Too Late for Tears (1949)

[dfordoom]

<i>Too Late for Tears</i>, is an interesting little film noir B-picture from 1949. Despite its low budget it looks impressive, with some very atmospheric cinematography. Most of the action takes place at night. It’s a world of shadows and darkness, in more ways than one. Lizabeth Scott plays Jane, a particularly dangerous femme fatale even by film, noir standards. She and her husband find themselves in possession of $60,000, apparently the proceeds of a crime of some kind. He wants to turn the money in, but once Jane sees that money she decides it’s hers, no matter what she has to do to keep it. This involves her with a mildly menacing but somewhat inept crook called Danny (Dan Duryea in the sort of role he played to perfection in so many noirs), the criminal to whom the money belongs. Double cross follows double cross as the plot unfolds.

Jane lives in Hollywood, and her motivation isn’t desperation, she doesn’t really need the money, it’s just pure greed. A greed not so much for money, but to be part of the glittering Hollywood world depicted in the movies. You really feel that she’d rather be penniless than be just another average person with an average income. So it’s really yet another film noir that is to a certain extent about Hollywood itself. Lizabeth Scott’s performance is quite chilling. A highly entertaining little movie.