The Passage
Performance & Direction: The Passage Review
Last updated: February 24, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Passage (1979) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 6.1/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this War.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any War is often anchored by its ensemble, and The Passage features a noteworthy lineup led by Anthony Quinn . Supported by the likes of James Mason and Malcolm McDowell , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: The Passage
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 1979, The Passage is a War, Action, Thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson. The narrative presents a compelling narrative that engages viewers from start to finish. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Anthony Quinn.
Ending Explained: The Passage
Ending Breakdown: Directed by J. Lee Thompson, The Passage concludes its story with a mix of closure and open interpretation. The finale presents its approach to war resolution.
The final reveal recontextualizes earlier scenes involving Anthony Quinn, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the war themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of The Passage reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
The Passage Real vs. Reel: Is it Based on a True Story?
The Passage uses real-world events as narrative inspiration. As a war, action, thriller film directed by J. Lee Thompson, it navigates the space between factual accuracy and narrative engagement for Anthony Quinn's character.
Historical Context
The film takes creative liberties to enhance dramatic impact. Core events maintain connection to source material while adapting for theatrical presentation.
Creative interpretation shapes the final narrative, with attention to period detail and historical context.
Accuracy Assessment: The Passage adapts its source material for dramatic purposes. The film prioritizes thematic resonance over documentary precision.
Who Should Watch The Passage?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy War films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of Anthony Quinn or the director
- Want solid genre entertainment
Top Cast: The Passage
All Cast & Crew →
Where to Watch The Passage Online?
Streaming Hub📺 Stream on
fuboTV
MGM+ Amazon Channel
MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel
MGM Plus
PhiloThe Passage Parents Guide & Age Rating
1979 AdvisoryWondering about The Passage age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Passage is 99 minutes (1h 39m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.1/10, and global performance metrics, The Passage is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 1979 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Passage worth watching?
The Passage is definitely worth watching if you enjoy War movies. It has a verified rating of 6.1/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Passage parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Passage identifies it as R. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Passage?
The total duration of The Passage is 99 minutes, which is approximately 1h 39m long.
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Critic Reviews for The Passage
Malcom McDowall manages to portray the epitome of Nazi SS nastiness in this story with a worryingly natural aplomb! He is leading a party pursuing James Mason ("Prof. Bergson") who, alongside his family, is being smuggled from France into Spain by the wily shepherd Anthony Quinn. Their journey is fraught with danger as they must cross the inhospitable terrain of the Pyrenee mountains with snow up to their thighs - whilst McDowall ("Capt. Von Berkow") uses just about every brutal technique in the book to strike fear into everyone who has seen/helped them as he tries to apprehend the professor. The production standards are a bit on the low side (not that the cold and variable light quality could have been of much help); the dialogue is badly captured with a poor audio mix and although there are certainly some horrific scenes - the end of Christopher Lee's brief contribution comes to mind - it's is all just a bit on the procedural side. Quinn portrays the cantankerous, brave, Basque very much it style of many of his previous roles - he sort of grunts his way though the thing with little by way of engagement with us, the audience, and the ending goes from thrilling to silly in a matter of a few frames!. The photography is splendid, and the story has a taut pace to it - it just isn't very good.
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
