Lauren Bacall Passes Away at the Age of 89

According to ABC News, Lauren Bacall died recently at the age of 89 from a stroke. It was announced on Twitter by the Estate of her late husband, Humphrey Bogart.

The sad news has prompted us here at Stealth Media Films to remember the life of Lauren Bacall; one of the most iconic stars of Hollywood’s golden era. A New-York native, who was noted for her sultry looks, electric talent and her fiery on-screen chemistry with eventual husband Humphrey Bogart, Lauran Bacall was one of the greatest actresses who’s ever lived.

Stealth Media Films’ Top Five Lauren Bacall Roles

What better way to celebrate the life and times of Lauren Bacall than to look at the roles that defined her prolific career. So what are Lauren Bacall’s best five movie roles of all time?

1)      Marie ‘Slim’ Browning, To Have and Have Not: Bacall’s first ever role, the character of Marie ‘Slim’ Browning in romance-war-adventure flick To Have and Have Not has to be the best of her career. Bacall’s turn as American wanderer Slim saw her star opposite prolific on-screen love interest and eventual husband Humphrey Bogart as fishing boat captain Harry Morgan. Their chemistry was simply out-of-this-world, and the role established Bacall a one of the most daring femme fatales to ever feature on the silver screen.

2)      Hannah Morgan, The Mirror Has Two Faces: Believe it or not, Bacall didn’t receive a single OSCAR nomination until she took on her heralded (and last major) role of Hannah Morgan in lonely hearts drama The Mirror Has Two Faces. As Hannah Morgan, the selfish mother of lead character Rose Morgan, played by the ever-talented Barbara Streisand, Bacall showed that sometimes, even the A-List saves the best for last.

3)      Vivian Sternwood Rutledge, The Big Sleep: A flick added to the National Film Registry by the US Library of Congress in 1997 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant," The Big Sleep is one of the most classic film noir productions ever made. As Vivian Sternwood Rutledge, the ultimate mysterious femme fatale, Bacall established the infinite unflappability that would come to characterise everything she would later come to do.

4)      Nora Temple, Key Largo: The fourth and final collaboration Bacall would take on with real-life husband Humphrey Bogart, Bacall shines as Nora Temple in hostage flick Key Largo. This comes despite the fact that she’s upstaged by Claire Trevor, who clinched an OSCAR for her turn as Edward G Robinson’s boozy moll Gaye Dawn.

5)      Bond Rogers, The Shootist: A Western featuring John Wayne (the King of Westerns) in his last ever film role, The Shootist was an unusual project for Bacall and one of the few she took on in the 1970’s. Yet she rose to the occasion as Bond Rogers, Wayne’s widowed landlady who touched the hearts and minds of viewers around the world, showing the incredible versatility she displayed as an actress. 

A Tribute to Menahem Golan

This week Stealth Media Films pay tribute to acclaimed film maker Menahem Golan, who died last Friday in Tel-Aviv.

It’s the People behind the Camera who Make the Movie

There are people in this world who define what we see on the silver screen. Often we think of A-list actors as those behind bringing a movie to life. The Brad Pitts, Angelina Jolies, George Clooneys and Jennifer Anistons of this world.

But in actual fact, they are only a small part of it. The people really responsible for bringing the script to life are behind the camera; the directors, producers, script writers etc. That is why this week, Stealth Media Films wants to pay tribute to the passing of a truly talented film maker. This was the Israeli producer, Menahem Golan, who passed away last Friday in Tel Aviv.

Menahem Golan has an Impressive CV as a Film Producer

You might not know the name but you should. Menahem Golan has worked with some of the most recognise names in Hollywood. These include Jean-Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris and Sylvester Stalone. Menahem is remembered for directing two Sylvester Stalone projects; Over the Top and Cobra.

With cousin and business partner Yoram Globus, he produced extremely ambitious projects such as Superman IV: The Quest for Peace alongside Christopher Reeve. The two also famously owned Elstree studios for some time. Golan was also known for his work on 1980’s action films such as Missing in Action, The Delta Force and Bloodsport.

Golan Changed the Cinematic Landscape as We Know It

According to the BBC, several of the stars that worked with Menahem have already spoken out in tribute. Van Damme tweeted "RIP, Menahem Golan." He went on to tweet "I love you and will always do." Chuck Norris also noted Menahem’s “faith” in him, for giving him his start in Hollywood.

Norris hit the nail on the head here. Yes, the actor may play the character, but we would never get the chance to see them in the role, if it weren’t for the people behind the camera. To produce such a stellar body of work, and collaborate with some of the most acclaimed names in the action movie world, suggests Golan was a truly talented film maker, who changed the cinematic landscape as we know it.