Dark Passage is a Humphrey Bogart/Lauren Bacall movie (with Agnes Moorehead of "Bewitched" fame). Bogart is Vincent Parry, a man accused, tried, and convicted of killing his wife. He escapes San Quentin to be picked up by Bacall's Irene Jansen. It turns out that Jansen is a bit obsessed with the trials (in the courtroom and out) of Parry because it reminds her of something in her own past. I can't say much because the "twists" in the noir-ish plot would be given away.
What is interesting, if annoying, is that you don't see Bogart's face until a little over an hour into the movie (which is about an hour 45). Most of the camera work is done as if the viewer is Parry so we see his arms or feet but no face or body. We see him in dark dark shadows at one point but still over 30 minutes in to the movie. There's a plot reason for the obscuring of his face but it's a little odd and sort of disorienting to watch.
And I have to admit that I fell asleep before the end of the movie. I'm not really inclined to watch the rest and think I might regret it if I finish it (a la Night of the Iguana) but I'll probably watch it anyway, especially since there are less than 45 minutes left. Maybe while I put away laundry.
Not much reading lately. I have read more of Calamity Physics and like it but it's way long (500+) so it's taking a while.
1 comment:
So I finished it. It's ok but it seems as if the first hour or so and the last 30 minutes or so are two different movies. The first 2/3 is all avant-guard, I'm not going to show the face of the main character, I'm going to employ odd camera angles, etc. And the second part is your basic Bogey/Bacall movie. Not terrible but definitely odd.
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