I failed to mention Houseley Stevenson by name in my comments. His back alley surgery reminded me of the doctor's office where someone tried to patch up the disfigured Joker (Jack Nicholson) in Tim Burton's "Batman." Oddly enough, today there are cosmetic surgeons who send their patients home or to hotel rooms to convalesce.

"Dark Passage" is a wild ride and it does have its moments. The location photography is quite good. The movie also features a popular song that became a standard.

"Dark Passage" is remarkable as it is an "A" production. Usually "B" movies are the ones that stretch the bounds of plausibility while audience members are called upon to suspend their disbelief again and again. Some of these crazy films are really enjoyable such as "The Devil Thumbs a Ride" or "The Whip Hand."

"Lady in the Lake" is a huge disappointment that I would suggest to completists only. I would not have a copy of this dud except that it was included in a boxed set with other titles. It also reinforces one of my pet peeves as the MGM film has an "A" budget, a good cast (I generally like Audrey Totter and Lloyd Nolan, but they cannot salvage this hot mess), and production values and delivers little if anything. I am far more forgiving of Poverty Row films than this turkey.