Humphrey Gets a New Face

Vincent Parry (Humphrey Bogart) has escaped from San Quentin; he tries to hitch a ride, but the driver, Baker (Clifton Young) realizes Vincent is an escapee. Vincent knocks him out and abandons the car down the road. He finds Irene Jansen (Lauren Bacall) painting in the countryside. She knows who he is and offers to help him. Against his better judgement, Vincent accepts her assistance. This week, we're looking at Dark Passage (1947).

While Lady in the Lake is credited as the first film to use the subjective camera technique, Dark Passage, released the same year, takes the idea and uses it to better effect.  Not all of the film is subjective, and the motivation for not showing our protagonist becomes apparent when Vincent is taken to a plastic surgeon. Even when Vincent still has his original face (seen in a newspaper article - the photo is of actor Frank Wilcox), the film uses shadows to hide his face.  That we do eventually get to see Humphrey Bogart in the latter part of the film is a benefit to the audience; the first view of his expressive eyes (when he is bandaged following the surgery) is something we've all been waiting for. Regardless, Jack Warner was not amused that for 40 minutes, his expensive star's face was nowhere to be seen (Eddie Muller intro and extro).

Bogart and Lauren Bacall had been married for less than two years (TCM article); this was their third (of four) screen pairings. Howard Hawks, who had discovered her and nurtured her for the beginning of her career, had become disinterested in her once she became involved with Mr. Bogart. He sold her contract to Warner Brothers and Ms. Bacall found herself asked to work in parts that she found inappropriate - for the first five years of that contract, she was in five films - three of them with her husband (Los Angeles Times obituary). She's wonderful in this film, taking on an almost impossible part and making it believable - the unlikely premise of her willingness to take in a convicted murderer becomes quite acceptable in her able hands. And her growing love for her charge is reflected in her every movement. Yet, she still maintains a strength and sensibility that makes Irene memorable.   

The actress who walks away with the film is Agnes Moorehead (Madge Rapf).  William Hare said that in the role "the traditional femme fatale role was turned on its head...she is overbearing, domineering, and thoroughly ruthless" (Pulp Fiction to Film Noir: The Great Depression and the Development of a Genre) . She inserts herself into everyone's lives - her former fiance, Bob (Bruce Bennett); Irene, and, it turns out, the late Mrs. Parry. We dislike her from the minute she appears in Irene's apartment, but we can't take our eyes off her. 

There are a remarkable number of excellent character actors in the film: Tom D'Andrea (Sam the Cabby), like Ms. Bacall, adds to our trust of Vincent in his willing acceptance of the escapee's innocence. Sam's open and friendly personality is believable because of Mr. D'Andrea's performance. Similarly, Houseley Stevenson (Dr. Walter Coley) brings just the slightest bit of menace to his role as the plastic surgeon who helps Vincent alter his appearance - will he disfigure him? Turn him in? His performance dances on the head of a pin.  Finally, there is Clifton Young, who, from first glance is horrifyingly creepy. Baker is a heel of the first water, and Mr. Young plays him that way. We know he is going to be a key factor in Vincent's life, and Mr. Young does not disappoint.

If there is a weak link in the film, it's Bruce Bennett as the man romantically pursing Irene. Mr. Bennett, as we've mentioned before, is not a favorite actor. He's dull and fades immediately into the background. The plus to having him in the film is that one can imagine Madge bossing him around.  What you can't believe is that he would have the gumption to break up with her, or that Irene would have even the slightest interest in him.

Based on a novel by David Goodis; later, Mr. Goodis, and his the estate sued United Artists for copyright infringement - stating that The Fugitive was based on Dark Passage (Mr. Goodis' estate won the suit, but the monetary amount was minimal).  Like the novel, the film was set in San Francisco, and some scenes were shot on location (AFI catalog); the city and its hills are very important to the story.

Some reviews were indifferent - Bosley Crowther's New York Times review liked the scenery better than the story. He did have high praise for Agnes Moorehead who "is also quite electric in a couple of scenes as a meddlesome shrew."  Variety's, review, on the other hand, was more complimentary, saying that the "dialog frequently crackles."

We very much enjoyed the film, and recommend it highly. Here's a trailer for a taste of what's to come:

Lauren Has Designs on Gregory

The theme of marrying in haste and repenting at leisure is again explored, this time in Designing Woman (1957), a romantic comedy starring Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall.  Peck is Mike Hagen, a sportswriter who is on assignment in California.  He's been out drinking, and awakens hung over and unable to recall whether he filed an important story.  Later that day, he re-meets Marilla Brown (Bacall), with whom he spent his night of drinking.  She, however, stayed sober, helped him to write his story (and filed it), AND has been carefully holding the $700 he gave her in his stupor.  They spend a romantic two weeks together, and end their vacation by marrying.  Mike is blissfully unaware of pretty much anything about Marilla, but on the plane ride home, after she excuses herself and returns in a high-fashion dress, he begins a learning experience.  Marilla is a highly respected, and highly paid, fashion designer.  Mike's shabby apartment would fit into Marilla's bedroom, and Marilla's friends are NOT the kind of people with whom Mike associates.  Thus, their newlywed bliss begins to deteriorate as each is forced to inhabit the world of the other.

Some interesting background information on Designing Woman is available from this TCM article.

Originally, Grace Kelly and James Stewart were slated for the leads, but then Grace got married, and Jimmy opted out (He had really wanted to work with Kelly; after the film's release, he said he was sorry he had turned down the role). Bacall consented to do the role, despite that fact that her husband, Humphrey Bogart, was dying.  Bogart encouraged her take it; he died four months before the film's release.  Gregory Peck commented on her professionalism during this trying period in his tribute to Ms. Bacall.

The story for the film came from Helen Rose, the costumer for the production.  The wardrobe here is outstanding.  Bacall's quick change in the plane from tourist to professional is one noteworthy example of Ms. Rose's talent.  The costume defines the character for the audience - Marilla's flair skirt and casual blouse change to a tailored dress and matching hat.  Another example is her costume for the scene in which she meets Mike at the fights.  Her professional outfit immediately places her as a fish out of water in this extremely funny episode.  One of my group recalls seeing pieces of Ms. Rose's personal wardrobe, which were donated to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.

Another thing to notice in the film is the amazing set decoration; the contrast between Mike and Marilla's apartments quickly establish the conflict that is to come.  And Marilla's apartment is a showpiece - down to exquisite door knobs (with star decorations on them).

A few words on the always fantastic Gregory Peck.  In Gregory Peck: A Biography, by Gary Fishgall,  the author relates that after seeing Peck's reaction to having a plate of ravioli dumped in his lap, George Burns - no slouch when it came to reacting to the ridiculous - was "in stitches".  Peck's responsed that it was "worth as much as the Academy Award" to have made Burns laugh. 

Besides Peck and Lauren Bacall, the film has an excellent supporting cast. Dolores Gray (Lori Shannon) was familiar to some of us from her appearance as the television personality Madeline Bradville in It's Always Fair Weather.  But Ms. Grey had a very limited film and television career - only 10 credits appear in IMDB, but two of her films are noteworthy: Sylvia (the Rosalind Russell role) in The Opposite Sex and Lalume in the 1955 version of Kismet.  However, Ms. Grey had an exceptional career on Broadway, winning the Tony for her appearance in Carnival in Flanders (she also has the record for winning a Tony a play with the shortest run - 6 performances!).  She gives us a memorable character in Lori, one that can stand toe-to-toe with actors of the caliber of Bacall and Peck.

Jack Cole, who plays choreographer Randy Owens was perfect.  Without giving too much away (slight spoiler here), the image of Randy taking down a cadre of villains, including Chuck Connors (as gangster Johnny O), who is twice his size, is an absolutely perfect touch.  It was one of my favorite scenes in the film.

Many TV favorites are featured in the film, including the aforementioned Connors, Edward Platt, the Chief of CONTROL from Get Smart as gangster Martin J. Daylor, Richard Deacon (Mel Cooley from The Dick Van Dyke Show) as a newspaper reporter, and Dean Jones in a small role as an assistant stage manager.

The film employs narration from Mike and Marilla to tell much of the story.  It's a interesting technique, and works well.  We leave you with this clip from the film, in which Bacall and Peck have a row: