Dark Passage

A film review by Christopher Null - Copyright © 2001 Filmcritic.com

A minor classic in the noir genre, Dark Passage is nonetheless too simplistic and too unbelievable to make much of an impression. Bogart is typically great as a falsely-accused prison escapee searching for his wife's real killer, while Bacall is also good as the woman who inexplicably helps him out. The gimmick? Bogie gets plastic surgery to become Bogie -- and he doesn't appear on camera for nearly an hour until the bandages are off. Also of note: Stephen King appears to have borrowed large chunks of Dark Passage for his novella The Shawshank Redemption.

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Rating

3.5 out of 5 Stars

Cast and Crew

  • Director: Delmer Daves
  • Producer: Jerry Wald
  • Screenwriter: Delmer Daves
  • Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Bruce Bennett, Agnes Moorehead, Tom D'Andrea
  • MPAA Rating: NR