''Shed No Tears'' is a 1948 American

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

Jean Yarbrough Jean Yarbrough (August 22, 1901 – August 2, 1975) was an American film director. Biography Jean Yarbrough was born in Marianna, Arkansas on August 22, 1901. He attended the University of the South located in Sewanee, Tennessee. In 1922 ...

and starring

Wallace Ford Wallace Ford (born Samuel Grundy Jones; 12 February 1898 – 11 June 1966) was an English-born naturalized American vaudevillian, stage performer and screen actor. Usually playing wise-cracking characters, he combined a tough but friendly-face ...

and

June Vincent June Vincent (born Dorothy June Smith, July 17, 1920 – November 20, 2008) was an American actress. Life and career Vincent was born in Harrod, Ohio, the daughter of Sybil Irwin and the Rev. Willis E. Smith. Stage Vincent's acting career bega ...

Plot

At the instigation of his wife Edna, used car salesman Sam Grover devises a scheme to collect on his $50,000 life insurance policy. After hurling a flaming unidentifiable corpse from the window of a burning hotel room registered in his name, Sam disguises himself and hides out in Washington, D.C. to await Edna. Edna is to identify the corpse, which was wearing Sam's ring and wristwatch, and collect the insurance money. However, Tom, Sam's son by a prior marriage, hires a private detective, Huntington Stewart, to find out if his father's death was really an accident or if his stepmother murdered him. Stewart tricks Edna into disclosing that Sam is alive and blackmails her while stalling Tom. Edna, who had never intended to share the money with Sam, is in love with a young wastrel, Ray Belden, with whom she plans to leave the country. Sam returns and overhears Edna's plans, follows Belden and kills him. Tom, who has been following his father without recognizing him, hears the shots and reports to Stewart, who realizes that Sam has returned but does not tell Tom. Instead, he traces Sam and blackmails him too. When Belden's body is discovered, police detective Hutton arrests Edna on suspicion of murder. She is released on bail and follows Stewart to Sam's hideout. Meanwhile, Tom, still unaware that his father is alive, receives $5,000 that Sam has sent him, Tom assumes that the money is a bribe from the real killer and goes to the police. The police follow Edna to Sam and when she learns that he killed Belden, she shoots him but falls to her death from the hotel window while struggling with Stewart. The police arrest Stewart and although Tom is remorseful at having enabled them to discover his father's crime, Sam tells him that he would rather pay the law's penalty than continue being blackmailed by Stewart.

Cast

as Sam Grover *

as Edna Grover * Mark Roberts as Ray Belden *

Frank Albertson Francis Healey Albertson (February 2, 1909 – February 29, 1964) was an American actor who had supporting roles in films such as ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946) and '' Psycho'' (1960). Early life Albertson was a native of Fergus Falls ...

as Lt. Hutton * Richard Hogan as Tom Grover, Sam's son *

Elena Verdugo Elena Angela Verdugo (April 20, 1925 – May 30, 2017) was an American actress who began in films at the age of five in '' Cavalier of the West'' (1931). Her career in radio, television and film spanned six decades. Early life Elena Angela V ...

as Marilyn

References

External links

* * * * 1948 films 1948 crime films American crime films American black-and-white films Film noir Eagle-Lion Films films Films scored by Raoul Kraushaar 1940s English-language films Films directed by Jean Yarbrough 1940s American films {{1940s-crime-film-stub