US Release date: 22 December 1948
First Melbourne Saturday Suburban: 10 June 1950
Genre: Crime
Country: USA
Running time: 73 minutes
Director: Rudolph Maté
Cast: William Holden, Nina Foch & Lee J. Cobb
Australian Distributor: Columbia
Melbourne Premiere Venue: Union’s Liberty theatre for two weeks from March 10 1950 supported by Make Believe Ballroom.
Suburban Release Type: Union 5-W-1
Rankings
| Rank | ||
| EF Points | 267 | 75 |
| EF PPE | 7.03 | 45 |
| Metres Travelled | 392,650 | 248 |
| Average MT | 10,333 | 151 |
| Engagements | 38 | 243 |
| Slots | 58 | 111 |
| Weeks | 20 | 71 |
| Weeks as % of engagements | 52.63% | 84 |
| Saturdays | 15 | 160 |
| Sats as % of engagements | 39.47% | 165 |
| Tuesdays | 3 | 299 |
| Tues as % of engagements | 7.89% | 321 |
| First billed | 35 | 115 |
| Second billed | 3 | 234 |
| Feature only | 0 | 34* |
Independent ratios
| Engagements weeks 1-10 | 37 |
| Ratio | 97.37% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 10.70% |
| Eng weeks 11-26 | 1 |
| Ratio | 2.63% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -4.99% |
| Eng weeks 27-52 | 0 |
| Ratio | 0.00% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -5.71% |
| Hoyts eng | 1 |
| Ratio | 2.63% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 1.79% |
| Independent eng | 31 |
| Ratio | 81.58% |
| Difference to chain ratio | 4.47% |
| Suburban eng | 6 |
| Ratio | 15.79% |
| Difference to chain ratio | -6.26% |
Notes: Columbia noir had a running time of only 73 minutes so was hardly suited to A-film stature. Therefore, teamed with the similarly statured The Doolins of Oklahoma it made for a pleasing double feature of equal quality. By toplining this film was the one that gained the EF score – a decent one that ranked 75th overall – but it was off screens after its 11th week, making way for the more prestigious fare the Union chain was accustomed to playing.
The Dark Past engagements
| SUBURB | VENUE | CHAIN | DATE | W | D | B | CO-FEATURE |
| North Carlton | Adelphi | Independent | 10/6/50 | 1 | S | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Burnley | Burnley | Independent | 10/6/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Richmond | National | Independent | 10/6/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| St.Kilda | Astor | Independent | 10/6/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| St.Kilda | Memorial | Hoyts | 10/6/50 | 1 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Elsternwick | Esquire | Independent | 17/6/50 | 2 | S | 2 | He Stayed For Dinner |
| Brunswick | Empire | Independent | 17/6/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Caulfield | Camden | Independent | 17/6/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Moonee Ponds | Moonee | Independent | 17/6/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| West Brunswick | Western | Independent | 17/6/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Westgarth | Westgarth | Independent | 17/6/50 | 2 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| East Malvern | Waverley | Independent | 24/6/50 | 3 | S | 1 | A Yank in Dutch |
| Essendon | Regal | Independent | 24/6/50 | 3 | S | 2 | His Girl Friday |
| Balwyn | Balwyn | Suburban | 24/6/50 | 3 | S | 1 | They All Kissed the Bride |
| East Brunswick | Liberty | Independent | 24/6/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Glenferrie | Glen | Independent | 24/6/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Hawthorn | Vogue | Independent | 24/6/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Ormond | Plaza | Suburban | 24/6/50 | 3 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Ashburton | Civic | Independent | 1/7/50 | 4 | S | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Middle Brighton | Dendy | Independent | 1/7/50 | 4 | S | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Sandringham | Roxy | Independent | 1/7/50 | 4 | S | 1 | Down to Earth |
| Footscray | Grand | Independent | 1/7/50 | 4 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Preston West | Rivoli | Independent | 1/7/50 | 4 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Newport | Plaza | Independent | 8/7/50 | 5 | S | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Williamstown | Empress | Independent | 8/7/50 | 5 | S | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Box Hill | Regent | Suburban | 8/7/50 | 5 | S | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Coburg | Plaza | Independent | 8/7/50 | 5 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Heidelberg | Orient | Independent | 8/7/50 | 5 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Yarraville | Sun | Independent | 8/7/50 | 5 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Oakleigh | Plaza | Independent | 15/7/50 | 6 | S | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| North Melbourne | Central | Independent | 15/7/50 | 6 | T | 1 | Blondie’s Secret |
| Port Melbourne | Port | Independent | 15/7/50 | 6 | W | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Preston East | Gowerville | Independent | 15/7/50 | 6 | W | 1 | Lulu Belle |
| Coburg West | Progress | Independent | 22/7/50 | 7 | T | 1 | Woman in White |
| Reservoir | Plaza | Independent | 5/8/50 | 9 | T | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Preston | Planet | Suburban | 12/8/50 | 10 | S | 1 | The Lost One |
| South Melbourne | Empire | Suburban | 12/8/50 | 10 | S | 1 | The Doolins of Oklahoma |
| Preston | St. James | Suburban | 19/8/50 | 11 | S | 2 | The Swordsman |
The 1950 Project 