MovieChat Forums > Dark Passage (1947) Discussion > Biggest Boner

Biggest Boner

posted 16 years ago by faville-1
22 replies | jump to latest

Probably the biggest boner in the plot is having Bacall "find" Bogart along the road in Marin County as he's escaping, dragging the body of the driver into the bushes off the side of the road. I mean, this is pure fantasy. This woman, who doesn't know Bogie personally, had only seen him in court during his murder trial, "hears on the radio" about his escape from San Quentin, and decides to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and "find" him, help him escape. This is so far beyond the limits of probability, it's ludicrous. She'd never have found him. And what are the chances a single, attractive woman, would trust herself with a felon on the run? The whole thing makes absolutely no sense.

[–] sfvertigofan 16 years ago

As Alfred Hitchcock once said when challenged about his improbable plot scenes -"It's only a movie". He had a point.

[–] screenwriter (111) 5 years ago

Truth Is Stranger than Fiction, But It Is Because Fiction Is Obliged to Stick to Possibilities; Truth Isn’t

[–] AliciaHuberman59 16 years ago

If I remember correctly, she explains to him, later at her apartment, that she was already in the area, painting. (He was just as incredulous about the whole thing.) She then told him that she'd attended his trial, since his case reminded her of her beloved father's. She probably developed a fantasy attachment to him and sought to help him as she could not help her own father. As in most films, a suspension of disbelief comes in handy!

[–] smitty1941 16 years ago

Well put.

[–] AliciaHuberman59 16 years ago

Thank you.

[–] darrell-36659 8 years ago

Love your point, it is what I would have said. Given her passion for injustice (because of her father's situation) I thought it was completely plausible, and also, if you remember Agnes jealous and discussion about Irene's interest, that also bolsters the point. This has been a favorite movie of mine for many years, the only other one that comes close is Key Largo. On a side note, I think she had an attraction to Perry when he was married, long before he was convicted.

[–] AliciaHuberman59 8 years ago

On a side note, I think she had an attraction to Perry when he was married, long before he was convicted.

Do you mean that Irene had an attraction to Perry when he was married? Are you saying they knew one another, prior to her picking him up after he escaped? They sort of ran in the same social circles, but I never got that impression, specifically.

"No, I don't like to cook, but I have a chicken in the icebox, and you're eating it."

[–] CVO-Road-Glide 8 years ago

I thought this thread was going to be about Bacall being hot ...

[–] CVO-Road-Glide 8 years ago

I thought this thread was going to be about Bacall looking hot ...

[–] AliciaHuberman59 15 years ago

It's funny you should wonder about that...Google "Humphrey Bogart endowed".

[–] elvisgr6 15 years ago

lol when I saw the title 'Biggest Boner' I though it would be a discussion about how hot Lauren Bacall was in this movie

[–] jaddjamar 15 years ago

It's not even a mistake, let alone the biggest boner. Your heading should have said "pretty Farfetched" But your post seems like nitpicking.

For a big Blunder watch Space Mutiny. A character is killed in one scene and then working at her desk in the next scene.

Too old to die young, and too young to grow up.

[–] fiat0903 15 years ago

There are stories that are entirely logical. They tend to be boring because they tell a tale that happens to everyone every day. But what if, just what if, a woman whose father had been wrongly convicted of murder happened upon an escaped convict who was similarly wrongly convicted of murder? That would make a great story. And it does.

Improbable coincidences are the stuff of fiction. Make logical sense out of such great works as Great Expectations - if you can. The power in many stories is in the telling, not in the details of the plot.

Forget it and just enjoy a great film.

[–] timmy_501 15 years ago

and decides to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and "find" him

Yeah, if that happened it would have been pretty far fetched but...it didn't.

Dear Mom, I put a couple of people in Hell today...

[–] mousepower 15 years ago

Actually, it isn't so unbelieveable. There are people out there that will do illogical things. If you follow the news, you will see that from time to time.

...why thank you ever so, I never buy insurance. - Lorelei Lee

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] crestviewfarms 12 years ago

Spoilers.

I liked the movie and it is worth watching (except not seeing Bogie's face for the first hour). And, I can accept certain plot holes.

But, Irene's trust of the Bogart character was a hair too much. The movie did a poor job in my mind, in that it portrayed women (Bacall) as unable to reason:

An escaped, convicted murdered? Well, that's OK because her dad was sent to prison under similar circumstances.

His best friend murdered, with the only evidence being Bogie's fingerprints on the trumpet? Well, these things will happen. Besides, Bogie said he was his closest friend. He MUST be OK.

The snoopy friend is dead, too? What a strange coincidence. Accidents happen, I guess. After all, Bogie told her he had a full confession before the bizarre once-in-a-million event.

In summary, the only way someone could trust a character after this - is when the man is Humphrey Bogart.

[–] timlin-4 12 years ago

A woman showing bad judgment is the most realistic part of this movie. Not unusual for killers to get letters from women, and even to get married

[–] mousepower 10 years ago

That is very true. A lot of women are attracted to bad guys. There's probably a psychological explanation for it.

[–] Noir-It-All 8 years ago

Then there's Irene being friends with Madge. If she thought Vincent was innocent, why would you be friends with the person whosw testimony put him in the pen?