SHED NO TEARS

US, 1948, 70 minutes, Black and white.
June Vincent, Wallace Ford, Mark Roberts, Frank Albertson, Johnston White, Dick Hogan.
Directed by Jean Yarborough.

Here are the popular ingredients of the film noir. A femme fatale, a weak older man who can be played (but who knows no bounds for revenge), his wary son, a younger lover and all kinds of double dealings.

June Vincent is strong and attractively repellent as the woman. Veteran Wallace Ford is strong as the older man.

1. A film of the late 40s, film noir?

2. Black-and-white photography, Los Angeles, the town, hotels, apartments? Police precincts? The contrast with Washington DC, the apartment? The musical score?

3. The title, with reference to Edna? Tom grieving for his father? Edna and Ray?

4. The situation, Sam setting the fire, the body thrown out the window? Meeting Edna? The promises? His going to Washington, no contact, wanting the letters, Sam getting the apartment, later the arrangements to sell the furniture, getting the money and return ticket to Los Angeles, the gun, getting into the house, discovering the truth about Edna and Ray, hearing her lies? Following Ray and killing him? His relationship with Tom, getting the money from the bank, dividing it with Edna, money aside for Tom? The detective, the confrontation? Sam and his being shot? Edna falling from the window?

5. Edna, her personality, cold, acting the part of the grieving widow, her love for Ray, the plans with him, the femme fatale? Tom, trying to reach an agreement? His continued suspicions? The insurance examination, the police questions, her being tricked by the detective into showing that Sam was still alive? His blackmail? With Ray, love, being upset, following the detective, the confrontation with Sam, the death?

6. The detective, his secretary and Tom, the discussions, the issue of cash? His flamboyant style, dapper, shrewd? His suspicions, the phone call to Edna and discovering Sam was alive? Tom, the promises of money? Following Sam, the final confrontation?

7. Tom and his relationship to his father, to Edna, his fiancee? Meeting the detective, the cash, following Ray, the anonymous man after the shooting? The discovery that his father was alive?

8. The police, the investigations, suspicions after Ray’s death? The truth?

9. The range of twists in the short plot and cutting through audience expectations about characters and behaviour?