The Dark Past (1949), part of the postwar cycle of Freudian thrillers (Spellbound, The Snake Pit, etc), is of course fairly silly and simplistic on the subjects of psychology, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis, but manages to entertain anyway. It pits escaped con / home invader William Holden vs psychiatrist / home owner Lee J. Cobb, and is essentially a two-hander since more than 50% of the running time is just talk between the two of them.

The actors have a great deal of fun with it. Cobb craftily underplays as both performer and character – a “cool customer”, as Holden says.

The movie demonstrates why Holden inevitably became a star. He is ridiculously handsome (and has a great voice), but is not BLANDLY handsome – his face is extremely expressive, and the actor knows it. So the contrast here between Cobb, who seems to be barely doing anything, and Holden, who is doing a lot, works most effectively. It’s an old theatrical trick, but still a good one.