould only be great. Still, Murderon the Orient Expresssurpasses expectations — not only is it superbly acted, but it also genuinely features a genuinely gripping and investing narrative.Bacall is nothing short of amazing as the flirty Linda Arden, also known as Mrs. Harriet Hubbard.
Murder on the Orient Express
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7’The Shootist' (1976)
Director: Don Siegel
Set in late 1901,Don Siegel’s Academy Award-nominatedThe Shootist(Best Art Direction) sees a dying gunfighter (none other thanthe Western legendJohn Wayne) spend his last days looking for a way to die with a minimum of pain and a maximum of dignity. It is based onGlendonSwarthout’s 1975 novel of the same name.
In addition to the film’s acclaimed technicalities,Bacall, who hadpreviously worked with John Wayne on the filmBlood Alley,got a BAFTA nod for her incredible, moving performance as the widowBond Rogers, from whom the struggling main character rents a room. Those who are into the Western genre are certain to enjoyThe Shootistfor the memorable characters, intriguing premise, and themes of courage and honor that it tackles.
The Shootist
6’The Mirror Has Two Faces' (1996)
Director: Barbra Streisand
Loosely based on the 1958 French filmLe Miroir à deux faceswritten byAndréCayatteandGérardOury,The Mirror Has Two FacesstarsBarbraStreisandandJeffBridgesin the lead roles. It is a romantic comedy (directed by Streisand herself) that focuses on the romantic, though non-physical relationship between a shy, middle-aged professor and an unlucky-in-love colleague.
Understandably,Streisand cast none other than the talented Bacall to play her mother in the filmin what feels like a well-thought-out homage (and an Oscar-nominated one, at that). As always, the iconic star manages to do so flawlessly, elevating the film to higher levels with her heartfelt, at times even comical performance despite not being the central character. Furthermore, the story itself is lightweight but charming and engaging, so it is safe to say thatThe Mirror Has Two Facesis a fun time in front of the screen.
The Mirror Has Two Faces
Rent on Amazon
5’Written on the Wind' (1956)
Director: Douglas Sirk
Thismust-see Southern Gothicmelodrama follows the dysfunctional family members of a Texas oil dynasty, with a focus on alcoholic womanizer Kyle Hadley (Robert Stack) who marries the woman (Bacall) secretly loved by his poor but hard-working best friend (Rock Hudson), who in turn is pursued by Kyle’s sister (Dorothy Malone).
This adaptation of Robert Wilder’s 1946 novel of the same title is certainly one of the pictures that stand out the most in Bacall’s filmography. Understandably, it’s also one of her most popular — after all, it broke opening-day box office records for Universal. The star steps into the shoes of an aloof secretary convincingly and plays a crucial part in cementingWritten on the Windone of the most well-known romances of its time, whether that be for the acting, cinematography, or special effects.
Written on the Wind
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4’Dark Passage' (1947)
Director: Delmer Daves
The third of four movies Bacall and Bogart made together isDelmer Daves’Dark Passage, a 1947 film noir that focuses on a man named Vincent Parry who escapes from prison and works with a woman to try to prove his innocence, hiding from the law and attempting to clear his name of murder after being convicted for murdering his wife.
A must-watch for fans of the two leads, the well-writtenDark Passageis easily among the finest Lauren Bacall films for her top-notch efforts and the captivating, atmospheric story it provides viewers. Notable for the use of a first-person point-of-view camera, Daves' film is also a fantastic effort from a directorial standpoint. In fact, some even go as far as to say that it is one ofthe bestHitchcockfilms that Hitchcock never directed.
Dark Passage
3’Key Largo' (1948)
Director: John Huston
Key Largomay be the film pairing of actors Bogart and Bacall, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.John Huston’s movie manages to captivate audiences through its amazing acting and engaging crime drama narrative involving a man who visits his war buddy’s family hotel and finds a gangster running things. As a hurricane approaches, the two end up confronting each other.
Like other films on this list,Huston’s movie is mandatory viewing when it comes to the best Lauren Bacall pictures — some even argue that it is Bacall’s best role. Adapted byRichardBrooksand Huston fromMaxwell Anderson’s 1939 play of the same name, the classic film noir features sharp dialogue and offers audiences a thrilling script to keep them on the edge of their seats.
2’To Have and Have Not' (1944)
Director: Howard Hawks
Widely known for the electric chemistry between Bacall and Bogart,To Have and Have Notis the stars' first movie together. Loosely based onHemingway’s novel of the same name (one of the greatest adaptations of the iconic writer’s work), the 1944 picture sees an American expatriate help transport a French Resistance leader and his wife to Martinique. In the meantime, he finds himself enamored by a sensuous lounge singer.
Howards Hawks' romantic adventure remains as popular as ever these days, and for good reasons — one of them being howBacall stole the spotlight by co-starring with one of the biggest stars of the time in her debut movie at only 19 years old. In addition toBacall excelling in the Hemingway adaptation that made her a star,To Have and Have Notis also incredibly directed and sharply written.
To Have and Have Not
1’The Big Sleep' (1946)
Although they’re all recommendable and absolute classics, out ofall the Bacall-Bogart collaborations,The Big Sleepis arguably the one that ranks higher quality-wise. Also directed by Hawks, it centers around a private detective Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a wealthy family and finds himself trapped in a web of love triangles, blackmail, murder, and crime. In the meantime, Vivian — one of the governor’s daughters — lends him a helping hand.
The Big Sleep’s moody and entertaining plot, added to Bacall and Bogie’s incredible chemistry, could only be a hit— that’s why it was a huge success commercially and critically. Despite some inconsistencies, this beautifully shot and well-paced, seductive film noir is a must-watch for anyone looking to get into Bacall’s body of work, loves other films by the filmmaker, or simply enjoys the genre.
