Rating: 
Summary: Is this "Lady In The Lake" or am I seeing things?
Review: Lesser known and least acclaimed film of the Humphrey Bogart-Lauren Bacall teaming, and justifiably so. Utilizes many over-reaching and cliched plot devices throughout, and in the first half hour or so I thought I was watching a bad reincarnation of the mediocre "Lady In The Lake," what with the subjective camera angle where the audience sees everything through the eyes of the main character. Stars Bogart as Vince Parry, a man wrongfully sent to San Quentin for killing his ungrateful wife and makes his escape, only to encounter many a problem and no-good folks. Bacall plays Irene Janssen, a beautiful young woman that has, in one of the examples of over-reaching this film uses, followed Vince's case since it reminded her of her wrongfully jailed father's situation, and who is every fugitive's dreamgirl since she aids him with all an escaped convict would need or want--helps with his getaway, provides food and her nice apartment for him to stay in, money ($500-a lot back then), and of course romance--although that comes later. She even becomes his nursey when he changes his appearance with plastic surgery. In another ludicrous case of over-reaching, Vince meets up by chance with a cabbie who can "read" faces and who, despite recognizing him and knowing about his wife's murder, can tell Vince didn't do it and that his face is "good." Therefore, he puts Vince in contact with a friend of his who just happens to be a plastic surgeon, exactly what any fugitive would want--and on top of that, is willing to do it for only 200 bucks! (granted, that was a good amount back then, but for a masterful job which could get him into legal trouble, c'mon!). Along the way he meets up again with Madge Rapf (wonderfully played by a deliciously wicked Agnes Moorehead), a devious busybody-troublemaker from his past who is a murderer. Although Vince is never able to get his name cleared, all ends well when he settles elsewhere with a new identity and with Irene, but not before we are given a moralistic scene in the train station where Vince overhears a downtrodden, "Okie" married couple with kids lamenting about lack of human kindness and generosity. I suppose this was to be in contrast to the kindness and generosity Irene showed Vince--nevertheless, it's totally gratuitous. However, despite the flaws, this is a tense and entertaining noir which would have been downright laughable given lesser performers, but is truly gripping due to Bogie, Bacall, and Moorehead.
Rating: 
Summary: Movie doesn't get the Bogie-Bacall magic
Review: Of the four movies Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made together, Dark Passage is easily the weakest. (The others were To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep, and Key Largo.) It's a noir film that has what it thinks is a neat idea (the first third of the movie uses a "first-person" camera, meaning the central character is the camera viewpoint) but it falls flat. In fact, the gimmick pretty much ruins the film because we don't get to see (and therefore connect with) Humphrey Bogart's character. In the first third, we don't see him period. He is the camera viewpoint. In the second third, his head is bandaged (due to plastic surgery to alter his identity). We don't actually see Bogie till a large chunk of the movie is over. By the time we do, we're bored. Bogart plays a character wrongly accused and convicted of murder. The movie opens with his escape. On the run, he is rescued by Lauren Bacall's character. (Everyone Bogart runs into conveniently has some connection to the story.) A helpful cab driver later recommends a shady plastic surgeon to Bogart's character. Bogart gets his face changed then goes off in search of the criminals who framed him so he prove his innocence. Despite trying, the movie never gets very interesting. For one thing, there is very little to relieve the darkness of the noir approach. There is little chemistry between Bogart and Bacall and this is largely because they play so few scenes together, at least in the first two thirds. The characters do have scenes, but since Bogart isn't physically in them (because of the camera viewpoint or because his head is wrapped in bandages and he can't talk), the Bogie-Bacall magic is absent. The other problem is the improbable convenience mentioned above - the helpful cab driver, a guy who picks up Bogart when he is hitchhiking, Bacall's appearance ... it's a little too improbable. The only time we get a sense for an interesting story is at the very end when Bogart and Bacall have fled to South America. Suddenly the heavy handed noir atmosphere is relieved and we get something that has more of the atmosphere of Casablanca or To Have and Have Not. It seems clear that the movie has misread what made Bogart and Bacall so interesting together. It certainly misreads Bogart. Despite the success of movies like The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon, it wasn't the noir genre that made Bogart popular. It was that he was playing a flawed romantic hero within them. In Dark Passage he simply plays a schmuck floundering around trying to prove his innocence. He doesn't play a strong character. If anything, the character is rather weak. And so we end up with tedious movie, one that relies on something of a gimmick rather than the power Bogart and Bacall could bring to the screen.
Rating:
Summary: Bogie And Bacall Light Up The Screen In Stylish Film Noir
Review: Often passed off as the least successful of the four screen teamings of legendary Hollywood couple Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, "Dark Passage", despite its often unlikely premise has much to recommend it. Bogie is always riverting to watch on screen even in his lesser films and his work in "Dark Passage", as an escaped convict undergoing plastic surgery to try to clear his name over the murder of his wife is first rate. While the film certainly lacks a degree of the unique verbal sparring that viewers have come to expect of Bogie and Bacall's work together, the personal chemistry is still there and just as magic between the two. It is these two performers aided greatly by the superb Agnes Moorehead in the type of vinegary characterisation that she made uniquely her own in the 1940's that really elevates this story and manages to make many of the incredible turn of events that bit more believable. Based on a David Goodis novel, director Delmer Daves also took over responsibility for the screenplay and weaved an engrossing if not always plausible story centred around Vincent Parry (Bogart) who we see in the first scene making his escape on the back of a truck from San Quentin Prison. Picked up a few minutes later by artist Irene Jansen (Bacall), who happened to be doing some painting in the surrounding hills as the prison siren went off, Vincent finds himself suddenly with a staunch ally in his quest to get to the bottom of his wife's murder. Irene takes Vincent back to her apartment in San Francisco where her attraction to him becomes immediately evident.She explains that her sudden determination to help him despite the personal risks to herself, is the result of her interest in his case and the firm belief that he was framed for his wife's murder. Seeing that a city wide manhunt is now underway Vincent takes the advice of a friendly cab driver (Tom D'Andrea), who guesses who he is and allows him to arrange to get some plastic surgery done to change his appearance. Hiding out at Irene's apartment while his face heals Vincent realises that he and Irene have a connection in the person of gossipy sharp tongued Madge Rapf (Agnes Moorehead),who is a constant thorn in Irene's side and actually testified against Vincent in his murder trial. Madge gets suspicious of the man she believes Irene is hiding in her apartment and begins to follow Vincent once his bandages are removed and he begins to track down the real killer of his wife. Putting two and two together Vincent realises that Madge is the guilty party and is a woman who when she can't get what she wants is the type to destroy what others love. In a powerful confrontation scene where Madge learns the identity of the man with the strangely familiar face it is revealed that she is the one who was also responsible for the death of his wife and only friend George. Unable to get Madge to confess to her crimes and thus clearing his name Vincent realises he has no chance of going free in particular when Madge falls to her death from her apartment window. He then decides to flee to South America where with not much persuasion he is joined by the romantically hooked Irene to hopefully start a new life together. Totally implausible? Perhaps but as with alot of the well crafted film Noir's of the 40's it is done in an irresistable style. The sheer coincidence of most the characters being somehow connected with each other or automatically knowing someone who can help in Vincent's plight is indeed at times hard to accept but once again it is the performers and their total immersion in the characters that succeeds in pulling it off. "Dark Passage", is unique, and on the down side has been at times strongly criticised for, its shooting from the view of Humphrey Bogart's face so that we dont actually see him for the first half hour of the film. I personally believe that approach is highly effective and quite unique and it certainly keeps the interest up until Vincent's grand unveiling when he looks like of course Humphrey Bogart. The fact that Vincent does look different is also responsible for the very powerful last scene between Vincent and Madge when she slowly begins to realise, much to her terror, who this strange man is she has invited into her home. Bogart, Bacall and Moorehead rightly run away with the acting honours here but the supporting cast is a strong one with Houseley Stevenson as the plastic surgeon and Clifton Young as the black mailing Baker real standouts in their playing. The film like all noir efforts benefits greatly from the stark black and white photography by Sid Hickox with many of the exterior shots done in very early morning or late in the evening. Location work done in the downtown region of San Francisco also gives the film added interest with alot of action taking place around the Golden Gate Bridge which is well used in particular during the shoot out between Vincent and Baker. "Dark Passage", may not be top draw Bogart akin to "Casablanca", or "The Maltese falcon", however it is a spirited tale in its own right and should be viewed as such. Its strong 1940's feel and stark photography aid in raising this story a number of notches above other similiar efforts of this period and even when he is not seen on camera for the first section of the story Bogart by using his distinctive voice manages to draw the audience into Vincent Parry's story. He and Lauren Bacall were one of Hollywood's greatest acting teams and even in a lesser effort such as this still provide first class entertainment. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Bogie And Bacall Light Up The Screen In Stylish Film Noir
Review: Often passed off as the least successful of the four screen teamings of legendary Hollywood couple Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, "Dark Passage", despite its often unlikely premise has much to recommend it. Bogie is always riverting to watch on screen even in his lesser films and his work in "Dark Passage", as an escaped convict undergoing plastic surgery to try to clear his name over the murder of his wife is first rate. While the film certainly lacks a degree of the unique verbal sparring that viewers have come to expect of Bogie and Bacall's work together, the personal chemistry is still there and just as magic between the two. It is these two performers aided greatly by the superb Agnes Moorehead in the type of vinegary characterisation that she made uniquely her own in the 1940's that really elevates this story and manages to make many of the incredible turn of events that bit more believable. Based on a David Goodis novel, director Delmer Daves also took over responsibility for the screenplay and weaved an engrossing if not always plausible story centred around Vincent Parry (Bogart) who we see in the first scene making his escape on the back of a truck from San Quentin Prison. Picked up a few minutes later by artist Irene Jansen (Bacall), who happened to be doing some painting in the surrounding hills as the prison siren went off, Vincent finds himself suddenly with a staunch ally in his quest to get to the bottom of his wife's murder. Irene takes Vincent back to her apartment in San Francisco where her attraction to him becomes immediately evident.She explains that her sudden determination to help him despite the personal risks to herself, is the result of her interest in his case and the firm belief that he was framed for his wife's murder. Seeing that a city wide manhunt is now underway Vincent takes the advice of a friendly cab driver (Tom D'Andrea), who guesses who he is and allows him to arrange to get some plastic surgery done to change his appearance. Hiding out at Irene's apartment while his face heals Vincent realises that he and Irene have a connection in the person of gossipy sharp tongued Madge Rapf (Agnes Moorehead),who is a constant thorn in Irene's side and actually testified against Vincent in his murder trial. Madge gets suspicious of the man she believes Irene is hiding in her apartment and begins to follow Vincent once his bandages are removed and he begins to track down the real killer of his wife. Putting two and two together Vincent realises that Madge is the guilty party and is a woman who when she can't get what she wants is the type to destroy what others love. In a powerful confrontation scene where Madge learns the identity of the man with the strangely familiar face it is revealed that she is the one who was also responsible for the death of his wife and only friend George. Unable to get Madge to confess to her crimes and thus clearing his name Vincent realises he has no chance of going free in particular when Madge falls to her death from her apartment window. He then decides to flee to South America where with not much persuasion he is joined by the romantically hooked Irene to hopefully start a new life together. Totally implausible? Perhaps but as with alot of the well crafted film Noir's of the 40's it is done in an irresistable style. The sheer coincidence of most the characters being somehow connected with each other or automatically knowing someone who can help in Vincent's plight is indeed at times hard to accept but once again it is the performers and their total immersion in the characters that succeeds in pulling it off. "Dark Passage", is unique, and on the down side has been at times strongly criticised for, its shooting from the view of Humphrey Bogart's face so that we dont actually see him for the first half hour of the film. I personally believe that approach is highly effective and quite unique and it certainly keeps the interest up until Vincent's grand unveiling when he looks like of course Humphrey Bogart. The fact that Vincent does look different is also responsible for the very powerful last scene between Vincent and Madge when she slowly begins to realise, much to her terror, who this strange man is she has invited into her home. Bogart, Bacall and Moorehead rightly run away with the acting honours here but the supporting cast is a strong one with Houseley Stevenson as the plastic surgeon and Clifton Young as the black mailing Baker real standouts in their playing. The film like all noir efforts benefits greatly from the stark black and white photography by Sid Hickox with many of the exterior shots done in very early morning or late in the evening. Location work done in the downtown region of San Francisco also gives the film added interest with alot of action taking place around the Golden Gate Bridge which is well used in particular during the shoot out between Vincent and Baker. "Dark Passage", may not be top draw Bogart akin to "Casablanca", or "The Maltese falcon", however it is a spirited tale in its own right and should be viewed as such. Its strong 1940's feel and stark photography aid in raising this story a number of notches above other similiar efforts of this period and even when he is not seen on camera for the first section of the story Bogart by using his distinctive voice manages to draw the audience into Vincent Parry's story. He and Lauren Bacall were one of Hollywood's greatest acting teams and even in a lesser effort such as this still provide first class entertainment. Enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Definitly not a must have for Bogart fans.
Review: OK, first of all I do "get" this movie, despite what a previous reviewer suggests. This movie is not as bad as many reviewers would have you believe, nor is it as good as some would have it. Certainly not the best of the Bogey/Bacall collaborations. To quote reviewer Leonard Maltin from "The making of Dark Passage", included with the DVD: "This is not a great, great movie, this is a good movie". There are 8 other Bogart DVDs in my collection, I can't see watching this one over before any one of the others. Interesting to watch once, but hardly a "must have" and most definitly the least of the 4 films featuring Lauren Bacall. If you need to own all of Bogeys flicks on DVD, by all means grab this one, it won't dissapoint, otherwise I recommend passing and grabbing something else.
Rating: 
Summary: HouseOK
Review: Once on this webpage there was some trivia about Dark Passage,reporting the maganificent art deco apartment house, used in the film, fell to the wrecking ball. NOT.. It's still there on Montgomery Street... completely intact...in all it's splendor. In fact, I rode the glass block elevator about three times just last week. There in the bedroom window, overlooking Montgomery, is a cardboard cutout of Bogey. So all of you in distress over the news the building was caput...rise...shine.. All is well. If you ever get to San Francisco, it's a MUST SEE.. Go ahead, snoop around, the tenants expect that !! To think you are in the same elevator Bogey and Bacall rode in.. Wow !!!!!! Peace and Happy New Year 2004
T
Rating:
Summary: HouseOK
Review: Once on this webpage there was some trivia about Dark Passage,reporting the maganificent art deco apartment house, used in the film, fell to the wrecking ball. NOT.. It's still there on Montgomery Street... completely intact...in all it's splendor. In fact, I rode the glass block elevator about three times just last week. There in the bedroom window, overlooking Montgomery, is a cardboard cutout of Bogey. So all of you in distress over the news the building was caput...rise...shine.. All is well. If you ever get to San Francisco, it's a MUST SEE.. Go ahead, snoop around, the tenants expect that !! To think you are in the same elevator Bogey and Bacall rode in.. Wow !!!!!! Peace and Happy New Year 2004
T
Rating:
Summary: Dark Passage
Review: One of Bogart's best. Up there with The Maltese Falcon and To Have and Have Not. Highly recommended to fans of Bogart, Bacall, and Agnes Morehead.
Rating:
Summary: Simply "THE" best of Bogart&Bacall
Review: Pay no attention to the editorial review...
Pay no attention to the "Lady In The Lake" review.
That's okay... I can see that MOST people don't get this film. If you like a "smart" film, "Dark Passage" is one of "THE" best.
I will acknowledge, The Big Sleep (although, Martha Vickers, who plays Lauren Bacall's sister is more interesting than Bacall in this film), Maltese Falcon (which is tedious and pretentious), To Have And Have Not (there's some good performances but after repeated viewing they wear on you), Key Largo (a GREAT film in which ALL actors are great and Claire Trevor deserved the Oscar), however, Bacalls "acting" was almost a stereotype from the start. She REALLY shines BRILLIANTLY in Dark Passage - the whole PREMISE for this film is the beginning setup in which we don't see Bogarts face - DUH... it's part of the PLOT man!... and it sets up the WHOLE FILM. To watch Agnes Mooreheads face when she finally realizes that... well... I won't give it away but, trust me, WATCH HER FACE - it is a magical moment of film! Talk about "film noir"?... THIS IS IT... AT IT'S BEST!
Are some people so lame that they don't know it IS Bogart at the beginning of the film? Do you HAVE to see a "recognizable" face?... The "FACE" of a Film Star?? before you allow yourself to appreciate the fact that the director is treating the audience with respect for our "intelligence" that we can "survive" without seeing Bogarts face for a while? Anyway, once Bacall got away from the rigidity of the "STUDIO MACHINE", she started to relax in her acting and became the actor she always SHOULD have been and HAS been to date... I'm referring to films like: Written On The Wind, The Shootist, Dogville etc. and, somehow, she was "allowed" to ACT like herself in this film. If you like a little edge to your Bogart, I'd suggest you check out, "In A Lonely Place", "Dead Reckoning", "All Through The Night", "Treasure Of The Sierra Madre", "We're No Angels" & "The Left Hand Of God" (if you can find it anywhere - I taped it off of AMC before I got rid of all my cable, Dish etc. and now I have a DVD collection of over 300 films in place of cable/dish bills). Most people will think I'm a snob... but I'm not - I enjoy all Bogart & Bacall together and separately (to more or lesser degrees). p.s. If you liked Claire Trevor in "Key Largo" you may like "Raw Deal" and, MAYBE, even "T-Men", "Railroaded", "Sweet Smell Of Success", "Naked City", "Blue Gardenia", "M", "High And Low", "Seven Samuari", "High Sierra", "The Big Combo", "The Big Knife", "3:10 To Yuma", "Hitchhiker" etc... ENJOY!
Rating:
Summary: Simply "THE" best of Bogart&Bacall
Review: Pay no attention to the editorial review...
Pay no attention to the "Lady In The Lake" review.
That's okay... I can see that MOST people don't get this film. If you like a "smart" film, "Dark Passage" is one of "THE" best.
I will acknowledge, The Big Sleep (although, Martha Vickers, who plays Lauren Bacall's sister is more interesting than Bacall in this film), Maltese Falcon (which is tedious and pretentious), To Have And Have Not (there's some good performances but after repeated viewing they wear on you), Key Largo (a GREAT film in which ALL actors are great and Claire Trevor deserved the Oscar), however, Bacalls "acting" was almost a stereotype from the start. She REALLY shines BRILLIANTLY in Dark Passage - the whole PREMISE for this film is the beginning setup in which we don't see Bogarts face - DUH... it's part of the PLOT man!... and it sets up the WHOLE FILM. To watch Agnes Mooreheads face when she finally realizes that... well... I won't give it away but, trust me, WATCH HER FACE - it is a magical moment of film! Talk about "film noir"?... THIS IS IT... AT IT'S BEST!
Are some people so lame that they don't know it IS Bogart at the beginning of the film? Do you HAVE to see a "recognizable" face?... The "FACE" of a Film Star?? before you allow yourself to appreciate the fact that the director is treating the audience with respect for our "intelligence" that we can "survive" without seeing Bogarts face for a while? Anyway, once Bacall got away from the rigidity of the "STUDIO MACHINE", she started to relax in her acting and became the actor she always SHOULD have been and HAS been to date... I'm referring to films like: Written On The Wind, The Shootist, Dogville etc. and, somehow, she was "allowed" to ACT like herself in this film. If you like a little edge to your Bogart, I'd suggest you check out, "In A Lonely Place", "Dead Reckoning", "All Through The Night", "Treasure Of The Sierra Madre", "We're No Angels" & "The Left Hand Of God" (if you can find it anywhere - I taped it off of AMC before I got rid of all my cable, Dish etc. and now I have a DVD collection of over 300 films in place of cable/dish bills). Most people will think I'm a snob... but I'm not - I enjoy all Bogart & Bacall together and separately (to more or lesser degrees). p.s. If you liked Claire Trevor in "Key Largo" you may like "Raw Deal" and, MAYBE, even "T-Men", "Railroaded", "Sweet Smell Of Success", "Naked City", "Blue Gardenia", "M", "High And Low", "Seven Samuari", "High Sierra", "The Big Combo", "The Big Knife", "3:10 To Yuma", "Hitchhiker" etc... ENJOY!
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