Key Largo is a gripping and suspenseful thriller, centered around a small gang headed by the notorious gangster Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson) and their captives at a small hotel in the Florida Keys. When the gang becomes trapped at the hotel during a hurricane, they hold the owners and their visitor, Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart) hostage. When McCloud realizes the intense evil of these men and their abuse of human dignity, he is torn between his cynical view that nothing is worth dying for, and an idealistic desire to oppose violence and injustice. The desire to be respected by the woman he loves (Lauren Bacall), and ultimately, his horror at the deeds of Rocco and his gang cause him to abandon his cynical philosophy and use the circumstances into which he is unexpectedly thrown to combat evil and bring about a greater good. An important theme that is woven in and out of the tale is the nature of perverted love, which is exemplified by the cruel and abusive way that Rocco uses his former girlfriend (Claire Trevor). While Rocco humiliates her and demeans her dignity, McCloud’s compassion restores her self-confidence, giving her the courage to combat evil.

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