That Thing You Do

I saw Dark Passage the other night, the third of four films Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made together. It’s not their strongest, but it’s a San Francisco noir, so who’s complaining? 

Bogart plays an escaped prisoner, trying to clear his name for the murder of his wife (Shawshank Redemption steals wholesale from this film). To disguise himself, Bogart’s character gets plastic surgery, so for the first 30 minutes or so, you never see his face, as he’s supposed to look like someone else. You see him in shadow, or there’s a lot of p.ov. camera-work.

 

 

Bacall plays the woman who believes in his innocence, and hides him. The scene where she removes the bandages from his face is classic.

 

Surprise...he looks like her husband, Humphrey Bogart. But she wants to see him clean-shaven.

Vincent Parry: [looking in a mirror after the bandages are taken off] Same eyes. Same nose. Same hair. Everything else seems to be in a different place. I sure look older. That’s all right, I’m not. If it’s all right with me, it ought to be all right with you.
Irene Jansen: Can you shave?
Vincent Parry: The Doc said that I could.
Irene Jansen: Why don’t you get dressed. I’ll wait downstairs and sort of get a fresh impression.

Irene Jansen: : [seeing Vincent after he shaves] It’s unbelievable. but it’s good. I think I even like you better.
Vincent Parry: Well, don’t let it give you any ideas.
Irene Jansen: What kind?
Vincent Parry: Don’t change yours. I like it just as it is.

Bacall’s nostrils flare with pure lust. I don’t know if Bacall did that in real life with Bogart, if it was in the script, or both, but one thing was clear... Baby likes!