I DIED A THOUSAND TIMES (1955)

This is one of the best remakes I've ever seen.  The original HIGH SIERRA is a great film, but I think this retelling of the same story might even be better!  Jack Palance plays the Bogart role as a tough gangster with a noble soul who's sprung from prison by his old friend and mob boss (Lon Chaney Jr.). Chaney wants him to pull a heist on a private resort's safety deposit boxes.  Along the way, Palance falls in love with a crippled woman who's using him for his money.  Added to his problems is the crew of amateurs hired to help him.  One of them even brought a dame!  And to make matters even worse the dame falls for him. 

Being made 14 years later, the subject matter is a little more mature and fleshed out than the original and it helps a lot.  Jack Palance and Shelley Winters' performances were so good that I'm surprised that they weren't both nominated for an Academy Awards, but then again 1955 was a really good year for the movies....MISTER ROBERTS didn't even win!  (MARTY won.)

Beautiful colour photography, faithful retelling of the story, interesting camera angles/movements, cute dog, very strong supporting cast and quick glimpse of a young Dennis Hopper!  Excellent movie that deserves a much wider audience.  Check it out.

Original - High Sierra (1941)
Remake 1 -Colorado Territory (1955)

HIGH SIERRA (1941)

Aging gangster, "Mad Dog" Roy Earle (Humphrey Bogart), is sprung from prison by a governor's pardon that was paid for by kingpin, Donald MacBride.  MacBride wants him to knock over an exclusive resort motel.  He can't do it alone, so MacBride hires him some help.  Unfortunately, they're just a bunch of punk kids green behind the ears.  On the way to the meeting place, Bogart nearly has a wreck with a dirt poor family that happens to have a very attractive (and manipulating) daughter.  Bogart falls for her.  At the same time, a girl that came with one of his crew members (Ida Lupino) falls for him.  You can probably see where this is going.

George Raft and Paul Muni both passed on the role of "Mad Dog" Roy Earle, but lucky for us the lesser known Bogart picked it up and he's great.  His co-star from the previous year's THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT, Ida Lupino might have gotten the top-billing, but he's clearly the star here as the worn down gangster with a noble heart.  That's not to say that Lupino isn't great also, cause I think she's always awesome.  Anyway, great movie, somewhat dated, excellent supporting cast, quick pace and Bogart's real life dog, Zero, is cute as a button!

Remake 1 - Colorado Territory (1949)
Remake 2 - I Died a Thousand Times (1955)