Overview
A man on the run must confront his past and seek justice in a world that knows his face.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- shadowy
- tense
- romantic
- classic film night
- noir double feature
What critics said
Critics generally find the film an effective, stylish film noir elevated by Lauren Bacall's performance and its unusual subjective camerawork, despite implausible plotting and uneven appreciation of Bogart's work.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The opening and much of the pre-surgery passage are filmed from Vincent Parry's eye-level perspective, withholding Bogart's face.
Parry undergoes illicit plastic surgery because his familiar features make escape and investigation impossible.
Parry escapes San Quentin and seeks evidence that he did not murder his wife.
San Francisco streets, fire escapes, hidden rooms, bandages, and backroom surgery create a pervasive atmosphere of concealment.
Films like Dark Passage, and why
The Big Sleep
shared film noir atmosphere, wrongful accusation, fugitive protagonist, and romantic suspense
Out of the Past
shared urban noir setting, criminal investigation, moral ambiguity, and shadowy visual style
The 39 Steps
shared escaped-convict premise, identity concealment, romantic alliance, and suspenseful crime plotting
The Wrong Man
shared noir paranoia, false accusation, pursuit by authorities, and fatalistic tension
Movie Details
- Director
- Delmer Daves
- Release Date
- 1947-09-05
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (364)
Cast
- Humphrey Bogart
- Lauren Bacall
- Bruce Bennett
- Agnes Moorehead
- Tom D'Andrea
- Clifton Young
- Douglas Kennedy
- Rory Mallinson
- Houseley Stevenson
- Mary Field
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dark Passage about?
- An escaped San Quentin convict adopts a new face and a dangerous alliance to expose his wife's real killer in shadowy postwar San Francisco.
- What is Dark Passage like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dark Passage as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Dark Passage violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Dark Passage as mild.
- What did critics think of Dark Passage?
- Critics generally find the film an effective, stylish film noir elevated by Lauren Bacall's performance and its unusual subjective camerawork, despite implausible plotting and uneven appreciation of Bogart's work.
- Which films are like Dark Passage?
- Films with a similar feel include The Big Sleep, Out of the Past, The 39 Steps, and The Wrong Man.
- How long is Dark Passage?
- Dark Passage runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dark Passage?
- In United States, Dark Passage is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
