Too Late for Tears (1949).

Too Late for Tears (1949). Film noir directed by Byron Haskin. Cast: Lizabeth Scott and Dan Duryea. The screenplay was written by Roy Huggins, from a serial he wrote for the Saturday Evening Post. The film was reissued as, Killer Bait (1955).

One evening, while Alan and Jane Palmer are out driving in their convertible, someone in another car throws a suitcase full of money into the back seat of their convertible. Back at home they open the suitcase and find $60,000 inside. Jane, wants to keep the money, but .. Alan, wants to take the money to the police and hides the money in hopes she will change her mind.

A few days later while Alan is at work, Danny shows up at their home and tells Jane, he is a detective, he becomes angry, when he learns she has already begun spending the money. She makes a deal with Danny, to split the money. Hoping to kill him, but.. he doesn't trust her and flees.

She later asks Danny, to meet her at Westlake Park, where she and her husband Alan take a boat ride. There she plans to kill her husband, but, can not go through with it and decides she wants to turn the money over to the police. Looking for cigarettes, he picks up her purse and his own gun falls out. The look on his face tells Jane he knows what she was planning to do. When she grabs the gun from him, she accidentally kills him. When Danny arrives on the scene, Jane threatens to tell the police that he was the one who killed her husband, unless he helps her get rid of the body. They dump her husbands body in the lake and she then, reports her husband as missing.

While looking into what happened to Alan, Don Blake, says he is an old army buddy of Alan's and was just passing through town. It is not long before Don, falls in love with Alan's sister Kathy, who also lives in the same apartment building as Jane. Jane, finds out that Don never knew Alan and hits him over the head with her gun.

Later, she goes to Danny's apartment where a drunken Danny tells Jane he knows he still can't trust her, but that he has fallen in love with her and that money was a payoff from an insurance scam. She poisons him leaving him behind.

After they find Danny's body, Jane travels to Mexico City with all the money. Don, not far behind, finds her living in a beautiful hotel penthouse. Jane, offers to give him half of the money. Will Don, agree to her terms and let her continue to live the good life?

This movie is about greed with great performances from Lizabeth Scott and Dan Duryea. This film will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Video: Full Movie.

Lizabeth Scott (born September 29, 1922). In 1942, she was making a living with a Midtown Manhattan summer stock company when she landed a job as understudy for Tallulah Bankhead in the play, The Skin of Our Teeth. When Miriam Hopkins was signed to replace Bankhead, Scott quit and returned to her drama studies and some modeling. She then received a call that Gladys George, who was signed to replace Hopkins, was ill, and Scott was needed back at the theatre. She went on in the leading role of "Sabina". The following night, George was out again and Scott went on in her place.

Soon afterward, Scott was at the Stork Club when film producer Hal Wallis asked who she was. When Scott returned home, she found a telegram offering her the lead for, The Skin of Our Teeth.

A photograph of Scott in Harper's Bazaar magazine was seen by film agent, Charles Feldman and he took her on as a client. Her film debut was in, You Came Along (1945).

Paramount called Scott "The Threat," in order to create an onscreen persona for her similar to, Lauren Bacall or Veronica Lake. Scott's, sensuality and husky voice was perfect for the film noir genre and, beginning with, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946). She starred with Humphrey Bogart, in the noir thriller, Dead Reckoning(1947). The film was the first of many femme fatale roles such as, Desert Fury (1947), I Walk Alone (1948) and Too Late for Tears (1949).

The Company She Keeps (1951).

The Company She Keeps (1951). Director: John Cromwell. Cast: Lizabeth Scott, Jane Greer and Dennis O'Keefe.

The story begins the moment Mildred Lynch, is paroled from the State Prison for Women. She served two years for forging checks and changes her name to, Diane Stuart. After arriving in Los Angeles, her parole officer, Joan Willburn, takes her to her new boardinghouse and tells her that she will be working at the hospital. Diane, who is standoffish at first toward Joan, agrees to go out with her to dinner. While they are dining, Joan sees her boyfriend, reporter Larry Collins, in the restaurant and goes over to talk to him and invites Larry to meet Diane.

Diane, quickly leaves and later shares with Joan that she worries people will judge her. Joan, tells her to stop thinking like an ex-convict, then informs her that, she working the night shift at the hospital.

While on duty, Diane sees Larry visiting his sick boss. Larry at first avoids her, but Diane soon talks him into taking her out. Diane's date with Larry does not go well, because he innocently questions her about some money that has dropped out of her coat pocket. Diane, begins to cry and apologizes to Larry for tricking him. He forgives her and the two fall in love.

Joan senses that Larry has become interested in someone else, but does not know the other woman is Diane, until she sees her with Larry at the airport, while waiting for a plane. Heartbroken, Joan asks Diane to stop seeing Larry.

When, Larry telephones Diane the next day he asks her to fly to New York to be with him, Diane tearfully tells him that she cannot leave work and hangs up. Larry shows up at Diane's boardinghouse the next day, and Diane gives in to her feelings.

When Diane goes to Joan's office, she tells her that Larry has proposed to her. Joan, reminds her that, as a parolee, her plans must first be approved by the parole board.

Not wanting Larry to find out the truth about her past, Diane decides not to file her petition and leaves Joan's office. Larry arrives to break up with Joan and learns the truth about Diane. Even knowing the truth, Larry convinces her to file her petition. When the board decides to postpone making a decision, Diane accuses Joan of stopping the marriage. Then while trying to protect Tilly, who has been stealing drugs from the hospital, Diane is arrested. Joan pleads with the judge to be lenient. While awaiting the judge's decision, Diane sneaks away from the courthouse. Will Larry be able to find her and convince her not to run and stand before the judge?

The film, "The Company She Keeps" shows some interesting location shots of Los Angeles . I kept thinking throughout the film, " Friends like these who needs enemies".

Fun Facts:

Feature film debut of Jeff Bridges. His older brother, 'Beau Bridges', and their mother, Dorothy Dean Bridges, also appear in the film.

When this film was made, Howard Hughes owned both RKO, which produced it, and TWA, whose logo is featured prominently on the airplane in the airport sequence.

Lizabeth Scott (born September 29, 1922) , actress, singer best known for her film noir roles. In late 1942, she was trying to make a living in Manhattan summer stock company when she got a job as understudy for, Tallulah Bankhead in the play, The Skin of Our Teeth. However, Scott never had an opportunity to substitute for Bankhead.

When Miriam Hopkins was signed to replace Bankhead, Scott quit and returned to her drama studies and modeling. She then received a call that she was needed back at the theatre. She went on in the leading role of "Sabina".

Soon afterward, Scott was at the Stork Club when film producer Hal Wallis asked who she was, unaware that an aide had already arranged an interview with her for the next day. When Scott returned home, she found a telegram offering her the lead for, The Skin of Our Teeth.

A photograph of Scott in Harper's Bazaar magazine was seen by film agent Charles Feldman, who took her on as a client. Scott made her first screen test at Warner Brothers, where she and Wallis met. As soon as Wallis was at Paramount, she was signed to a contract. Her film debut was in, You Came Along (1945).

Scott's,  sensuality and husky voice was perfect for the film noir genre and, beginning with The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946), the studio cast her in a series of noir thrillers. The dark blonde actress stared with Humphrey Bogart, in the film, Dead Reckoning(1947). The film was the first of many femme fatale roles for Scott. She also performed in, Desert Fury (1947),  I Walk Alone (1948),  Too Late for Tears(1949).

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers(1946).

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers(1946). Film noir. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott and Kirk Douglas in his film debut. The movie is based on the short story "Love Lies Bleeding" by playwright John Patrick.

The story begins, One rainy night, when Martha Ivers, a young girl wanting to get out from under her rich, domineering aunt's thumb, is caught trying to run away with her friend, Sam Masterson.

Later that night, Sam comes back looking for her, but hides when he hears her aunt hitting the cat with her cane. When Martha comes to the rescue of her cat, she accidentally kills her aunt. Walter O'Neil, the son of Martha's tutor, sees the whole thing. Martha lies about the accident to Mr. O'Neil, and Walter backs her up. Although, Mr. O'Neil, believes he knows what really happened, tells the police, that some one must have broken in to the house. He then moves into the mansion.

Years later, he blackmails her into marrying his son by forcing her to testify against an innocent man.

Eighteen years later, Walter has become the district attorney. Walter loves her, but she doesn't love him. Sam, now a drifter and gambler, stops in the small town by chance when he has a car accident and has to wait for it to be repaired.

While waiting he meets Toni, who has just been released from jail. She is later picked up for violating her probation. Sam goes to see Walter, to see if he can get her released. Walter believes that Sam has returned with blackmail in mind. Instead.. Walter and Marta, pull Sam into a tangled web of lies.

I enjoyed the film for two reasons, the performance of Barbara Stanwyck, doing what she does best, playing a ruthless woman, who will do anything to get what she wants and the debut of Kirk Douglas.

Lizabeth Scott (born September 29, 1922). Scott movie debut was in the film, You Came Along (1945).

Paramount called Scott "The Threat," in order to create an onscreen persona for her similar to Lauren Bacall or Veronica Lake. Scott's smoky sensuality and husky voice was perfect for film noir genre beginning with, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946).

Film historian Eddie Muller has said that no other actress has appeared in so many noir movies.

The dark blond actress was initially compared to Bacall because of a slight resemblance and a similar voice, even more so after she starred with Humphrey Bogart in the noir, Dead Reckoning (1947).

She also starred in, Desert Fury(1947) and later was paired with Lancaster, Corey and Kirk Douglas in, I Walk Alone (1948).

She also starred in the film, Too Late for Tears(1949).

After completing the film, Loving You (1957), Elvis Presley's second movie, Scott retired from the screen.

Happy Birthday: Lizabeth Scott!

A photograph of Lizabeth Scott in Harper's Bazaar magazine was seen by movie agent Charles Feldman, who took her on as a client. Her first movie was in, You Came Along (1945).

Paramount named Scott "The Threat,"  to create an  persona for her similar to Lauren Bacall and Veronica Lake. Scott's sensuality and husky voice was perfect for the film noir genre, beginning with the movie, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946).

In the film, Too Late for Tears. Lizabeth was compared to Bacall because of her resemblance and a similar voice, even more so after she performed with Bacall's husband, Humphrey Bogart, in the film noir,  Dead Reckoning (1947). At the age of 25, Scott's billing were equal to Bogart's.

She also performed in, Desert Fury (1947), a noir filmed with, John Hodiak, Burt Lancaster, Wendell Corey and Mary Astor.  Directed by Lewis Allen, the story is based on the racy novel, Desert Town by Ramona Stewart. It was produced by Hal Wallis. Music was by Miklós Rózsa. Desert Fury has fast dialogue and dark secrets.

Scott was then paired with Lancaster, Corey and Kirk Douglas in,  I Walk Alone (1948). She also performed in, Too Late for Tears (1949). After completing the film, Loving You (1957) with Elvis Presley, Scott retired from the screen. Later that year, she would record her album, Lizabeth.  Scott occasionally guest-star on television shows, including a 1963 episode of Burke's Law.

DEAD RECKONING (1947): My Favorite Bogart Film.

OK ,as I said this is my favorite Bogart film for so many reasons. But instead of going on about them , since the film is running on TCM this Wednesday what I'd like to do is have your reaction to the film in form of a discussion after the showing.
With the Holidays come up fast I'd say lets have the discussion on January 3rd Time TBA if you are so inclined .
This film is one you really want to go into "cold" .
I really want your thoughts on John Cromwell's direction and the interaction of Boggie and Lizabeth Scott.