A biography of Humphrey Bogart by Sperber and Lax portrays the star of the golden era of Hollywood as a troubled man. Bogart reached stardom in Hollywood as only a limited number have. He was the leading male box office attraction. He was financially secure. He married Lauren Bacall. Yet his discomfort with what he did was obvious always to those who knew him. He worked intensely at his craft. Yet one day while on the set making a new film, he remarked, “What a way to make a living!” On one occasion a friend noted how crestfallen Bogart was. The friend asked Bogart why he was always so unhappy. Bogart replied that he expected a lot more from himself, and he also knew he would never get it.

The gnawing dissatisfaction that filled the life of Bogart might help to explain his alcoholism and …