Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall are rightfully classified as one of the best actor pairings in the film noir genre, but Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake aren’t far behind them. Each pair made a total of four movies together in the 1940s. But of course, it’s the work of Bogart and Bacall that’s received the most attention, due in part to their real-life relationship.
The pair, often dubbed “Bogie and Bacall,” worked together for the first time when the latter was just 18 years old on the set of To Have and Have Not. The movie, which now has a reputation as one of the best film noir movies of all time, spawned an extremely successful Hollywood partnership. The chemistry between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall prompted Warner Bros. to make them the headlining attractions of three more films: Key Largo, Dark Passage, and The Big Sleep. While it may be disappointing that Hollywood didn’t get more out of the pair, it’s worth noting that another duo provides similar entertainment value.
Like Bogie & Bacall, Alan Ladd & Veronica Lake Made 4 Great Film Noir Movies
Alan Ladd & Veronica Lake Starred In 4 Movies Between 1942 & 1948
One of the greatest male and female actor pairings in the film noir genre was born when This Gun for Hire paired Veronica Lake with Alan Ladd. In the 1942 film noir classic, Ladd played a framed mob hitman, with Lake portraying a nightclub singer who gradually becomes sympathetic to his plight. Ladd only had fourth billing in the film, but similar to how To Have and Have Not launched Bacall to stardom and made her the co-lead in some of Humphrey Bogart’s best movies, This Gun for Hire was the beginning of something huge for the two stars.
Related
Robert Mitchum’s 10 Best Film Noir Movies
Robert Mitchum left an astounding mark on film noir, as he was one of the few stars who could play a handsome hero or a vile villain with equal power.
Their next film, The Glass Key, starred Ladd as the bodyguard and best friend of a politician smitten with Lake’s character, a person determined to destroy him. At the center of it is a murder mystery that divides the two lead characters. Their third collaboration, The Blue Dahlia, similarly spotlights a murder mystery, this time with Ladd as a soldier trying to figure out who killed his cheating wife and Lake as the ex-girlfriend of one of the suspects. Finally, the pair made Saigon. Admittedly their least impactful movie, Saigon saw the pair play two of three characters caught in a love triangle and quarreling over a suitcase of found cash.
Why Ladd & Lake’s Movies Are Perfect For Bogart & Bacall Fans
Alan Ladd & Veronica Lake Are Film Noir Legends
The films they made together, specifically the first three, share a lot of the same qualities that made Bogart and Bacall’s movies work so well. This begins with their performances and onscreen images, as both Bacall and Lake perfectly embody the mysterious and beautiful “femme fatale” role so closely associated with the film noir genre. This extends to how they play off their male co-stars, with Bogart and Ladd both exhibiting a sort of no-nonsense, stoic charm that help generate some great chemistry.
In classic film noir fashion, Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake’s movies center on dark (but likable) protagonists and surround them with a supporting cast of compelling characters, many of which with their own secrets to hide. Mysteries – and sometimes suspense – hold the plots together, often making them just as fun to watch as the films of Bogart and Bacall.
