The Petrified Forest (1936) in Color — Starring Leslie Howard & Bette Davis

The Petrified Forest (1936) — Buy This Classic in Color

Experience the powerful, poetic drama The Petrified Forest (1936) colorized in stunning HD quality. Directed by Archie Mayo, this landmark Warner Bros. production stars Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, and Humphrey Bogart — in the role that made him a star — in a gripping, intellectually rich story set at a remote Arizona gas station and lunchroom where a disillusioned intellectual, a young woman dreaming of a larger life, and a ruthless gangster are thrown together by fate, creating a volatile collision of idealism, violence, and romance at the edge of civilisation. Now available as an instant, DRM-free digital download for only €15.00.

Plot Summary

Alan Squier (Leslie Howard) is a gentle, cultured, deeply disillusioned English writer wandering aimlessly across the American Southwest, convinced that civilisation is dying and that he himself is a useless relic of a world that no longer needs intellectuals. Hitchhiking through Arizona, he stops at the Black Mesa Barbecue, a forlorn gas station and lunchroom at the edge of the Petrified Forest.

There he meets Gabrielle Maple (Bette Davis), the owner’s granddaughter — a beautiful, intelligent young woman who paints, reads poetry, and dreams passionately of escaping to France to study art. Alan is captivated by Gabrielle’s vitality and hope, recognising in her everything he has lost. A fragile, tender romance blooms between the exhausted intellectual and the aspiring artist, both knowing he will move on and she will remain trapped.

Then Duke Mantee (Humphrey Bogart) arrives — a notorious gangster fleeing across the desert with his gang after a killing. Mantee takes everyone in the lunchroom hostage, transforming the isolated desert outpost into a tense, claustrophobic stage for a confrontation between three very different American types: the intellectual who believes in nothing, the artist who believes in beauty, and the outlaw who believes in nothing except his gun. As the siege continues through the night, Alan makes a devastating, sacrificial decision — he secretly changes his life insurance to name Gabrielle as beneficiary and then provokes Mantee into killing him, giving Gabrielle the money to escape to France through his death.

Cast & Crew

Director: Archie Mayo
Stars: Leslie Howard is exquisitely melancholy as the death-haunted intellectual Alan Squier. Bette Davis brings radiant, youthful passion to Gabrielle, projecting the hunger for life that makes Alan’s sacrifice meaningful. Humphrey Bogart — who had originated the role on Broadway — is electrifying as Duke Mantee, creating a villain of brooding, coiled menace whose dangerous stillness dominates every scene. Howard had insisted that Warner Bros. cast Bogart in the film role, and this insistence launched one of the greatest careers in cinema history.

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

This professionally colorized edition enhances the film’s atmospheric desert settings with era-accurate hues. The stark Arizona desert, warm lunchroom interiors, dusty gas station, and the haunting quality of the petrified forest landscape gain compelling visual depth through careful colour restoration. Now also available in colour.

Buy now for an instant, secure digital download with no DRM restrictions. Compatible with all devices that play MP4 files.

Historical Significance

Released in 1936, The Petrified Forest is the film that launched Humphrey Bogart’s career. Leslie Howard’s insistence on casting Bogart — reportedly threatening to withdraw unless Warner Bros. honoured the Broadway casting — gave Bogart his breakthrough and changed cinema history forever. Bogart was so grateful that he named his daughter Leslie in Howard’s honour. The film’s literate, philosophically ambitious script by Robert E. Sherwood addresses the crisis of Western civilisation with depth unusual for Hollywood cinema. Through colorization, this essential classic is preserved for modern audiences.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Yes — professionally restored frame-by-frame
• Audio: Original English mono soundtrack
• Runtime: 83 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — play anywhere, keep forever
• Instant download: Yes — available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Is this really the film that made Bogart a star?
A: Yes — Humphrey Bogart’s performance as Duke Mantee, secured by Leslie Howard’s insistence, launched his career at Warner Bros. and set him on the path to becoming Hollywood’s greatest star.

Q: Did Bogart really name his daughter after Leslie Howard?
A: Yes — Bogart was so grateful for Howard’s insistence on casting him that he and Lauren Bacall named their daughter Leslie in Howard’s honour.

Q: Is this a gangster film or a drama?
A: Both — it uses the hostage situation as a framework for a profound, literate exploration of idealism, despair, art, violence, and the meaning of sacrifice in a world that seems to have lost its purpose.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as a high-quality MP4 file compatible with all modern devices and media players.

Q: Is there DRM protection?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free — you own it outright and can play it on any device forever.

Q: How do I receive the film after purchase?
A: You receive an instant download link immediately after payment. A backup copy of the link is also sent to your email address.

Related Colorized Classics

• The Maltese Falcon (1941)
• Casablanca (1942) Full Movie in Color —
• Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
• Key Largo (1948)
• High Sierra (1941)