The Damned Don't Cry (1950)

Director:

Vincent Sherman

Writers:

Harold Medford (screenplay) and
Jerome Weidman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

7 May 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir | Romance

Tagline:

Warner Bros.' Flaming Stars of 'Flamingo Road' Meet in Scarlet Shadows Again!

Plot:

A New York socialite climbs the ladder of success man by man until a life among rich gangsters gives her what she thought she always wanted.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Socialite | Flashback | Underworld | Accountant

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Ethel Whitehead
David Brian	...	George Castleman
Steve Cochran	...	Nick Prenta
Kent Smith	...	Martin Blackford
Hugh Sanders	...	Grady
Selena Royle	...	Patricia Longworth
Jacqueline deWit	...	Sandra
Morris Ankrum	...	Jim Whitehead
Edith Evanson	...	Mrs. Castleman
Richard Egan	...	Roy Whitehead

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #14169) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Belgium:16 | Germany:12 | UK:PG (re-rating) (2005) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Palm Springs, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Loosely based upon the life of sharp-tongued moll Virginia Hill and her secretive relationship with gangster Bugsy Siegel.

Quotes:

[Ethel and George kiss]
Ethel Whitehead: You're asking for trouble, aren't you?
George Castleman: I never got anything yet worthwhile, without trouble. Only don't take this for anything more than it's worth.
Ethel Whitehead: It might be worth more than you think.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Damned Don't Cry: The Crawford Formula - Real and Reel (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Trade Winds

The Damned Would Cheer After Seeing this Film ****

5 years after "Mildred Pierce" and Joan Crawford is at it again. Again, she is poor and is willing to climb to the top no matter what. In this film, she becomes involved with organized crime and becomes a real pro in being used to infiltrate other wayward mobsters.

From poverty to that Mildred Pierce mink, Crawford gave a truly memorable performance. She will stop at nothing to get to the top.

Along the way, she seduces timid accountant, played masterfully by Kent Smith, to join the mob only two realize that the two of them are trapped.

Another favorite co-star of Crawford, David Brian appears as the head mobster who is against violence but must come to grips with it when renegade hood, the always terrific Steve Cochran, seduces Crawford and then goes after her when he discovers that she is a Brian stooge.

This is a gripping film-noir at its best.