The Petrified Forest
Seen it?1936 | 82 min | Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans, anyone who likes to be kept guessing and romantics. If you loved The Outfit or The Usual Suspects, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 22 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1936: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Gabby, the waitress in an isolated Arizona diner, dreams of a bigger and better life. One day penniless intellectual Alan drifts into the joint and the two strike up a rapport. Soon enough, notorious killer Duke Mantee takes the diner's inhabitants hostage. Surrounded by miles of desert, the patrons and staff are forced to sit tight with Mantee and his gang overnight.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.1 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 38K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Archie Mayo
- Leslie HowardAlan Squier
- Bette DavisGabrielle "Gabby" Maple
- Humphrey BogartDuke Mantee
- Genevieve TobinMrs. Edith Chisholm
- Dick ForanBoze Hertzlinger
- Porter HallJason Maple
- Charley GrapewinGramp Maple
- Paul HarveyMr. Chisholm
- Joe SawyerJackie
- Eddie AcuffLineman