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John Garfield, Phyllis Thaxter, Patricia Neal, Juano Hernandez, Wallace Ford ... see more see more... , Edmon Ryan , Ralph Dumke , Guy Thomajan , William Campbell , Sherry Jackson , Donna Jo Boyce , Peter Brocco , John Alvin , Mary Carroll , Spencer Chan , John Doucette , Norman Field , Alex Gerry , James Griffith , Helen Hatch , Len Hendry , Paul McGuire , David McMahon , Victor Sen Yung , Glen Turnbull , John Chapin Morgan , Juan Duval , John Close , Bob McLean , Beverly Mook

This second screen version of Ernest Hemingway's To Have and Have Not is closer in spirit to the original than the first version, though it still is far from faithful to its source. John Garfield star... read more read more...s as Harry Morgan, who has metamorphosed from Hemingway's gun-runner to an ex-PT boat captain, now running a charter boat service in Southern California. Deeply in debt, Morgan agrees to smuggle aliens and later tries to sneak a bunch of gangsters out of the country. By the time he's been given a wake-up call by his conscience, Morgan has caused the death of a close friend. Patricia Neal and Phyllis Thaxter make the most of their limited footage as, respectively Harry Morgan's casual mistress and faithful spouse. Many critics feel that The Breaking Point represents Michael Curtiz' finest directing job--no small praise for a man who helmed such classics as Casablanca and Yankee Doodle Dandy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

77% liked it

266 ratings

Unrated, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Michael Curtiz

Release Date: October 6, 1950

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Flixster Reviews (20)


  • November 8, 2007
    superior performances in this rough well made film
  • October 7, 2011
    good drama mostly over looked but hemingway always said this was his fave movie version of his stuff

Critic Reviews


Dennis Schwartz
March 21, 2003
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Clearly the best movie adaptation of a Hemingway novel. Full Review

Bosley Crowther
March 25, 2006
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

June 24, 2006
Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Click to read the article Full Review

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The Breaking Point Trivia


  • Name the 1990 movie starring Dudley Moore and Daryl Hannah from the following plot outline:- A bitter ad executive who has reached his breaking point, finds himself in a mental institution where his career actually begins to thrive with the help of the hospital's patients.  Answer »
  • Norman Thayer and his adult daughter Chelsea have never been close. When Chelsea visits during the summer and brings along her fiance' and future step-son, the fragile relationship between Norman and Chelsea reaches a breaking point. Namae the 1981 movie.   Answer »
  • Norman Thayer and his adult daughter Chelsea have never been close. When Chelsea visits during the summer and brings along her fiance' and future step-son, the fragile relationship between Norman and Chelsea reaches a breaking point. Which 1981 movie am I talking about here?   Answer »

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