Reviews (3)

the next voice you hear
this is a great midnight movie (especially when it rains) since one of the highlights of the movie is the "rain sequence" when god demonstrates his power. A definite feel good movie, abit dated, but reminds us all that the "family" (whatever that means to each individual) whether it's a gay couple, a widow and her pet doggie, or a single mom with 3 kids, is what we basically all have and should cherish the moments and work through our fears (movie time is during the beginning of the cold war). I enjoyed it and liked it in black and white (pretty good acting too).

STRONG FAITH FROM YESTERYEAR
An average working man and his family discover, along with the rest of world, where true peace of mind comes from. To add to the story, God contacts us via radio. In 1950 when this film was released, television was still attempting to establish itself into the American home. This great film was directed by William Wellman, who also directed the classic 1927 movie "Wings". It stars James Whitmore (veteran actor, seen in recent years in the Miracle Gro commercials), Nancy Davis (Nancy Reagan, Ronald Reagan's wife) and Tom D'Andrea (Gillis from TV's "Life of Riley".)

Fear vs. Faith
I first saw this film when I was about 10 years old on television. I never forgot it or the impact it had on me at the time. I remember it being suspenseful, even scary. I did not see it again until I was an adult. It still has impact. The movie actually raised questions of faith and fear. I am a counselor in a rehab for adolescent males and have used the movie in a spirituality group. It really made for an excellent discussion. A good film that holds it own however you view it: spiritual, fantasy, or suspense. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With Michael Curtiz (Casablanca) as director, Cary Grant in thelead, and wall-to-wall songs by Cole Porter, how could Night and Daylose? Why, by taking broad liberties with the composer's life story and failing to live up to expectations. If you can overlook such shortcomings, however, it's lively entertainment that doesn't completely deserve the scorn it has elicited. Grant is good as a bon vivant who had a way with words but lacked the discipline to pursue a career in law. As a singer, on the other hand, he's merely adequate. Curtiz wisely has the fine supporting actresses (Jane Wyman, Ginny Simms, etc.) handle the big numbers suchas "You're the Top." Also, Porter's story was meant for black and white. TheTechnicolor process adds an unfortunate garishness to the tale of a man whosevery name has become a synonym for elegance. With Mary Martin and Monty Woolleyas themselves. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (10)

MARY MARTIN SAVES THE DAY!
Story of the adult life of Cole Porter, through his accident on a horse and recouperation.

Regarding him and his spouse, what were these two people really like, and their marriage? We'll never know from this movie, which portrays them in a one-dimensional, saccharin mode.

Grant tries to rise above the script and almost does. Alexis Smith simply sinks.

The film's saving grace is the fabulous music. The production numbers are more than gratifying, Ginny Simms and Jane Wyman being the main performers.

But remember Mary Martin, the gem of our American theatre? She steals the whole film with only scene wherein she belts out "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" to remind us how thrilling and awesome her talent really was. Worth the film just to see this!

A Classic!
Our family is a big fan of musicals and old movie classics and "Night and Day" fits into both categories perfectly! We rented this movie a few days ago and fell in love with it immediately. The story of Cole Porter, portrayed by Cary Grant, is such a neat one, showing the sacrifices he made, and the difficulties of becoming a composer. I give this a 5 star rating. I think that young and old alike will fall for this movie right away.

Night and Day on DVD
Others have addressed the travesty this movie makes of Cole Porter's life, so I will not rehash. Historically, both Linda and Cole were supposed to have been quite pleased with the flic, which, given the times, probably was the only public reaction they could have had (I'd hope they laughed histerically in private).

On the plus side, we have Alexis Smith as beautiful and elegant as she always was, but younger (presumably Linda Lee Porter suggested her for the role); Jane Wyman vital and sparkling, as far removed from Douglas Sirk as one can imagine; Mary Martin innocently raunchy; Eve Arden putting on a French accent, straight-faced; and about the most gosh-awful-kitschiest rendition of Begin the Beguine I have ever seen, on or off film. Not campy but garish, it becomes fascinatingly repellent .... definitely worth seeing. It is the movie's "Big Number" .... seriously tasteless and ill-conceived, following relatively close on the heels -so to speak- of an acknowledged masterpiece: Begin the Beguine, the "Big Number" in "Broadway Melody of 1940," danced by Eleanor Powell and Fred Astaire.(Available in a pristine transfer to DVD).

What is absolutely shameful is the minimal care evidenced in the movie's transfer to DVD. Scratches and dirt are easily discernible...... worst: whole sections go by in thoroughly faded technicolor, yet there are isolated spots when one is reminded how glorious the process could be. It doesn't appear WB went to a negative but rather picked from various prints in varying degrees of deterioration. I can think of many movies deserving full-fledged restoration before Night and Day,
but, c'mon...... surely Warner can do better than this.

WB partially redeems itself by including a musical short featuring a singing Desi Arnaz and His Band, and a truly charmless, through-composed oddity called "Musical Movieland." Nonetheless, on the balance, if it came to a choice, I would have opted for a better transfer.

Music and Performances Are The High Points
One of Broadway's most brilliant songwriters, Cole Porter (1891-1964) worked hard to present an unflappable image to the world--but in truth he was a tremendously complex man, a homosexual who lived with wife Linda Lee Thomas in a marriage of convenience, subject fits of depression, and suffering horrific pain in the wake of a horseback riding accident which left him crippled at the peak of his career. Add to this the fact that his lyrics were often censored for film, radio, and records and it seems very odd that 1940s Hollywood would attempt a biography.

What they did, of course, was fictionalize it to the max, reducing the story of his life to a mix of backstage musical and domestic drama--and transforming the tiny and waspish Porter and his icy bride Linda into handsome Cary Grant and lovely Alexis Smith. The result is pure nonsense, of course, but when you tack in a host of Porter classics--fantasy it might be, but it is entertaining enough to watch.

Grant is no singer, but he has considerable charm, and Smith is as always extremely attractive. The supporting cast is remarkably strong, featuring the likes of Jane Wyman, Eve Arden, Dorothy Malone, and Alan Hale--and rare screen appearances by Monty Woolley and Mary Martin, who deliver knockout performances of "Miss Otis Regrets" and "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" respectively. The DVD transfer is reasonable, and although the bonuses are pure fluff they are amusing. While it may be short on fact with a story little more than pure melodrama, the music and performers make NIGHT AND DAY a reasonably pleasant way to spend a rainy afternoon.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Cary is not Cole
Cole Porter was a skinny, homely little guy from Peru, Indiana, who reinvented himself as an international sophisticate. And he was gay. Of course a movie of this era cannot be expected to deal with a subject that was then taboo. But casting the dashing Cary Grant as Cole Porter turns this movie into pure fantasy, if enjoyable fantasy. In the MGM musical about Rodgers and Hart, "Words and Music," casting the role of Lorenz "Larry" Hart posed a similar problem. Hart was 4' 9", alcoholic, and more or less openly gay. They at least made a stab at getting it right by casting the diminutive Mickey Rooney, and including many of Hart's mannerisms, such as his hyperactivity, penchant for smoking large cigars, and his habit of nervously rubbing his hands together. And there's a scene when Tom Drake as Rodgers gives Rooney a funny look when he he puts an arm on his shoulder while he is playing the piano. Very subtle but unmistakeable. Mickey Rooney as Hart is an honorable failure. The best that one can say about Cary Grant as Cole Porter is that Porter would certainly have liked to look like Grant. (And then there is "Rhapsody in Blue," starring Robert Alda, who is a reasonable facsimile of the probably gay Gershwin, which invents two completely fictional female romantic interests for Gershwin, who never had any.) One piece of authenticity in the film is Monty Woolley, who was a classmate and friend of Porter at Yale. Monty was a scion of Manhattan high society, and Cole a social climber par excellence--and they both loved the theater. The music makes it all more than worthwhile--the high point for me being the great Mary Martin doing the song that made her a star, "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Never Say Goodbye
Please help make available the Rock Hudson movie by the same name.

The ERROL FLYNN--not ROCK HUDSON--review if you want it!!!!!
Forgotten and forgettable domestic comedy, which sometimes descends into maudlin melodrama, starring Errol Flynn as a man attempting to gain his wife back. Flynn gives an earnest and sincere but ultimately futile effort (considering this movie was a flop and it's still evident to see why today) as Phil Gayley, a playboy artist determined to win his wife back as he's still in love with her and they share a young daughter together. Beautiful Eleanor Parker is warm and earthy as Ellen Gayley, who's partial toward giving it another go as she too is still smitten with Phil, but complicating matters is her jealousy over his constant proximity with lovely ladies who pose for him, and her recent involvement with a serviceman. The usual stale and tired comical situations occur on their road toward reconciliation before the predictable happens and they end up a happy family once again. Entertaining enough and not all that bad, only such a shame these stars were pretty much wasted in such fluffy stuff. However, for (female?) fans of the legendary swashbucker's, it's worth watching this vehicle just to gaze upon Flynn's handsomeness alone!

A very likable film
I first watched this movie when I was an adolescent and it touched me forever; It really get to you. Please make it on DVD; If not I will do it.

Never Say Goodbye. ( 1956 )
Never say goodbye,1956. This is a really good movie
with Rock Hudson and Shelley Fabares,I first saw this
movie in 1962. it holds fond memories for me.I would
love to have it on DVD.

Never Say Goodbye
This movie was re-made and starred Rock Hudson. It's always been one of my favorite movies and I wish they would release it on DVD! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Flynn's Disillusionment
Errol Flynn stars as an unfairly disgraced Union officer who decides to look out for number one in post-Civil War America. He quickly builds a financial empire, methodically taking over Silver City, a town dependant on its silver mines. Of course, a lot of people have to pay for his ambition and ruthlessness, and in the end, so must he.

Flynn's performance is better than usual throughout most of the film, his own personal sense of disillusionment no doubt contributing. Ann Sheridan, as the feisty woman he loves, is stronger in the first half of the film. Thomas Mitchell, as the sermonizing lawyer, gets some great speeches which he plays for what they are worth.

Unfortunately, the movie's moral message is laid on a bit heavy. A little less talk and a little more action would have been an improvement. Director Raoul Walsh is usually very good at mixing character development with action, but it doesn't come together here. The actors and the director seem "tired" with this film, and the results show on the screen. It's an average Western that probably could have been much more.

David and Bathseba in the Wild West
Near the end of the civil war courageous cavalry officer Mike McComb (Errol Flynn) burns one million dollars, so that the confederates won't get them. His reward: dishonorable discharge. His promising career as owner of a gambling saloon is thwarted, and so he decides to go west.

He steals the horses and covered wagons from Mrs. Georgia Moore (Ann Sheridan) who needed them to bring machinery to her husbands silver mine. Inexorable and not choosy in his doings, McComb bullies his way to power: The workers in the silver mines lose their money in his saloons, so he decides to become a banker as well. He gives them credit, so that they can lose more money in his saloons and apply for even more credit etc...

Now this western gets the biblical treatment: King David sent Uriah to die in battle because he lusted for his wife Bathseba. McComb sends Mr. Moore to explore a silver mine despite his knowledge that belligerent indians are near...The result is the same: David got Bathseba and McComb gets widow Moore. Well, he loves her, that's at least his excuse when his drunken buddy John Plato Beck (Thomas Mitchell) confronts him. He builds a gigantic castle in the desert. White marbles, imported from Europe, chandeliers from french chateaus, his own private Camelot (Greetings from "Citizen Kane"). But the golden days of die-hard american capitalism are numbered - at least in this film...

Some years ago the author of a Flynn biography wrote that McComb was perhaps Flynn's finest role, so when this film was shown a few days ago I watched with great curiosity, of course. Unfortunately it was rather disappointing. Flynn was certainly one of the slyest and most entertaining stars ever to come out of Hollywood. His autobiography was appropriately titled "My wicked wicked ways" and in the early sixties the famous gossip colummist Hedda Hopper complained jokingly:"Hollywood has become so boring. There has not been one interesting rape or murder case since Errol Flynn died". Sadly, not much of his colorful persona survives on screen. In this film he has moments of dullness, especially in the first half. Sometimes he seems not here at all. He does some wisecracking, but mostly at the expense of honest and straightforward Ann Sheridan, so the fun-factor is low.

He was, no question, slightly past his prime, but the glimplse of despair that appears in his eyes now and then serves the second half of this film (McCombs decline) well. There are some touching scenes when he realizes how much his world has changed. Creditors clear his house, his wife has left him to become the campaign manager of his former best friend and now embittered adversary. Flynn has a great moment when he is surprised with the news, that Thomas Mitchell, whom he knew only as hapless alcoholic, is now to become a mighty senator, able and willing to crush him.

With Ann Sheridan he has a strong leading lady (She was even better in "I was a male war bride" with Cary Grant), but it's Thomas Mitchell who steals the film despite (or because) of his overacting. "Silver River" is a good film, a watchable film, especially when compared with most of the sterile products today's Hollywood has to offer, but it could have been much better.

SILVER RIVER
Hang on to your Stetson. This is Errol Flynn in one of his best post World War 2 nuanced roles. From the riproaring opening on the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg, where Flynn destroys a million dollars in Union greenbacks,the way west to Silver City is paved with action,blind ambition,lust and redemption. Mike McComb (Flynn) is a complex character. He is a charming rogue and a ruthless competitor. McComb will traverse any length to have what he wants when he wants it, be it a money making enterprise or another man's wife. Flynn's character is a marvel to watch as he climbs to the summit of power and finally pays the price for his ambition. Supporting Errol in this entertaining morality tale are some Warner Brothers' stock company pros. The lovely Ann Sheridan is both elegant and earthy. Miss Sheridan matches Flynn's on screen charisma frame for frame as the object of desire. Tom D'Andrea as Errol's friend and bodyguard is affable in a solid performance. Thomas Mitchell returns from an alcoholic fog and pulls off a credible performance as McCombs' conscience. And how can Barton MacLane be anything but perfect as the thuggish villian in this unusual western.

Here is a fifty-plus year old movie with some very 1990's character sensibilities. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The greatness of John Garfield was that he was a tough guy who wasn't afraid to wear his sensitivity on his sleeve. What makes this such a great film is that director Jean Negulesco and his two writers (including Clifford Oddets) construct a complex web of ambiguity around Garfield's own torment. He's a violin virtuoso from the slums of New York who rises to the top with the assistance of socialite Joan Crawford (who was never better). There's a sexual intensity to his art that she wants to possess, and there's a vulnerability behind her lacerating façade that he wants to expose. They play each other like a couple of virtuosos, stripping each other's spirit away. What helps transcend this depression-era class struggle is its cool sophistication. It's a sublime noir about loneliness. Everyone knows his dream has hit a dead end, except Garfield. He refuses to give up, even after his soul is long gone. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Nothing Good Can Come Of This Relationship
In HUMORESQUE we see a dedicated young musician (John Garfield) meet a wealthy possessive woman (Joan Crawford) who takes an obsessive interest in him and his career as a violinist. We know that nothing good can come of this relationship and we are surely looking at a tragedy in the making. In spite of all the warning signs we feel compelled to watch this movie to the end.

The acting of both Garfield and Crawford is superb. The role of Helen Wright seems to be the perfect vehicle for Crawford. Oscar Levant excells as a pianist and Garfield's friend. The rest of the strong supporting cast includes J. Carrol Naish, Joan Chandler and Tom D'Andrea. Garfield's violin is played by Isaac Stern.

HUMORESQUE received an Oscar nomination in 1946 for Best Scoring of a Dramatic Picture. Jean Negulosco directed many other fine movies during his career including JOHNNY BELINDA, ROAD HOUSE and THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN.

A ROMANCE TO DIE FOR...
This is a superb melodrama about a young man, Paul Boray, from the wrong side of the tracks, who plays a mean violin, and the unhappily married society matron, Helen Wright, who becomes his patron and then his lover. John Garfield is well cast as Paul Boray, the ambitious violinist. Joan Crawford does a star turn as the glamorous and beautiful patron of the arts, who underwrites Boray's big break and ends up falling passionately in love with him. Theirs is a turbulent relationship. He is singularly devoted to his music, and she is an alcoholic, plagued by self-doubt. They are star crossed lovers whose romance is destined to end tragically.

The film has a magnificent musical score courtesy of violinist virtuoso Isaac Stern. Pianist Oscar Levant is a double threat in this movie, as he, too, does a star turn as Boray's best friend, acting as a comedic foil. He also dazzles on the ivories, playing away so that the viewer wonders why he, too, does not have some society dame underwriting a show for him, such is his talent. All in all, a well cast and well acted film. Fans of Joan Crawford and all those with an appreciation of classical music will especially enjoy this well made film.

Playing second fiddle to Beethoven's ghost
That sentiment sums up the frustration and disappointment of Helen Wright [Joan Crawford] about her love for and obsession with violin virtuoso Paul Boray [John Garfield] in an excellent film blessed with great acting and beautiful music. Mrs. Wright becomes Boray's patron and gives his career a financial boost but becomes hopelessly drawn to her protege as his concert career takes off. The two principals circle each other warily, sizing up the other and lashing out verbally with accusations of ingratitude and selfishness with Boray holding fast to his dedication to his music while Mrs. Wright begins a slow but steady decline into drinking and depression. Boray's tunnel vision concerning his instrument does not allow him to appreciate the love Gina [Joan Chandler] has for him, nor can he grasp his mother's sage counsel and warning about his involvement with a married woman. The film has generous servings of music by Sarasate, Dvorak, Lalo and a brief but excellent recital of Franz Waxman's adaptation of "Carmen".

Crawford & Garfield in top form!
Terrific movie and Joan's worthy follow up to "Mildred Pierce." Everything's terrific about this one, so curl up on the sofa and settle in for a first class melodrama.

Joan Crawford's finest film and performance.
Not only was Joan Crawford at the height of her beauty and glamour when she made Humoresque - she was also at the height of her acting ability, having just won the Oscar for Mildred Pierce. It would be unfair to say Humoresque is a better film than Mildred Pierce, considering how different the two films are. Mildred Pierce was gritty and dark and strived for harsh realism. Humoresque is romantic and tragic - beautifully written, acted, and filmed. There are moments in movies that linger in your mind a long time after viewing.. The finale of Humoresque is one of those moments. I'm certain I will never forget Joan Crawford's melancholy walk along the sea shore in the moonlight. It is one of the most artistic scenes ever captured on film...and all the emotion Joan goes through is genuine and deep. It is definitely a glimpse through to the heart of Joan Crawford, vulnerable and beautiful, defiant and strong. For in real life, Joan Crawford was never loved. And her character in Humoresque was, as Joan described, "a woman with too much time on her hands and too much love in her heart." Perhaps that was the real Joan Crawford, a woman clinging to her career and the fans that loved her, when nobody else did. People have long criticized Joan Crawford, but who would you be if nobody loved you? ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the show and thereby raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, (Senator) George Murphy and (Governor) Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones (think of it as the "Predator" of its generation). Reagan had just entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" before moving on to military training films.

Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's legendary 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. Murphy sings and dances to "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "My Sweetie" and "We're On Our Way to France." After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off to the swelling strains of "This Time We Will All Make Certain."

The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. Certainly "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film, although the difference between sending the troops out to fight that war and the one currently being waged is rather dramatic. The film won the Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture for "Ray Heindorf."

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the musical and raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, (Senator) George Murphy and (Governor) Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones. Reagan, who had just earnedd the best notices of his career for his work in "King's Row," entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" and then military training films. Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's celebrated 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to hurry up and marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off. The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and the special treat of Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. Certainly "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film.

Special Version on Original Release.
I recall screening this movie to packed audiences in 1944, so much so that the police had to control the box office. Every performance (3 times daily) played to capacity audiences, so I know all the songs especially MY BRITISH BUDDY, which no doubt U.S. Viewers have never even heard off.
In 1943, BRITISH versions included an Irving Berlin song, sung by Irving called MY BRITISH BUDDY, (We are as different as can be, he thinks he's winning the war and I think its ME! But we are in this to the finish, and on one thing we agree, when the war is won, and the job is done, we'll be joining hands across the sea)
I have yet to see this section on American TV versions, and wonder if it is included in American VHS versions. (which I doubt) It does demonstrate however just how close the Bros; Warner worked with the State Department, and orther Government agencies. perhaps they had a special version for France as well?

Will we ever know?
Ah Well
JD. July 2002

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the musical and raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, (Senator) George Murphy and (Governor) Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones. Reagan had just entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" and then military training films. Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off. The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. Certainly "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film.

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the musical and raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, George Murphy and Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones. Reagan had just entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" and then military training films. Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off. The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

THRILLING NOIR GETS ROYAL TREATMENT ON DVD
"Dark Passage" is the last time Bogart and Bacall were teamed together on screen. The resulting film noir was not a box office sensation when it originally hit theaters, perhaps in part due to the first person camera perspective employed during the first forty minutes of the narrative and then the additional absence of seeing Bogart's character, except behind a swath of bandages for most of the latter half of the film. However, like most great film noir, "Dark Passage" has outlived its initial disappointment to become a classic. Bogart is Vincent Parry, a man accused of murdering his wife and sent to prison for life. But he escapes San Quentin prison and is rescued by Irene Jansen (Bacall). Irene smuggles Parry past police, across the Golden Gate Bridge and to her San Francisco apartment. From there Parry procures a plastic surgeon to alter his facial features, but first takes off to visit his old friend, George Fellsinger (Rory Mallinson). However, when Parry returns to George's flat he finds that someone has murdered his best friend. Knowing that he will be considered the first choice of suspect in this crime, Parry retreats to Irene's apartment where she looks after him for the duration of his healing. With his new face looking like the spitting image of Humphrey Bogart, Parry heads over to his ex-wife's former friend, Madge Rapf (Agnes Moorehead). She is the one responsible for Parry's wife's murder and when Parry confronts Madge with his knowledge, she realizes who the stranger is, attempts to escape, but accidentally falls from the seventh story to her death. With no conceivable way of proving that Madge killed his wife and George, Parry contacts Irene with his next port of call. The finale is perhaps overly optimistic with Irene miraculously turning up at some café in a tropical port with Parry waiting at a table for two for her to arrive.

The DVD transfer is outstanding. Warner Brothers gives us a remastered picture that ranks among their very best transfers. It's amazing how much fine detail is maintained throughout the presentation. The gray scale is extremely well balanced. Blacks are - for the most part - black, although there is a couple of scenes in which 'blooming' does occur. There is also a trace element of pixelization. The audio is MONO but very nicely balanced. Extras include a featurette on the making of the film that, while short, manages to cover a lot of ground and contextualize some of the background surrounding its production shoot. You also get a Bugs Bunny cartoon and the film's theatrical trailer.

Is this "Lady In The Lake" or am I seeing things?
Lesser known and least acclaimed film of the Humphrey Bogart-Lauren Bacall teaming, and justifiably so. Utilizes many over-reaching and cliched plot devices throughout, and in the first half hour or so I thought I was watching a bad reincarnation of the mediocre "Lady In The Lake," what with the subjective camera angle where the audience sees everything through the eyes of the main character. Stars Bogart as Vince Parry, a man wrongfully sent to San Quentin for killing his ungrateful wife and makes his escape, only to encounter many a problem and no-good folks. Bacall plays Irene Janssen, a beautiful young woman that has, in one of the examples of over-reaching this film uses, followed Vince's case since it reminded her of her wrongfully jailed father's situation, and who is every fugitive's dreamgirl since she aids him with all an escaped convict would need or want--helps with his getaway, provides food and her nice apartment for him to stay in, money ($500-a lot back then), and of course romance--although that comes later. She even becomes his nursey when he changes his appearance with plastic surgery. In another ludicrous case of over-reaching, Vince meets up by chance with a cabbie who can "read" faces and who, despite recognizing him and knowing about his wife's murder, can tell Vince didn't do it and that his face is "good." Therefore, he puts Vince in contact with a friend of his who just happens to be a plastic surgeon, exactly what any fugitive would want--and on top of that, is willing to do it for only 200 bucks! (granted, that was a good amount back then, but for a masterful job which could get him into legal trouble, c'mon!). Along the way he meets up again with Madge Rapf (wonderfully played by a deliciously wicked Agnes Moorehead), a devious busybody-troublemaker from his past who is a murderer. Although Vince is never able to get his name cleared, all ends well when he settles elsewhere with a new identity and with Irene, but not before we are given a moralistic scene in the train station where Vince overhears a downtrodden, "Okie" married couple with kids lamenting about lack of human kindness and generosity. I suppose this was to be in contrast to the kindness and generosity Irene showed Vince--nevertheless, it's totally gratuitous. However, despite the flaws, this is a tense and entertaining noir which would have been downright laughable given lesser performers, but is truly gripping due to Bogie, Bacall, and Moorehead.

Dark Horse, But a Winner
The best of black-and-white films are such that the viewer forgets very quickly that there is no color. If truly good, it will impart a style and an atmosphere that color can't duplicate. By 1947, when this movie was made, there wasn't much that a major studio couldn't do superbly in B/W. All their talent has been transferred to this DVD.

The premise for this movie is indeed improbable, and the idea that someone would want to change into the Bogart time-worn face is laughable. However, the interplay between the Bogarts is electric, and she never looked any sexier. The San Francisco art deco buildings and scenery is an added bonus. Agnes Moorhead, certainly one of our most underrated radio and film actresses, was never better as the catty friend. As a variation of film noir, though, this is fun to watch and gets better with each viewing.

Bogie And Bacall Light Up The Screen In Stylish Film Noir
Often passed off as the least successful of the four screen teamings of legendary Hollywood couple Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, "Dark Passage", despite its often unlikely premise has much to recommend it. Bogie is always riverting to watch on screen even in his lesser films and his work in "Dark Passage", as an escaped convict undergoing plastic surgery to try to clear his name over the murder of his wife is first rate. While the film certainly lacks a degree of the unique verbal sparring that viewers have come to expect of Bogie and Bacall's work together, the personal chemistry is still there and just as magic between the two. It is these two performers aided greatly by the superb Agnes Moorehead in the type of vinegary characterisation that she made uniquely her own in the 1940's that really elevates this story and manages to make many of the incredible turn of events that bit more believable.

Based on a David Goodis novel, director Delmer Daves also took over responsibility for the screenplay and weaved an engrossing if not always plausible story centred around Vincent Parry (Bogart) who we see in the first scene making his escape on the back of a truck from San Quentin Prison. Picked up a few minutes later by artist Irene Jansen (Bacall), who happened to be doing some painting in the surrounding hills as the prison siren went off, Vincent finds himself suddenly with a staunch ally in his quest to get to the bottom of his wife's murder. Irene takes Vincent back to her apartment in San Francisco where her attraction to him becomes immediately evident.She explains that her sudden determination to help him despite the personal risks to herself, is the result of her interest in his case and the firm belief that he was framed for his wife's murder. Seeing that a city wide manhunt is now underway Vincent takes the advice of a friendly cab driver (Tom D'Andrea), who guesses who he is and allows him to arrange to get some plastic surgery done to change his appearance. Hiding out at Irene's apartment while his face heals Vincent realises that he and Irene have a connection in the person of gossipy sharp tongued Madge Rapf (Agnes Moorehead),who is a constant thorn in Irene's side and actually testified against Vincent in his murder trial. Madge gets suspicious of the man she believes Irene is hiding in her apartment and begins to follow Vincent once his bandages are removed and he begins to track down the real killer of his wife. Putting two and two together Vincent realises that Madge is the guilty party and is a woman who when she can't get what she wants is the type to destroy what others love. In a powerful confrontation scene where Madge learns the identity of the man with the strangely familiar face it is revealed that she is the one who was also responsible for the death of his wife and only friend George. Unable to get Madge to confess to her crimes and thus clearing his name Vincent realises he has no chance of going free in particular when Madge falls to her death from her apartment window. He then decides to flee to South America where with not much persuasion he is joined by the romantically hooked Irene to hopefully start a new life together.

Totally implausible? Perhaps but as with alot of the well crafted film Noir's of the 40's it is done in an irresistable style. The sheer coincidence of most the characters being somehow connected with each other or automatically knowing someone who can help in Vincent's plight is indeed at times hard to accept but once again it is the performers and their total immersion in the characters that succeeds in pulling it off. "Dark Passage", is unique, and on the down side has been at times strongly criticised for, its shooting from the view of Humphrey Bogart's face so that we dont actually see him for the first half hour of the film. I personally believe that approach is highly effective and quite unique and it certainly keeps the interest up until Vincent's grand unveiling when he looks like of course Humphrey Bogart. The fact that Vincent does look different is also responsible for the very powerful last scene between Vincent and Madge when she slowly begins to realise, much to her terror, who this strange man is she has invited into her home. Bogart, Bacall and Moorehead rightly run away with the acting honours here but the supporting cast is a strong one with Houseley Stevenson as the plastic surgeon and Clifton Young as the black mailing Baker real standouts in their playing. The film like all noir efforts benefits greatly from the stark black and white photography by Sid Hickox with many of the exterior shots done in very early morning or late in the evening. Location work done in the downtown region of San Francisco also gives the film added interest with alot of action taking place around the Golden Gate Bridge which is well used in particular during the shoot out between Vincent and Baker.

"Dark Passage", may not be top draw Bogart akin to "Casablanca", or "The Maltese falcon", however it is a spirited tale in its own right and should be viewed as such. Its strong 1940's feel and stark photography aid in raising this story a number of notches above other similiar efforts of this period and even when he is not seen on camera for the first section of the story Bogart by using his distinctive voice manages to draw the audience into Vincent Parry's story. He and Lauren Bacall were one of Hollywood's greatest acting teams and even in a lesser effort such as this still provide first class entertainment. Enjoy.

Visually stunning, but too coincidental...
Vincent Parry (Humphrey Bogart) is convicted and sentenced for murder and has now escaped the San Quentin prison. By coincidence Irene Jansen (Lauren Bacall) is in the near by hills painting landscape portraits when Vincent escapes and she decides to help him. Irene is one of the few who believed that Vincent was innocent of the murder of his wife, and this motivates her to help him. However, Vincent wants to discover who the murderer was on his own, but realizes that his face is nationally known as it has been on the front page of all the newspapers. Through the help of a taxi driver Vincent finds a plastic surgeon that gives him a new face that will help him on his quest for the truth. Dark Passage begins with interesting cinematography as it conceals Vincent's face until after the plastic surgery, which enhances the cinematic experience. But it does not save the awkward coincidental moments that drive the story forward and hurts the overall cinematic experience leaving the audience with a viewable, but gawky story. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This gimmicky film noir stars Humphrey Bogart as an escaped criminal who undergoes plastic surgery and holes up at the home of Lauren Bacall's character while healing and preparing to prove his innocence. If you can last through the first half-hour of this thing--which is shot entirely from the subjective view of Bogart's bandaged face, which we don't see until later--you might find ample reason in the stars' performances to stick around for the conclusion. But director Delmer Daves (A Summer Place) tests a viewer's endurance with such an obvious, attention-getting ploy. The least of the Bogart-Bacall vehicles (The Big Sleep,To Have and Have Not, Key Largo). --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (38)

THRILLING NOIR GETS ROYAL TREATMENT ON DVD
"Dark Passage" is the last time Bogart and Bacall were teamed together on screen. The resulting film noir was not a box office sensation when it originally hit theaters, perhaps in part due to the first person camera perspective employed during the first forty minutes of the narrative and then the additional absence of seeing Bogart's character, except behind a swath of bandages for most of the latter half of the film. However, like most great film noir, "Dark Passage" has outlived its initial disappointment to become a classic. Bogart is Vincent Parry, a man accused of murdering his wife and sent to prison for life. But he escapes San Quentin prison and is rescued by Irene Jansen (Bacall). Irene smuggles Parry past police, across the Golden Gate Bridge and to her San Francisco apartment. From there Parry procures a plastic surgeon to alter his facial features, but first takes off to visit his old friend, George Fellsinger (Rory Mallinson). However, when Parry returns to George's flat he finds that someone has murdered his best friend. Knowing that he will be considered the first choice of suspect in this crime, Parry retreats to Irene's apartment where she looks after him for the duration of his healing. With his new face looking like the spitting image of Humphrey Bogart, Parry heads over to his ex-wife's former friend, Madge Rapf (Agnes Moorehead). She is the one responsible for Parry's wife's murder and when Parry confronts Madge with his knowledge, she realizes who the stranger is, attempts to escape, but accidentally falls from the seventh story to her death. With no conceivable way of proving that Madge killed his wife and George, Parry contacts Irene with his next port of call. The finale is perhaps overly optimistic with Irene miraculously turning up at some café in a tropical port with Parry waiting at a table for two for her to arrive.

The DVD transfer is outstanding. Warner Brothers gives us a remastered picture that ranks among their very best transfers. It's amazing how much fine detail is maintained throughout the presentation. The gray scale is extremely well balanced. Blacks are - for the most part - black, although there is a couple of scenes in which 'blooming' does occur. There is also a trace element of pixelization. The audio is MONO but very nicely balanced. Extras include a featurette on the making of the film that, while short, manages to cover a lot of ground and contextualize some of the background surrounding its production shoot. You also get a Bugs Bunny cartoon and the film's theatrical trailer.

Is this "Lady In The Lake" or am I seeing things?
Lesser known and least acclaimed film of the Humphrey Bogart-Lauren Bacall teaming, and justifiably so. Utilizes many over-reaching and cliched plot devices throughout, and in the first half hour or so I thought I was watching a bad reincarnation of the mediocre "Lady In The Lake," what with the subjective camera angle where the audience sees everything through the eyes of the main character. Stars Bogart as Vince Parry, a man wrongfully sent to San Quentin for killing his ungrateful wife and makes his escape, only to encounter many a problem and no-good folks. Bacall plays Irene Janssen, a beautiful young woman that has, in one of the examples of over-reaching this film uses, followed Vince's case since it reminded her of her wrongfully jailed father's situation, and who is every fugitive's dreamgirl since she aids him with all an escaped convict would need or want--helps with his getaway, provides food and her nice apartment for him to stay in, money ($500-a lot back then), and of course romance--although that comes later. She even becomes his nursey when he changes his appearance with plastic surgery. In another ludicrous case of over-reaching, Vince meets up by chance with a cabbie who can "read" faces and who, despite recognizing him and knowing about his wife's murder, can tell Vince didn't do it and that his face is "good." Therefore, he puts Vince in contact with a friend of his who just happens to be a plastic surgeon, exactly what any fugitive would want--and on top of that, is willing to do it for only 200 bucks! (granted, that was a good amount back then, but for a masterful job which could get him into legal trouble, c'mon!). Along the way he meets up again with Madge Rapf (wonderfully played by a deliciously wicked Agnes Moorehead), a devious busybody-troublemaker from his past who is a murderer. Although Vince is never able to get his name cleared, all ends well when he settles elsewhere with a new identity and with Irene, but not before we are given a moralistic scene in the train station where Vince overhears a downtrodden, "Okie" married couple with kids lamenting about lack of human kindness and generosity. I suppose this was to be in contrast to the kindness and generosity Irene showed Vince--nevertheless, it's totally gratuitous. However, despite the flaws, this is a tense and entertaining noir which would have been downright laughable given lesser performers, but is truly gripping due to Bogie, Bacall, and Moorehead.

Dark Horse, But a Winner
The best of black-and-white films are such that the viewer forgets very quickly that there is no color. If truly good, it will impart a style and an atmosphere that color can't duplicate. By 1947, when this movie was made, there wasn't much that a major studio couldn't do superbly in B/W. All their talent has been transferred to this DVD.

The premise for this movie is indeed improbable, and the idea that someone would want to change into the Bogart time-worn face is laughable. However, the interplay between the Bogarts is electric, and she never looked any sexier. The San Francisco art deco buildings and scenery is an added bonus. Agnes Moorhead, certainly one of our most underrated radio and film actresses, was never better as the catty friend. As a variation of film noir, though, this is fun to watch and gets better with each viewing.

Bogie And Bacall Light Up The Screen In Stylish Film Noir
Often passed off as the least successful of the four screen teamings of legendary Hollywood couple Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, "Dark Passage", despite its often unlikely premise has much to recommend it. Bogie is always riverting to watch on screen even in his lesser films and his work in "Dark Passage", as an escaped convict undergoing plastic surgery to try to clear his name over the murder of his wife is first rate. While the film certainly lacks a degree of the unique verbal sparring that viewers have come to expect of Bogie and Bacall's work together, the personal chemistry is still there and just as magic between the two. It is these two performers aided greatly by the superb Agnes Moorehead in the type of vinegary characterisation that she made uniquely her own in the 1940's that really elevates this story and manages to make many of the incredible turn of events that bit more believable.

Based on a David Goodis novel, director Delmer Daves also took over responsibility for the screenplay and weaved an engrossing if not always plausible story centred around Vincent Parry (Bogart) who we see in the first scene making his escape on the back of a truck from San Quentin Prison. Picked up a few minutes later by artist Irene Jansen (Bacall), who happened to be doing some painting in the surrounding hills as the prison siren went off, Vincent finds himself suddenly with a staunch ally in his quest to get to the bottom of his wife's murder. Irene takes Vincent back to her apartment in San Francisco where her attraction to him becomes immediately evident.She explains that her sudden determination to help him despite the personal risks to herself, is the result of her interest in his case and the firm belief that he was framed for his wife's murder. Seeing that a city wide manhunt is now underway Vincent takes the advice of a friendly cab driver (Tom D'Andrea), who guesses who he is and allows him to arrange to get some plastic surgery done to change his appearance. Hiding out at Irene's apartment while his face heals Vincent realises that he and Irene have a connection in the person of gossipy sharp tongued Madge Rapf (Agnes Moorehead),who is a constant thorn in Irene's side and actually testified against Vincent in his murder trial. Madge gets suspicious of the man she believes Irene is hiding in her apartment and begins to follow Vincent once his bandages are removed and he begins to track down the real killer of his wife. Putting two and two together Vincent realises that Madge is the guilty party and is a woman who when she can't get what she wants is the type to destroy what others love. In a powerful confrontation scene where Madge learns the identity of the man with the strangely familiar face it is revealed that she is the one who was also responsible for the death of his wife and only friend George. Unable to get Madge to confess to her crimes and thus clearing his name Vincent realises he has no chance of going free in particular when Madge falls to her death from her apartment window. He then decides to flee to South America where with not much persuasion he is joined by the romantically hooked Irene to hopefully start a new life together.

Totally implausible? Perhaps but as with alot of the well crafted film Noir's of the 40's it is done in an irresistable style. The sheer coincidence of most the characters being somehow connected with each other or automatically knowing someone who can help in Vincent's plight is indeed at times hard to accept but once again it is the performers and their total immersion in the characters that succeeds in pulling it off. "Dark Passage", is unique, and on the down side has been at times strongly criticised for, its shooting from the view of Humphrey Bogart's face so that we dont actually see him for the first half hour of the film. I personally believe that approach is highly effective and quite unique and it certainly keeps the interest up until Vincent's grand unveiling when he looks like of course Humphrey Bogart. The fact that Vincent does look different is also responsible for the very powerful last scene between Vincent and Madge when she slowly begins to realise, much to her terror, who this strange man is she has invited into her home. Bogart, Bacall and Moorehead rightly run away with the acting honours here but the supporting cast is a strong one with Houseley Stevenson as the plastic surgeon and Clifton Young as the black mailing Baker real standouts in their playing. The film like all noir efforts benefits greatly from the stark black and white photography by Sid Hickox with many of the exterior shots done in very early morning or late in the evening. Location work done in the downtown region of San Francisco also gives the film added interest with alot of action taking place around the Golden Gate Bridge which is well used in particular during the shoot out between Vincent and Baker.

"Dark Passage", may not be top draw Bogart akin to "Casablanca", or "The Maltese falcon", however it is a spirited tale in its own right and should be viewed as such. Its strong 1940's feel and stark photography aid in raising this story a number of notches above other similiar efforts of this period and even when he is not seen on camera for the first section of the story Bogart by using his distinctive voice manages to draw the audience into Vincent Parry's story. He and Lauren Bacall were one of Hollywood's greatest acting teams and even in a lesser effort such as this still provide first class entertainment. Enjoy.

Visually stunning, but too coincidental...
Vincent Parry (Humphrey Bogart) is convicted and sentenced for murder and has now escaped the San Quentin prison. By coincidence Irene Jansen (Lauren Bacall) is in the near by hills painting landscape portraits when Vincent escapes and she decides to help him. Irene is one of the few who believed that Vincent was innocent of the murder of his wife, and this motivates her to help him. However, Vincent wants to discover who the murderer was on his own, but realizes that his face is nationally known as it has been on the front page of all the newspapers. Through the help of a taxi driver Vincent finds a plastic surgeon that gives him a new face that will help him on his quest for the truth. Dark Passage begins with interesting cinematography as it conceals Vincent's face until after the plastic surgery, which enhances the cinematic experience. But it does not save the awkward coincidental moments that drive the story forward and hurts the overall cinematic experience leaving the audience with a viewable, but gawky story. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the show and thereby raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, (Senator) George Murphy and (Governor) Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones (think of it as the "Predator" of its generation). Reagan had just entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" before moving on to military training films.

Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's legendary 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. Murphy sings and dances to "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "My Sweetie" and "We're On Our Way to France." After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off to the swelling strains of "This Time We Will All Make Certain."

The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. Certainly "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film, although the difference between sending the troops out to fight that war and the one currently being waged is rather dramatic. The film won the Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture for "Ray Heindorf."

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the musical and raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, (Senator) George Murphy and (Governor) Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones. Reagan, who had just earnedd the best notices of his career for his work in "King's Row," entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" and then military training films. Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's celebrated 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to hurry up and marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off. The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and the special treat of Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. Certainly "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film.

Special Version on Original Release.
I recall screening this movie to packed audiences in 1944, so much so that the police had to control the box office. Every performance (3 times daily) played to capacity audiences, so I know all the songs especially MY BRITISH BUDDY, which no doubt U.S. Viewers have never even heard off.
In 1943, BRITISH versions included an Irving Berlin song, sung by Irving called MY BRITISH BUDDY, (We are as different as can be, he thinks he's winning the war and I think its ME! But we are in this to the finish, and on one thing we agree, when the war is won, and the job is done, we'll be joining hands across the sea)
I have yet to see this section on American TV versions, and wonder if it is included in American VHS versions. (which I doubt) It does demonstrate however just how close the Bros; Warner worked with the State Department, and orther Government agencies. perhaps they had a special version for France as well?

Will we ever know?
Ah Well
JD. July 2002

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the musical and raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, (Senator) George Murphy and (Governor) Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones. Reagan had just entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" and then military training films. Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off. The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. Certainly "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film.

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the musical and raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, George Murphy and Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones. Reagan had just entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" and then military training films. Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off. The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

THRILLING NOIR GETS ROYAL TREATMENT ON DVD
"Dark Passage" is the last time Bogart and Bacall were teamed together on screen. The resulting film noir was not a box office sensation when it originally hit theaters, perhaps in part due to the first person camera perspective employed during the first forty minutes of the narrative and then the additional absence of seeing Bogart's character, except behind a swath of bandages for most of the latter half of the film. However, like most great film noir, "Dark Passage" has outlived its initial disappointment to become a classic. Bogart is Vincent Parry, a man accused of murdering his wife and sent to prison for life. But he escapes San Quentin prison and is rescued by Irene Jansen (Bacall). Irene smuggles Parry past police, across the Golden Gate Bridge and to her San Francisco apartment. From there Parry procures a plastic surgeon to alter his facial features, but first takes off to visit his old friend, George Fellsinger (Rory Mallinson). However, when Parry returns to George's flat he finds that someone has murdered his best friend. Knowing that he will be considered the first choice of suspect in this crime, Parry retreats to Irene's apartment where she looks after him for the duration of his healing. With his new face looking like the spitting image of Humphrey Bogart, Parry heads over to his ex-wife's former friend, Madge Rapf (Agnes Moorehead). She is the one responsible for Parry's wife's murder and when Parry confronts Madge with his knowledge, she realizes who the stranger is, attempts to escape, but accidentally falls from the seventh story to her death. With no conceivable way of proving that Madge killed his wife and George, Parry contacts Irene with his next port of call. The finale is perhaps overly optimistic with Irene miraculously turning up at some café in a tropical port with Parry waiting at a table for two for her to arrive.

The DVD transfer is outstanding. Warner Brothers gives us a remastered picture that ranks among their very best transfers. It's amazing how much fine detail is maintained throughout the presentation. The gray scale is extremely well balanced. Blacks are - for the most part - black, although there is a couple of scenes in which 'blooming' does occur. There is also a trace element of pixelization. The audio is MONO but very nicely balanced. Extras include a featurette on the making of the film that, while short, manages to cover a lot of ground and contextualize some of the background surrounding its production shoot. You also get a Bugs Bunny cartoon and the film's theatrical trailer.

Is this "Lady In The Lake" or am I seeing things?
Lesser known and least acclaimed film of the Humphrey Bogart-Lauren Bacall teaming, and justifiably so. Utilizes many over-reaching and cliched plot devices throughout, and in the first half hour or so I thought I was watching a bad reincarnation of the mediocre "Lady In The Lake," what with the subjective camera angle where the audience sees everything through the eyes of the main character. Stars Bogart as Vince Parry, a man wrongfully sent to San Quentin for killing his ungrateful wife and makes his escape, only to encounter many a problem and no-good folks. Bacall plays Irene Janssen, a beautiful young woman that has, in one of the examples of over-reaching this film uses, followed Vince's case since it reminded her of her wrongfully jailed father's situation, and who is every fugitive's dreamgirl since she aids him with all an escaped convict would need or want--helps with his getaway, provides food and her nice apartment for him to stay in, money ($500-a lot back then), and of course romance--although that comes later. She even becomes his nursey when he changes his appearance with plastic surgery. In another ludicrous case of over-reaching, Vince meets up by chance with a cabbie who can "read" faces and who, despite recognizing him and knowing about his wife's murder, can tell Vince didn't do it and that his face is "good." Therefore, he puts Vince in contact with a friend of his who just happens to be a plastic surgeon, exactly what any fugitive would want--and on top of that, is willing to do it for only 200 bucks! (granted, that was a good amount back then, but for a masterful job which could get him into legal trouble, c'mon!). Along the way he meets up again with Madge Rapf (wonderfully played by a deliciously wicked Agnes Moorehead), a devious busybody-troublemaker from his past who is a murderer. Although Vince is never able to get his name cleared, all ends well when he settles elsewhere with a new identity and with Irene, but not before we are given a moralistic scene in the train station where Vince overhears a downtrodden, "Okie" married couple with kids lamenting about lack of human kindness and generosity. I suppose this was to be in contrast to the kindness and generosity Irene showed Vince--nevertheless, it's totally gratuitous. However, despite the flaws, this is a tense and entertaining noir which would have been downright laughable given lesser performers, but is truly gripping due to Bogie, Bacall, and Moorehead.

Dark Horse, But a Winner
The best of black-and-white films are such that the viewer forgets very quickly that there is no color. If truly good, it will impart a style and an atmosphere that color can't duplicate. By 1947, when this movie was made, there wasn't much that a major studio couldn't do superbly in B/W. All their talent has been transferred to this DVD.

The premise for this movie is indeed improbable, and the idea that someone would want to change into the Bogart time-worn face is laughable. However, the interplay between the Bogarts is electric, and she never looked any sexier. The San Francisco art deco buildings and scenery is an added bonus. Agnes Moorhead, certainly one of our most underrated radio and film actresses, was never better as the catty friend. As a variation of film noir, though, this is fun to watch and gets better with each viewing.

Bogie And Bacall Light Up The Screen In Stylish Film Noir
Often passed off as the least successful of the four screen teamings of legendary Hollywood couple Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, "Dark Passage", despite its often unlikely premise has much to recommend it. Bogie is always riverting to watch on screen even in his lesser films and his work in "Dark Passage", as an escaped convict undergoing plastic surgery to try to clear his name over the murder of his wife is first rate. While the film certainly lacks a degree of the unique verbal sparring that viewers have come to expect of Bogie and Bacall's work together, the personal chemistry is still there and just as magic between the two. It is these two performers aided greatly by the superb Agnes Moorehead in the type of vinegary characterisation that she made uniquely her own in the 1940's that really elevates this story and manages to make many of the incredible turn of events that bit more believable.

Based on a David Goodis novel, director Delmer Daves also took over responsibility for the screenplay and weaved an engrossing if not always plausible story centred around Vincent Parry (Bogart) who we see in the first scene making his escape on the back of a truck from San Quentin Prison. Picked up a few minutes later by artist Irene Jansen (Bacall), who happened to be doing some painting in the surrounding hills as the prison siren went off, Vincent finds himself suddenly with a staunch ally in his quest to get to the bottom of his wife's murder. Irene takes Vincent back to her apartment in San Francisco where her attraction to him becomes immediately evident.She explains that her sudden determination to help him despite the personal risks to herself, is the result of her interest in his case and the firm belief that he was framed for his wife's murder. Seeing that a city wide manhunt is now underway Vincent takes the advice of a friendly cab driver (Tom D'Andrea), who guesses who he is and allows him to arrange to get some plastic surgery done to change his appearance. Hiding out at Irene's apartment while his face heals Vincent realises that he and Irene have a connection in the person of gossipy sharp tongued Madge Rapf (Agnes Moorehead),who is a constant thorn in Irene's side and actually testified against Vincent in his murder trial. Madge gets suspicious of the man she believes Irene is hiding in her apartment and begins to follow Vincent once his bandages are removed and he begins to track down the real killer of his wife. Putting two and two together Vincent realises that Madge is the guilty party and is a woman who when she can't get what she wants is the type to destroy what others love. In a powerful confrontation scene where Madge learns the identity of the man with the strangely familiar face it is revealed that she is the one who was also responsible for the death of his wife and only friend George. Unable to get Madge to confess to her crimes and thus clearing his name Vincent realises he has no chance of going free in particular when Madge falls to her death from her apartment window. He then decides to flee to South America where with not much persuasion he is joined by the romantically hooked Irene to hopefully start a new life together.

Totally implausible? Perhaps but as with alot of the well crafted film Noir's of the 40's it is done in an irresistable style. The sheer coincidence of most the characters being somehow connected with each other or automatically knowing someone who can help in Vincent's plight is indeed at times hard to accept but once again it is the performers and their total immersion in the characters that succeeds in pulling it off. "Dark Passage", is unique, and on the down side has been at times strongly criticised for, its shooting from the view of Humphrey Bogart's face so that we dont actually see him for the first half hour of the film. I personally believe that approach is highly effective and quite unique and it certainly keeps the interest up until Vincent's grand unveiling when he looks like of course Humphrey Bogart. The fact that Vincent does look different is also responsible for the very powerful last scene between Vincent and Madge when she slowly begins to realise, much to her terror, who this strange man is she has invited into her home. Bogart, Bacall and Moorehead rightly run away with the acting honours here but the supporting cast is a strong one with Houseley Stevenson as the plastic surgeon and Clifton Young as the black mailing Baker real standouts in their playing. The film like all noir efforts benefits greatly from the stark black and white photography by Sid Hickox with many of the exterior shots done in very early morning or late in the evening. Location work done in the downtown region of San Francisco also gives the film added interest with alot of action taking place around the Golden Gate Bridge which is well used in particular during the shoot out between Vincent and Baker.

"Dark Passage", may not be top draw Bogart akin to "Casablanca", or "The Maltese falcon", however it is a spirited tale in its own right and should be viewed as such. Its strong 1940's feel and stark photography aid in raising this story a number of notches above other similiar efforts of this period and even when he is not seen on camera for the first section of the story Bogart by using his distinctive voice manages to draw the audience into Vincent Parry's story. He and Lauren Bacall were one of Hollywood's greatest acting teams and even in a lesser effort such as this still provide first class entertainment. Enjoy.

Visually stunning, but too coincidental...
Vincent Parry (Humphrey Bogart) is convicted and sentenced for murder and has now escaped the San Quentin prison. By coincidence Irene Jansen (Lauren Bacall) is in the near by hills painting landscape portraits when Vincent escapes and she decides to help him. Irene is one of the few who believed that Vincent was innocent of the murder of his wife, and this motivates her to help him. However, Vincent wants to discover who the murderer was on his own, but realizes that his face is nationally known as it has been on the front page of all the newspapers. Through the help of a taxi driver Vincent finds a plastic surgeon that gives him a new face that will help him on his quest for the truth. Dark Passage begins with interesting cinematography as it conceals Vincent's face until after the plastic surgery, which enhances the cinematic experience. But it does not save the awkward coincidental moments that drive the story forward and hurts the overall cinematic experience leaving the audience with a viewable, but gawky story. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the show and thereby raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair of future California politicians, (Senator) George Murphy and (Governor) Ronald Reagan, as the father and son of Jerry and Johnny Jones (think of it as the "Predator" of its generation). Reagan had just entered the military and was assigned to making "This Is the Army" before moving on to military training films.

Scenarists Casey Robinson and Claude Binjoy came up with a story lined that worked in material from Berlin's legendary 1917 soldier show "Yip, Yip, Yiphank." Set during World War I, Murphy plays a Broadway song and dance man who is drafted and put in charge of an army show. Murphy sings and dances to "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "My Sweetie" and "We're On Our Way to France." After the final performance the cast marches off to war, where Jerry Jones receives a leg wound. Then we jump to the start of World War II, Jerry is now a Broadway producer and son Johnny is his assistant. History repeats itself, this time with Johnny enlisting and taking time to marry his sweetheart, Eileen Dibble (Joan Leslie), before marching off to the swelling strains of "This Time We Will All Make Certain."

The film offers Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" and Berlin himself singing "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning." This show also includes "This is the Army, Mr. Jones," which is probably the only other song contemporary audiences might still recognize, if you are old enough. Certainly "This Is the Army" is dated, but if you remember the time and place it does its duty well as a patriotic film, although the difference between sending the troops out to fight that war and the one currently being waged is rather dramatic. The film won the Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture for "Ray Heindorf."

Irving Berlin sends Ronald Reagan off to fight World War II
On the 4th of July in 1942, "This Is the Army" opened on Broadway with book, lyrics and music by Irving Berlin, who persuaded the War Department to let him have 300 service men to do the musical and raise $10 million for Army Relief. The 1943 movie version, directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers, starred a pair