"Too Late for Tears" is a gritty example of a Film Noir full of deception and deceit.
Lizabeth Scott is the femme fatale here who destroys the men in her life over a bag of money.
Jane Palmer (Scott) and her husband Alan (Arthur Kennedy) are driving to a party one night when Jane asks Alan to turn around. Lurking in the shadows is someone waiting in a car. Suddenly another car speeds by and tosses a satchel into the Palmer's car. On opening the satchel a large amount of money is discovered. The car that was hiding on the side of the road begins to chase the Palmer's but they manage to evade their pursuer.
Back in their apartment, Jane pleads with Alan to keep the $60K in the bag but he wants to turn it over to the police. She gets Alan to agree to hold on to the loot for a week by putting it in the baggage check of the train station. Shortly thereafter Danny Fuller (Dan Duryea) posing as a detective knocks on the door.
Fuller soon reveals himself as the so-called owner of the bag. He slaps Jane around a bit but she manages to hold him off by telling him that the bag of money is safe but the ticket to redeem the bag cannot be found. Jane asks Danny to meet her by a lake in the park later. Jane convinces Alan to take her on a boat ride in the park. Unfortunately for Alan, Jane brings his service pistol along. The weapon discharges accidently killing Alan.
Jane coerces Danny to hide Alan's body at the bottom of the lake. Jane believes that the ticket to redeem the satchel is in the lining of Alan's coat which Danny has taken for himself. She plans to lure him to the country and murder him but he suspects something and foils the attemt.
One day Don Blake (Don DeFore) claiming to be Alan's old war buddy shows up. Jane is skeptical of Blake and arranges foe a real army buddy to come over and confirm Blake's identity. Meanwhile, Alan's sister Kathy (Kristine Miller) has become suspicious of her brother's sudden disappearance. While poking around Jane's apartment she discover the ticket in the bottom of a drawer. She and Blake form an alliance to trip up Jane.
Jane discovers that Blake has the ticket and takes it from him at gunpoint. She also discovers from the war buddy that Blake is not who he says he is. To silence Kathy, Jane has Danny procure some deadly poison which she plans to administer to Kathy. The police have been alerted to watch the baggage check counter for a woman redeeming a ticket for the satchel in question. Jane convinces a horny youth (Denver Pyle) to retrieve the bag for her which he does
Jane meets Danny in his room with the money. As he celebrates, Jane slips the deadly poison into his drink. She then flees for Mexico with the loot. Blake follows her to Mexico where his real purpose is revealed and.........................................
Lizabeth Scott plays Jane as a ruthless uncaring predator who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Everybody's favorite noir cad Duryea is outstanding as Danny. The role reversal between Jane and Danny is the real highlight of the film. DeFore is also good in his nice guy with a purpose role. Barry Kelley is around as Police Lt. Breach. And watch for ex Dead End Kid Billy Halop as the boat attendant.
Although the bag contains $60K in 1949 terms, it's value in today's dollars would be over $600K.
Jane Palmer (Scott) and her husband Alan (Arthur Kennedy) are driving to a party one night when Jane asks Alan to turn around. Lurking in the shadows is someone waiting in a car. Suddenly another car speeds by and tosses a satchel into the Palmer's car. On opening the satchel a large amount of money is discovered. The car that was hiding on the side of the road begins to chase the Palmer's but they manage to evade their pursuer.
Back in their apartment, Jane pleads with Alan to keep the $60K in the bag but he wants to turn it over to the police. She gets Alan to agree to hold on to the loot for a week by putting it in the baggage check of the train station. Shortly thereafter Danny Fuller (Dan Duryea) posing as a detective knocks on the door.
Fuller soon reveals himself as the so-called owner of the bag. He slaps Jane around a bit but she manages to hold him off by telling him that the bag of money is safe but the ticket to redeem the bag cannot be found. Jane asks Danny to meet her by a lake in the park later. Jane convinces Alan to take her on a boat ride in the park. Unfortunately for Alan, Jane brings his service pistol along. The weapon discharges accidently killing Alan.
Jane coerces Danny to hide Alan's body at the bottom of the lake. Jane believes that the ticket to redeem the satchel is in the lining of Alan's coat which Danny has taken for himself. She plans to lure him to the country and murder him but he suspects something and foils the attemt.
One day Don Blake (Don DeFore) claiming to be Alan's old war buddy shows up. Jane is skeptical of Blake and arranges foe a real army buddy to come over and confirm Blake's identity. Meanwhile, Alan's sister Kathy (Kristine Miller) has become suspicious of her brother's sudden disappearance. While poking around Jane's apartment she discover the ticket in the bottom of a drawer. She and Blake form an alliance to trip up Jane.
Jane discovers that Blake has the ticket and takes it from him at gunpoint. She also discovers from the war buddy that Blake is not who he says he is. To silence Kathy, Jane has Danny procure some deadly poison which she plans to administer to Kathy. The police have been alerted to watch the baggage check counter for a woman redeeming a ticket for the satchel in question. Jane convinces a horny youth (Denver Pyle) to retrieve the bag for her which he does
Jane meets Danny in his room with the money. As he celebrates, Jane slips the deadly poison into his drink. She then flees for Mexico with the loot. Blake follows her to Mexico where his real purpose is revealed and.........................................
Lizabeth Scott plays Jane as a ruthless uncaring predator who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Everybody's favorite noir cad Duryea is outstanding as Danny. The role reversal between Jane and Danny is the real highlight of the film. DeFore is also good in his nice guy with a purpose role. Barry Kelley is around as Police Lt. Breach. And watch for ex Dead End Kid Billy Halop as the boat attendant.
Although the bag contains $60K in 1949 terms, it's value in today's dollars would be over $600K.