Review On Key Largo

November 29th, 2019

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Willard Manus

Non-Registered Critics

Key Largo’s story, which was fresh and powerful in 1946—and two years later in the John Huston movie—seems creaky and contrived today. But it does look good up there on the Geffen stage, thanks to John Lee Beatty’s wizardry.

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WILLARD MANUS has been a Los Angeles-based theater reviewer since 1980, writing for such publications as L.A. Weekly, The Outlook, Northeast Newspapers and Pasadena Star-News. He also served as West Coast correspondent for Playbill.com. For the past ten years he has covered southern California theatre for Total Theatre.com. Manus is also a much-produced playwright whose recent credits include FRANK AND AVA (winner of a best-play prize at the 2014 Hollywood Fringe Festival); JOE AND MARILYN: A LOVE STORY; BIRD LIVES!; and PREZ–THE LESTER YOUNG STORY. Manus writes novels as well, the best-known of which is MOTT THE HOOPLE, thanks to the British rock band which took its name from his book. A member of Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA), his film reviews are carried in lively-arts.com.