Against a background of the broken-body horror of civilian bombings in the Chinese war, a convincing psychological problem is finally resolved. This is the substance of "Disputed Passage," a Paramount picture patterned on Lloyd C. Douglas's best seller which seems to have imbibed much of the spirit of the original.

Although handicapped by a threadbare plot, Akim Tamiroff and John Howard, with their superb acting, are responsible for making "Disputed Passage" a good picture. With Tamiroff as the surgeon of fame and Howard as the struggling, idealistic medical student, the action centers around the byplay between these two characters which gives the picture just the poignant boost it needs.

On the other hand, Dorothy Lamour as an orientalized American is distinctly wooden--not only in her acting but in her attempt at speaking English with an accent. It seems that Paramount has taught her some Chinese for the picture; for those who are interested, it can be understood, but it recks of Brooklyn.

Some bang-up news shots of some of the nation's best upset football games are a real addition to the program, but the second feature, "Hero For a Day," would only be "Here For a Day" in anyone else's language.