Review of Too Late for Tears

As this film noir opens married couple Alan and Jane Palmer are driving to a party. She isn't keen to go and persuades him to head home. As they turn a passing car throws a bag into the back seat of their car; it is full of cash. It is obvious it was meant for somebody else and soon that person gives chase but Jane manages to lose him. Once home Alan and Jane discuss what to do with the money; he wants to hand it to the police; she has other ideas. He agrees to put it in storage for a week while they decide. Soon Danny Fuller, the man the money was meant for, turns up and threatens Jane; it soon becomes clear that she has no intention of giving it up and will go to any length to keep it. Her life, and the lives of those around her are about to get complicated, if not downright dangerous.

I'd not heard of this film until I stumbled on it of Amazon Prime. I'm glad I did as I enjoy film noir and found this to be a top notch example. All great film noirs feature great femme fatales and Lizabeth Scott's as Jane Palmer is up there with the best. At first she seems to be an ordinary Los Angeles house wife but it soon becomes clear that Danny wasn't wrong when he describes her as a tiger... this kitty certainly has claws! The story is solid with plenty of good twists before the finale. The cast, especially Lizabeth Scott is impressive and locations are used well. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to fans of film noir; it deserves to be better known.