Too Late for Tears (1949)

One night on a lonely highway, a speeding car tosses a satchel of money, meant for somebody else, into Jane and Alan Palmer’s back seat. Alan wants to turn it over to the police, but Jane, with luxury within her reach, persuades him to hang onto it “for a while.” Soon, the Palmers are traced by one Danny Fuller, a sleazy character who claims the money is his. To hang onto it, Jane will need all the qualities of an ultimate femme fatale…and does she ever have them!

The noir atmosphere works well, and the story, while perhaps far-fetched at a couple of points, is quite involved and grabs your attention from the beginning. This is a solid and sometimes memorable crime drama, filled with tension, and featuring some pretty good performances from the cast. Lizabeth Scott is amazing, and makes this film as much as the intriguing story and successful directing.

Directed by Byron Haskin
Starring: Lizabeth Scott, Don DeFore, Dan Duryea, Arthur Kennedy.