Character Relationship Map: Key Largo

Characters

• Frank McCloud (played by Humphrey Bogart) — protagonist
• Johnny Rocco (played by Edward G. Robinson) — protagonist
• Nora Temple (played by Lauren Bacall) — supporting
• Ziggy (played by Marc Lawrence) — supporting
• Sheriff Ben Wade (played by Monte Blue) — minor
• Angel Garcia (played by Dan Seymour) — supporting
• Ralph Feeney (played by William Haade) — supporting
• Gaye Dawn (played by Claire Trevor) — supporting
• Deputy Clyde Sawyer (played by John Rodney) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Sheriff Ben Wade → Deputy Clyde Sawyer (Professional Supervisor)

  Sheriff Wade and Deputy Sawyer arrive together while searching the area, and Wade later returns specifically looking for Sawyer.

• Johnny Rocco → Ziggy (Professional Criminal Business Partner)

  Ziggy arrives at the hotel to buy a large amount of counterfeit money from Rocco.

• Johnny Rocco → Angel Garcia (Power Gang Leader)

  Angel pulls a gun with Rocco's group, helps hold the hotel occupants hostage, and participates in the forced boat departure.

• Johnny Rocco → Ralph Feeney (Power Gang Leader)

  Ralph joins Rocco's armed takeover of the hotel and follows the gang's plan to transport Rocco toward Cuba.

• Johnny Rocco → Gaye Dawn (Romantic Former Moll)

  The plot identifies Gaye as Rocco's former moll. Rocco forces her to sing, demeans her, and slaps her during the storm.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Frank McCloud → Ziggy (Conflict Criminal Opponent)

  Frank's escape mission is directed against the criminal operation that brings Ziggy to the hotel for the counterfeit-money deal.

• Frank McCloud → Angel Garcia (Conflict Hostile Captor)

  Angel joins the gang in pulling guns and taking Frank hostage at the hotel.

• Frank McCloud → Ralph Feeney (Conflict Hostile Captor)

  Ralph helps draw guns and hold Frank hostage during the gang's takeover of the hotel.

• Nora Temple → Angel Garcia (Conflict Hostage And Captor)

  Angel participates in the armed takeover that confines Nora and the other hotel occupants.

• Nora Temple → Ralph Feeney (Conflict Hostage And Captor)

  Ralph joins the armed gang that takes Nora hostage inside the hotel.

• Nora Temple → Gaye Dawn (Social Fellow Hostage)

  Nora and Gaye are both trapped inside the hotel when Rocco's group takes control during the hurricane.

• Gaye Dawn → Sheriff Ben Wade (Narrative Informant)

  After Frank's return trip begins, Gaye tells Wade that Rocco bears responsibility for Sawyer's murder.

• Ralph Feeney → Angel Garcia (Alliance Criminal Teammate)

  Ralph and Angel jointly draw guns and help Rocco take control of the hotel.

• Johnny Rocco → Sheriff Ben Wade (Conflict Deceiver)

  After the storm, Rocco tells Sheriff Wade that the fugitives were responsible for Sawyer's death, causing Wade to confront them.

• Johnny Rocco → Deputy Clyde Sawyer (Conflict Murderer)

  After Sawyer is captured at the hotel, Rocco shoots him and orders his men to remove the body by boat.

Story Analysis

A traumatized veteran confronts criminal tyranny and rediscovers courage through loyalty, sacrifice, and survival.

Plot Progression

1. A Visitor Before the Storm
2. The Hotel Falls Hostage
3. Violence Behind Shutters
4. A Dangerous False Story
5. Reckoning on the Water