The Dark Past

The beginning shows promise of a tight home invasion / hostage noir, but the psychological side becomes so dominating that it takes over the whole film. It must have been interesting in the 40's, but now it just makes the film feel silly. Holden and Cobb are ok in their roles and I enjoyed the cabin setting. Foch's character was rather unrealistic in her affection to Holden's killer. There are also a bunch of supporting characters, who are not utilized and mainly stay out of sight.

As Ted Danson says to his estranged on-screen daughter in the TV show 'Bored to Death'; "Freud is very important." Lee J. Cobb as Dr Andrew Collins is such a badass in this. His scenes with William Holden are genuinely compelling.

Another one of those noirs that is infused with what Welles called "dollar-book Freud" psychology in which the killer after some simple quick dream analysis and word-associations is instantly cured of murderous tendencies. But looking past that this is, beside a unnecessary pro- and epilogue a short engaging single location thriller that is carried by fine performance of its two leads, Cobb and Holden, and Foch as solid primary support.

A quick and easy psycho analysis of a killer, as Lee J. Cobb tries to decipher the bad man's nightmares. Probable not going to win any awards in psychology, but for a entertaining little hostage thriller The Dark Past (1948) does the trick.

Unbelievably patronizing

Ano de centenário de William Holden #6. Da leva dos anos 40 que ferviam propagandas da psicanálise freudiana em Hollywood, faz bom uso do espaço e dos ambientes para paralelamente forjar um tratamento analítico da personagem de Holden - de toda simbologia usada a mais divertida são as empregadas impertinentes no porão querendo fugir representando o subconsciente. Ceis tão ligados que isso é o básico do básico e que a psicanálise é milhões de vezes mais complexa do que isso, né?

Psychobabble/ hostage noir. Instead of just using the psychology to "solve" the case this one wraps the entire film around it, with a psychologist recounting his hostage situation with a famous convict. It's a bunch of nonsense, but at least the film's heart is in the right place, appealing for a compassionate criminal justice system. Stupid psychoanalysis aside, it's a rather good hostage films. Cobb and Holden spar pretty well and everyone else is fine enough, if largely unimportant.

Good cast, unusual premise, shit movie. Burdened with waaaaaay too much ridiculous psychology and far too stagey, it gets pretty laughable and severely lacks dramatic tension. The better parts focus on the ancillary characters, like the quarreling houseguests and the moll who feels threatened by Holden's revelations. There's also some pretty bad music, and terrible voiceover from Cobb. Skip this one unless you enjoy hearing a lot of Freudian nonsense. "Sensor bands", seriously?

Holden is starting to change his image: getting ready for the great roles to come.