The Essential Lauren Bacall: Eight Classic Films

Here’s what Lauren Bacall had: smoke.

The sad passing of Lauren Bacall has caused this author – as well as many other journalists, fans, and people in general – to look back over her body of work, and to peruse famous photographs of her undeniably foxy visage. In this glut of memorial consideration, I think we can all come to the same conclusion: Lauren Bacall had smoke. Not just in her sultry eyes, her playful beauty, or her dazzling smile that was somehow both warmly girlish and aggressively man-devouring. But also in her talent. When Lauren Bacall was on screen – in any film, from any decade of her massively long career – you could not take your eyes off of her. We critics and commentators talk a lot about how certain modern day movie stars have a good screen presence, or possess that wondrous “it” quality that sets them apart from mere actors. Lauren Bacall had “it” in spades.

Related: R.I.P. Lauren Bacall (1924-2014)

In many ways, Bacall represents the Golden Age of Hollywood better than anyone else. She and Humphrey Bogart were essentially the central couple of the Old Hollywood firmament. Bacall was, then, perhaps one of the final old-world, all-capital-letters MOVIE STARS we had. Her passing was a pang for all cinema fans everywhere.

Bacall’s career was varied and extensive, showing off her dazzling talents each time. Here are eight notable Lauren Bacall performances that can sum up her career the best.


  Witney Seibold is a contributor to the CraveOnline Film Channel, and co-host of The B-Movies Podcast. You can read his weekly Trolling articles here on Crave, and follow him on “Twitter” at @WitneySeibold, where he is slowly losing his mind.

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