Rating: 
Summary: One of the Best Film Noir I've Ever Seen
Review: DARK PASSAGE has been one of my favorite films for over 40 years. I also think it's one of the best of the film noir genre, as is Chinatown.
Some film noir are totally saturated with noir: they are bleak, violent, terribly, terribly depressing: Degraded, depraved people lash out with ugly violence in a vain attempt to "take control of their lives." I see an image of a bird caught in an oil slick with its plumage pasted to its skin by a greasy, viscous substance that threatens to suffocate and kill it.
DARK PASSAGE is not like that. It is a suspense-filled action/mystery tale that has us on the edge of our seats from start to finish. But there is light--lots of light.
Humphrey Bogart is in jail, convicted of killing his wife. He claims he is innocent. He successfully stages a breakout by jumping into a laundry truck and finds himself on the freeway, still in his prison clothes, desperately and determinedly heading toward freedom and justice. He is picked up by a man who turns out to "make" him as an escaped con. Bogart jumps out of the car to escape further jeopardy and falls into a ditch on the side of the road, unconscious.
The next minute, we see the utterly beautiful, clean, pure--everything that is sunlight and golden and perfume--face of Lauren Bacall, in a white blouse, golden hair hanging down, looking at him as a mother looks at her child. The sunlight is just streaming in.
It turns out that Bacall's father was wrongly accused of murder and died in jail. She has been following Bogart's case in the news and now finds herself in a position to be his mother/guardian angel. Throughout the movie, her special, beauty, a beauty that could never be copied--cleanliness and purity and goodness and maternal nurturance; safety and warmth, sanctuary, life, hope, as well as the loveliness of a flower, insistently counterpoint the dark forces of the plot.
And the visuals of this movie and the plot are symbiotic. It is set in San Francisco, and nowhere--not in Vertigo, not in Bullitt--nowhere has the city of San Francisco been used in such an effective way. From Bacall's apartment (she is an architect, and she lives in the most beautiful modern building, decorated in the most awesome way) to scenes where Bogart is running up and down the hilly streets, in and out of buildings in pursuit of a bad guy, to the hooting of the horns in the harbor, to the all-night diner (there is no other all-night diner in all of moviedom that can even begin to compare to the all-night diner in Dark Passage).
So many neat things happen in this movie that I cannot narrate them all, but not one nanosecond could possibly be edited out. Each scene is perfect in acting, direction, background effects, cinematography--all to create a mood which, like all great art, lives by magic. In the end, the whole is much more than the sum of its parts.
Like Chinatown, DARK PASSAGE is synergistic: there is a lamp in Bacall's living room that is a character; buildings, shadows, a glass straw, everything--human or otherwise--is an indispensable part of the whole.
You've got to love it, as I do, and you've got to see it to love it.
Rating: 
Summary: Riveting...
Review: Dark Passage is classic Humphrey Bogart! Suspenseful, romantic, and plenty of last minute twists. The beginning is fascinating! You do not see H.B. face for the first 30min. of the film. A must see for any suspense/mystery fan. Well done...
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining enough, but nothing special.
Review: Dark Passage is hardly likely to go down as one of Bogart and Bacall's greatest celluloid efforts. Bogart is beginning to look his age. The age difference may not have been that noticeable in 'To Have and To Have Not' and 'Casablanca', but a couple of years down the line and Bogart is beginning to look like Bacall's father. The film starts with Bogart escaping from prison. We see everything through his eyes - literally. The camera is Bogart. This carries on until half way through the film. There is a reason for this, but I won't spoil it for those who have not seen the film. Although this is quite an intriguing idea, I can't say that it works to any great effect. All it does is make you aware of the camera. Why they would want to keep their star off the screen for half the film is a mystery to me. You literally spend that half of the movie waiting for Bogart to appear. Dark Passage has a 1930s B Movie feel to it, and must have appeared dated when it was released in 1950s. Entertaining enough if you catch it on telly or can borrow a copy, but hardly classic Bogart.
Rating:
Summary: Lesser Bogart / Bacall Film
Review: Dark Passage is the least well known of the Humphrey Bogart/Lauren Bacall films, and with good reason, since it is not of the same quality as their other three films. Bogart plays Vincent, a man wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of his wife, who escapes and is greatly aided by Irene (Bacall), a woman familiar with his case who believes his innocence. Bogart remains out of camera range for the first part of the movie, and is then covered with bandages following surgery to alter some of his facial features. The story is somewhat far fetched, and the climax seems a bit rushed. Bogart and Bacall give good enough performances, and Agnes Moorehead pulls out all the stops as Madge, the shrew that has complicated both of their lives. The film is entertaining, but it's not up to the level of their other films.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece of hidden identity
Review: I don't know if this was the first film to use the camera as a person telling the story but it had to be close to one of the first. A great movie. The location for filming in San Francisco is awesome. I was there in March of 2003 and saw the Apartment where this was filmed. Not knowing at the time which Bogart/ Bacall movie it was, but being told by a friend that they filmed a movie there. Recently, I finally got to realize which movie it was while watching it on TCM. A beautiful art deco apartment on a very steep hill near San Francisco bay. It's cool to see Bogey crawl up the same steps that you can still walk on. YES! I can only say that this film should be watched by everyone interested in film noir. A true masterpiece. Bacall is so amazing. I could watch the movie and just study her acting alone a few hundred times. She is a such a great actress. Watch her little eye and body movements. All telling and something a lot of actors are missing today. There's a scene in the apartment when she is leaving to go do something and has to leave Bogart by himself. She's jotting down some information for Bogey. This must be seen. The camera follows her around. And to act with this amount of genius without someone even there to bounce off of is worthy of an Oscar. It's worth it just to watch her drive the cool "Woody" (at least that's what it looks like) with Bogey in the back seat. It's Genius, pure genius and also very nerve racking. Agnes Moorehead is great too. Check out the awesome leopard outfit! Please watch this film. You will not regret it.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting...could have been better
Review: I got borrowed this film because the box made it sound like there was a lot of romance and intrigue. And I wanted to see Bogart and Bacall together in something else (the other I saw them in was To Have and Have Not). It was only okay...the begining part where the camera IS Bogart, so you don't see his face, is clever, but it went on way too long in my opinion. Also, this camera move was used before by director Rouben Mamoulian (MUCH more effectively)in 1931 for the opening shots of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" with Fredric March. I loved that...it really got your interest up and eagerly desiring to SEE Dr. Jekyll (who was wonderfully handsome, when you got to see him). Here in Dark Passage, your waiting and waiting and waiting...and when he finally is shown, he's wrapped in bandages! So you have to wait some more! And by then it is sort of the feeling, "It's about time, let's get on with it". I thought the story was a bit too strange...the coindences of Bogart meeting the various people was too unbelievable. How many cab drivers do you know who have plastic surgeons for best friends?? I felt it would have been more enjoyable if there was more dialog and action between Bogart and Bacall...I felt a bit let down, as the romance statement on the video box promised too much than what was actually in the film... I did like the time period, Bacall's nifty apartment, the clothes people wore. It wasn't a total waste of time to watch it...but there are better Bogart films out there. And for better mystery, intrigue, and romance, see any number of Hitchcock films, which far surpass this one. These are my thoughts. They may help you and then again, they may not!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Bogart/Bacall film of the four
Review: I have read many reviews which state that this is not the best work from Bogart & Bacall. I disagree. I think the chemistry between Bogie & Bacall is very clear & electric in this film. Further, the fact that the viewer doesn't see Bogart for the first 30 minutes is cool. Don't know why people complain about this?!? The backdrop of San Francisco is always a film favorite. Each of the supporting cast gives excellent performances. The detail in this film is fun as well-- did you see the statue of the Maltese Falcon on the table behind the couch? This movie is FUN FUN FUN all the way through. A must see and well worth the money.
Rating:
Summary: i wish they still made movies like this
Review: i just love Bogey and Betty.they are the epitome of cool and they have chemistry that hasnt been seen on film since.sure other have come close but for me this is the pinnacle of classic romance and intrigue!
Rating:
Summary: Not Outstanding, but Still Fun
Review: I suppose it was a risk not showing Bogie's face until an hour into the film and the plot is not at all credible, but so what? The film still more or less works, and it's fun to sit through. The initial scene with the cabbie alone is worth the price of admission. Great dialogue - "still, I like goldfish" - well delivered by D'Andrea. It's a testament to Bogie that he would allow the scene to be dominated by a very talented character actor. In that way, Bogie was sort of like Paul Newman. They're both marvelous actors who liked to surround themselves with other marvelous actors so that everybody looks good.
Rating:
Summary: a must see movie
Review: i'm not going to sum it up for you, just read any movie encyclopedia for this, but this movie is a masterpiece. Lauren bacall is wonderful, and you really don't have to be a fan of any of them to love this movie, i taped it from tnt and i keep watching it, it's a timeless movie
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