''Once a Thief'' is a 1950 American

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definit ...

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

directed by

W. Lee Wilder William Lee Wilder (August 22, 1904 – February 14, 1982) was an Austrian-American screenwriter, film producer and director. He was the brother of the film director Billy Wilder and father of television comedy writer and producer Myles Wilder. ...

starring

Cesar Romero Cesar Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor and activist. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lovers, historical figures in c ...

June Havoc June Havoc (born Ellen Evangeline Hovick; November 8, 1912 – March 28, 2010) was a Canadian American actress, dancer, stage director and memoirist. Havoc was a child vaudeville performer under the tutelage of her mother Rose Thompson Hovick, ...

Marie McDonald Marie McDonald (born Cora Marie Frye, July 6, 1923 – October 21, 1965) was an American singer and actress known as "The Body Beautiful" and later nicknamed "The Body". Early life Born in Burgin, Kentucky, McDonald was the daughter of Evert ...

and

Lon Chaney Jr. Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dracu ...

Plot

Margie Moore, a miserable San Francisco woman, turns in desperation to jewel robbery. She narrowly escapes apprehension in a heist and moves to Los Angeles, where she takes an honest job as a waitress. Her troubles resume when she falls in love with smooth-talking Mitch Foster, who reveals his true colors by stealing all of her money and then informing the authorities about her. In prison with her partner-in-crime Pearl, Margie is visited by Mitch and waitress friend Flo. Mitch continues to try to extract money from her. Margie overpowers a doctor and slips away from prison disguised in the doctor's clothes. Law-enforcement authorities look for her at Mitch's and discover his illegal activities there. Mitch tries to escape, but Margie lures him to a deserted spot and shoots him.

Cast

as Mitch Moore *

as Margie Foster *

as Flo *

as Gus *

Iris Adrian Iris Adrian Hostetter (May 29, 1912 – September 17, 1994) was an American stage, film actress and dancer. Life and career Adrian was an only child, born in Los Angeles, California, to Florence (née Van Every) and Adrian Earl Hostetter, who ...

as Pearl * Jack Daly as Eddie * Marta Mitrovich as Nickie *

Ann Tyrrell Ann Tyrrell (February 6, 1909 – July 20, 1983) was an American stage, film and television actress. Tyrrell is best known for her roles in both of the Ann Sothern CBS sitcoms ''Private Secretary'' (1953–1957) and ''The Ann Sothern S ...

as Dr. Borden * Michael Mark as Milton *

Kathleen Freeman Kathleen Freeman (February 17, 1923August 23, 2001) was an American actress. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, she portrayed acerbic maids, secretaries, teachers, busybodies, nurses, and battle-axe neighbors and relatives, almost in ...

as Phoebe *

Dana Broccoli Dana Broccoli ( Natol; January 3, 1922 – February 29, 2004) was an American actress. Biography Dana Natol was born January 3, 1922, in New York City to an Irish Italian family. She studied acting at the Cecil Clovelly's Academy of Dramatic A ...

as Jane (as Dana Wilson) *

Bill Baldwin Bill (Merl. W, Jr.) Baldwin (June 6, 1935 – October 14, 2015) was an American science fiction writer. He wrote militaristic space opera. His main series is about a male protagonist named Wilf Ansor Brim. He graduated from The Mercersburg Acade ...

as Bondsman * Frances Blumfeld as Lt. Francis Blumfeld (as Lieutenant Frances Blumfeld) * Gwendolph Dusuau as Deputy Gwendolph Dusuau (as Deputy Gwendolph Dusuau) * John P. Battema as Chaplain John P. Battema (as Chaplain John P. Battema) * Dorris Mack as Deputy Dorris Mack (as Deputy Dorris Mack) * Irma Kunow as Deputy Irma Kunow (as Deputy Irma Kunow) * Lloyd C. Smith as Officer Lloyd C. Smith (as Officer Lloyd C. Smith) * Ruth Moore as Police Sergeant Ruth Moore (as Sergeant Ruth Moore) * Leauta Larsen as Deputy Leauta Larsen (as Deputy Leauta Larsen)

References

External links

* * * * 1950 films 1950 crime drama films American crime drama films American black-and-white films Film noir Films directed by W. Lee Wilder Films scored by Michel Michelet United Artists films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{1950s-crime-drama-film-stub