Noir Alley

[Dargo]

And starring MISS SHELLEY WINTERS as Dixie Evans! Who came up with THAT billing? I was so unimpressed with the film, I forgot to check this thread! PU!!! It was static and as hammy as I (vaguely) remembered it! Hard to say who was the hammiest, Steiger or Palance. (At least Steiger wasn't in the whole movie!) Except for one scene it all took place in his house (or back yard!) At least I'll never have to watch this again. Nice to know I had some taste even as a teen! Talk, talk, talk!

Yep, I'd say that pretty much described this film alright, Hibi. And, not to mention the totally unbelievability of the final outcome to this big shoutfest of a picture.

And, I'd say the special billing for Shelley Winters in it was probably due to two things. One, perhaps being that her contracted studio, Universal Pictures, who loaned her out for this movie probably insisted upon it, and because by the mid-'50s she was one of Universal's hottest properties and considered by many to be one of the better actresses of this era. And, with the possible exception of Ida Lupino, was a better known property than either Palance or Steiger was at the time.

And WHY are they showing Dark Passage AGAIN???

Now, my guess about THIS would be that Eddie has a need to once AGAIN bring up that old controversy as to IF Agnes Moorehead purposely threw herself out that window OR if she was just a big ol' klutz!

(...personally, I've always viewed it as being the latter of the two here, and also one of the most "conveniently weird"--or maybe "weirdly convenient"-- endings to any film ever made)

[ElCid]

And starring MISS SHELLEY WINTERS as Dixie Evans! Who came up with THAT billing? I was so unimpressed with the film, I forgot to check this thread! PU!!! It was static and as hammy as I (vaguely) remembered it! Hard to say who was the hammiest, Steiger or Palance. (At least Steiger wasn't in the whole movie!) Except for one scene it all took place in his house (or back yard!) At least I'll never have to watch this again. Nice to know I had some taste even as a teen! Talk, talk, talk!

And WHY are they showing Dark Passage AGAIN???

if the Bogart and Bacall one, it's not a bad little movie - but no where near the caliber of the other two. I've got the Bogie and Bacall DVD set and of course this one is in it. If memory serves, it seems that Bacall actually has the "stronger" role in it.

As for showing it again, there really aren't that many decent Noir movies to which TCM has access. And this program has been on a lot longer than many of us like to remember.

[ElCid]

And starring MISS SHELLEY WINTERS as Dixie Evans! Who came up with THAT billing? I was so unimpressed with the film, I forgot to check this thread! PU!!! It was static and as hammy as I (vaguely) remembered it! Hard to say who was the hammiest, Steiger or Palance. (At least Steiger wasn't in the whole movie!) Except for one scene it all took place in his house (or back yard!) At least I'll never have to watch this again. Nice to know I had some taste even as a teen! Talk, talk, talk!

Yep, I'd say that pretty much described this film alright, Hibi. And, not to mention the totally unbelievability of the final outcome to this big shoutfest of a picture.

And, I'd say the special billing for Shelley Winters in it was probably due to two things. One, perhaps being that her contracted studio, Universal Pictures, who loaned her out for this movie probably insisted upon it, and because by the mid-'50s she was one of Universal's hottest properties and considered by many to be one of the better actresses of this era.

And WHY are they showing Dark Passage AGAIN???

Now, my guess about THIS would be that Eddie has a need to once AGAIN bring up that old controversy as to IF Agnes Moorehead purposely threw herself out that window OR if she was just a big ol' klutz!

(...personally, I've always viewed it as being the latter of the two here, and also one of the most "conveniently weird" endings to any film ever made)

I agree that Palance's suicide was totally unbelievable and didn't fit the story at all.
For some reason, I have never really thought Shelly Winters was all that great.

[Hibi]

And starring MISS SHELLEY WINTERS as Dixie Evans! Who came up with THAT billing? I was so unimpressed with the film, I forgot to check this thread! PU!!! It was static and as hammy as I (vaguely) remembered it! Hard to say who was the hammiest, Steiger or Palance. (At least Steiger wasn't in the whole movie!) Except for one scene it all took place in his house (or back yard!) At least I'll never have to watch this again. Nice to know I had some taste even as a teen! Talk, talk, talk!

Yep, I'd say that pretty much described this film alright, Hibi. And, not to mention the totally unbelievability of the final outcome to this big shoutfest of a picture.

And, I'd say the special billing for Shelley Winters in it was probably due to two things. One, perhaps being that her contracted studio, Universal Pictures, who loaned her out for this movie probably insisted upon it, and because by the mid-'50s she was one of Universal's hottest properties and considered by many to be one of the better actresses of this era. And, with the possible exception of Ida Lupino, was a better known property than either Palance or Steiger was at the time.

And WHY are they showing Dark Passage AGAIN???

Now, my guess about THIS would be that Eddie has a need to once AGAIN bring up that old controversy as to IF Agnes Moorehead purposely threw herself out that window OR if she was just a big ol' klutz!

(...personally, I've always viewed it as being the latter of the two here, and also one of the most "conveniently weird"--or maybe "weirdly convenient"-- endings to any film ever made)

Yes, I was thinking it may have been a contractual thing. But it was some really bizarre billing. MISS Shelley Winters???

I HOPE NOT!!!! (Agnes. LOL!)

[Hibi]

And starring MISS SHELLEY WINTERS as Dixie Evans! Who came up with THAT billing? I was so unimpressed with the film, I forgot to check this thread! PU!!! It was static and as hammy as I (vaguely) remembered it! Hard to say who was the hammiest, Steiger or Palance. (At least Steiger wasn't in the whole movie!) Except for one scene it all took place in his house (or back yard!) At least I'll never have to watch this again. Nice to know I had some taste even as a teen! Talk, talk, talk!

Yep, I'd say that pretty much described this film alright, Hibi. And, not to mention the totally unbelievability of the final outcome to this big shoutfest of a picture.

And, I'd say the special billing for Shelley Winters in it was probably due to two things. One, perhaps being that her contracted studio, Universal Pictures, who loaned her out for this movie probably insisted upon it, and because by the mid-'50s she was one of Universal's hottest properties and considered by many to be one of the better actresses of this era.

And WHY are they showing Dark Passage AGAIN???

Now, my guess about THIS would be that Eddie has a need to once AGAIN bring up that old controversy as to IF Agnes Moorehead purposely threw herself out that window OR if she was just a big ol' klutz!

(...personally, I've always viewed it as being the latter of the two here, and also one of the most "conveniently weird" endings to any film ever made)

I agree that Palance's suicide was totally unbelievable and didn't fit the story at all.
For some reason, I have never really thought Shelly Winters was all that great.

NO KIDDING! With everyone waiting below?? He runs up and stabs himself in the bathroom??? Poor Ida gets blood all over her dress! A 7 year contract couldn't be THAT bad!!!

[Dargo]

I agree that Palance's suicide was totally unbelievable and didn't fit the story at all.

Yep, as I especially can't imagine John Garfield in the original Broadway play doing the deed, either. I've always felt that Odets' great hatred of Hollywood overrode his desire to write a more believable finish to this story.

For some reason, I have never really thought Shelly Winters was all that great.

Yeah, I know what ya mean in a way here, Cid. In my case, it was always that irritating off-putting voice of hers that always made it hard to warm to her.

However, about a year ago or so and after re-watching some of her performances in a few of the film she made in early in her career, it dawned on me that she really was a very good actress.

(...and especially so of course in movies where she IS playing a hard-to-like character)

[txfilmfan]

And starring MISS SHELLEY WINTERS as Dixie Evans! Who came up with THAT billing? I was so unimpressed with the film, I forgot to check this thread! PU!!! It was static and as hammy as I (vaguely) remembered it! Hard to say who was the hammiest, Steiger or Palance. (At least Steiger wasn't in the whole movie!) Except for one scene it all took place in his house (or back yard!) At least I'll never have to watch this again. Nice to know I had some taste even as a teen! Talk, talk, talk!

And WHY are they showing Dark Passage AGAIN???

When was it on last? I missed it. Haven't seen it in a couple of years. Love the apartment set, and Agnes Moorehead never looked better on screen.

[kingrat]

I'm glad that ElCid and Hibi see THE BIG KNIFE just as I do. It will make DARK PASSAGE seem like a flawless masterpiece by comparison.

I watched the intro to hear Eddie talk about why THE BIG KNIFE would be considered noir. Eddie mentioned 1) a secret from the past (many non-noir films have that element, too) and 2) Robert Aldrich's previous film, KISS ME DEADLY, is noir. Huh? Maybe fifteen years ago on the TCM boards, one of the commenters said that when Wendell Corey and Wesley Addy give the best performances in a film, and I would agree that they do, that film is in trouble. Ida Lupino is stuck with more of the ghastly Odets dialogue.

Regarding MISS SHELLEY WINTERS: In HE RAN ALL THE WAY, she is slender, subtle, and sympathetic. All of that would change, but it doesn't affect how good she was in that film. I believe that the MISS was a term of respect, usually for established older actresses. I believe that Peggy Wood was billed on a soap opera as Miss Peggy Wood. Not sure if Sylvia Sidney was billed as Miss Sylvia Sidney on RYAN'S HOPE.

I do recall reading that for the first day when Lana Turner would be filming on FALCON CREST, the crew had a special chair for her with LANA TURNER on it, and Lana pitched a fit because it didn't have MISS LANA TURNER.

[KayFrancis]

I think The Big Knife was a Big Yawn. I had seen the film before and disliked it, after a few minutes of viewing this time, I didnt change my mind about this turkey, I switched channels
Out of respect, Barbara Stanwyck was billed as MISS BARBARA STANWYCK in The Big Valley and I believe in The Colbys.

[Andree]

TBK, so bad it's....awful. Except for the scenes with Rod chewing yards of carpet
it's really quite dull, especially the never ending back and forth the between Jack
and Ida. I felt a little sorry for her because this guy is basically a horn dog. He really
should have committed suicide in the first half hour of the film or better yet five
minutes before it started. All this upset over a movie contract. You'd think Jack
was fighting some kind of do or die battle. Take the money schnook and go play
in your swimming pool. I liked the Smiley Coy character until he was planning a
murder. Not nice, kitty, even if you did know Al Jolson. Not quite a BOMB, but close
enough.

[Hibi]

And starring MISS SHELLEY WINTERS as Dixie Evans! Who came up with THAT billing? I was so unimpressed with the film, I forgot to check this thread! PU!!! It was static and as hammy as I (vaguely) remembered it! Hard to say who was the hammiest, Steiger or Palance. (At least Steiger wasn't in the whole movie!) Except for one scene it all took place in his house (or back yard!) At least I'll never have to watch this again. Nice to know I had some taste even as a teen! Talk, talk, talk!

And WHY are they showing Dark Passage AGAIN???

When was it on last? I missed it. Haven't seen it in a couple of years. Love the apartment set, and Agnes Moorehead never looked better on screen.

I don't remember. It's been on Noir Alley a long time ago and shown many times on TCM regularly throughout the year. I may watch it again just out of Noir habit.

[Hibi]

I'm glad that ElCid and Hibi see THE BIG KNIFE just as I do. It will make DARK PASSAGE seem like a flawless masterpiece by comparison.

I watched the intro to hear Eddie talk about why THE BIG KNIFE would be considered noir. Eddie mentioned 1) a secret from the past (many non-noir films have that element, too) and 2) Robert Aldrich's previous film, KISS ME DEADLY, is noir. Huh? Maybe fifteen years ago on the TCM boards, one of the commenters said that when Wendell Corey and Wesley Addy give the best performances in a film, and I would agree that they do, that film is in trouble. Ida Lupino is stuck with more of the ghastly Odets dialogue.

Regarding MISS SHELLEY WINTERS: In HE RAN ALL THE WAY, she is slender, subtle, and sympathetic. All of that would change, but it doesn't affect how good she was in that film. I believe that the MISS was a term of respect, usually for established older actresses. I believe that Peggy Wood was billed on a soap opera as Miss Peggy Wood. Not sure if Sylvia Sidney was billed as Miss Sylvia Sidney on RYAN'S HOPE.

I do recall reading that for the first day when Lana Turner would be filming on FALCON CREST, the crew had a special chair for her with LANA TURNER on it, and Lana pitched a fit because it didn't have MISS LANA TURNER.

If I were Ida I would've demanded MISS IDA LUPINO billing in this film too!!!

[cmovieviewer]

When was it on last? I missed it. Haven't seen it in a couple of years. Love the apartment set, and Agnes Moorehead never looked better on screen.

Dark Passage was last shown on TCM on September 30, 2023, as part of a Saturday afternoon lineup. (There were 2 other showings prior to that in 2023.)

Eddie has previously introduced it for Noir Alley on the weekend of July 21, 2018.

[Bronxgirl48]

As wise dear old Nat tells Charlie: "Darling, please take the long view -- seven years of financial security"

You almost have to agree with Hoff, repulsive and misogynistic as he is: "The woman should stay out of her husband's business when he is providing the bread and butter"

What did Marion expect Charlie to do in New York? Shakespeare in the Park? Keep his ideals intact while the family goes on relief?

[Bronxgirl48]

"Psycho-analysis! Psycho-analysis!"