Dan Duryea

I love Film Noir and so its no surprise that every once in awhile I immerse myself in it to the exclusion of all else.

Well, one of my favorite Film Noir actors is Dan Duryea who was excellent in everything he ever did, from Noirs to Westerns. So naturally, when I'm in a Noirish mood, I have to dig out some of Duryea's masterpieces.

Tonight, its Too Late for Tears.

Lizabeth Scott and Arthur Kennedy play a married couple who accidentally "inherit" wads of cash. She wants to keep it- he wants to turn it over to the police. In steps Dan Duryea in one of his best roles, as the gangster who would do almost anything to get his money back. Anything that is until he realizes Lizabeth Scott is even more mercenary than he is! Talk about your Femme Fatale!

Sadly, the film is out in public domain so the prints available on dvd are uniformly lousy, but the film is a gem and well worth sitting through grainy film and bad sound for.

One of my favorite lines:
Lizabeth Scott: What do I call you besides Stupid?
Dan Duryea: Stupid'll do if you don't bruise easily.

(If that quote doesn't warn you, beware that Dan Duryea slaps Lizabeth Scott in this film. According to some of his biographers, that was a common element in Duryea films...despite the fact that Dan Duryea was a sweetheart in real life!)

If you haven't seen this gem, do seek it out. Its awesome!