''Tarnished'' is a 1950 American

action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...

directed by

Harry Keller Harry Keller (22 February 1913 – 19 January 1987) was an American film editor, producer and director, who made a number of westerns and worked for many years at Universal Pictures. In 1958, Keller was tasked by Universal Pictures with directing ...

, written by John K. Butler, and starring

Dorothy Patrick Dorothy Patrick (born Dorothea Davis; June 3, 1921 – May 31, 1987) was a Canadian-American film actress and a John Robert Powers model. Early life Patrick was born on June 3, 1921, in St. Boniface, Manitoba, Canada, the daughter of Mr. and ...

Arthur Franz Arthur Sofield Franz (February 29, 1920 – June 17, 2006) was an American actor whose most notable feature film role was as Lieutenant, Junior Grade, H. Paynter Jr. in ''The Caine Mutiny (film), The Caine Mutiny'' (1954). Early life Franz ...

Barbra Fuller Barbra Fuller (born Barbara Deane Fuller; July 31, 1921) is an American retired film, television, and radio actress. Career The Nahant, Massachusetts-born Barbara Deane FullerDeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical ...

Jimmy Lydon James Joseph Lydon (May 30, 1923 – March 9, 2022) was an American actor and television producer whose career in the entertainment industry began as a teenager during the 1930s. Early life Lydon was born in Harrington Park, New Jersey on May 3 ...

, Harry Shannon and

Don Beddoe Donald Theophilus Beddoe (July 1, 1903 – January 19, 1991) was an American character actor. Early years Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Beddoe was the son of Dan Beddoe, a Welsh classical singer, and his wife Mary. He graduated from the ...

. It was released on February 28, 1950 by

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...

Plot

Lou Jellison is a woman living in

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

whose colleague and romantic suitor Joe Pettigrew takes her for a drive. They pick up a hitchhiker, who turns out to be Bud Dolliver, a childhood friend of Lou's who has been gone for many years, believed to be in jail. Bud bumps into old girlfriend Nina in town. Needing a job, he follows her suggestion that he try the sardine cannery. There he finds that Lou is a secretary and Joe the personnel manager. Joe refuses to hire an ex-convict. Bud next tries boatyard owner Kelsey Bunker, who lets him work in the machine shop. Kelsey's irritable son Junior causes an accident that renders Bud unconscious. A tattoo is discovered revealing Bud had been in the Marines, not in jail. When he comes to, Bud says he's unwilling to use his military service as a way of improving his reputation around town. Lou falls for Bud, despite the strong disapproval of her parents. They elope to

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

but are unable to wed. Upon their return, a jealous Joe picks a fight with Bud, and then Junior also punches him after catching Bud in a bar talking to Nina. The scheming Junior tries to frame Bud for robberies in the drugstore and cannery. Bud's about to be arrested when a third business owner sets a trap and catches the real thief, Junior, in the act. Lou vouches for Bud and the town welcomes him home.

Cast

as Lou Jellison *

as Bud Dolliver *

as Nina *

as Junior Bunker * Harry Shannon as Kelsey Bunker *

as Curtis Jellison *

Byron Barr Byron Barr (August 18, 1917 – November 3, 1966), sometimes billed as Byron S. Barr, was an American actor. He appeared in 19 films from 1944 to 1951. Barr perhaps is best known for his role as Nino Zachetti in ''Double Indemnity'', his first ...

as Joe Pettigrew *Alex Gerry as Judge Oliver *

Hal Price Harry Franklin "Hal" Price (June 24, 1886 – April 15, 1964) was an American film and stage actor. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1930 and 1952. He is the father of character actress and comedian Lu Leonard. On stage, Price ...

as Jed Gills *Stephen Chase as Sheriff McBride *Esther Somers as Edna Jellison *

Paul E. Burns Paul E. Burns (January 26, 1881 – May 17, 1967) was an American actor, who had a very lengthy career on film and television, although mostly in bit parts. He played Ebenezer Hawkins in ''Son of Paleface'' (1952), Latitude Bucket in ''The Ro ...

as Sam Haines *

Ethel Wales Ethel Wales (April 4, 1878 – February 15, 1952) was an American actress who appeared in more than 130 films during her 30-year career. Biography Born in 1878 in Passaic, New Jersey, Wales graduated from "Wisconsin university". Wales had ...

as Ida Baker *Michael Vallon as Steve Barron

References

External links

* 1950 films American action films 1950s action films Republic Pictures films Films directed by Harry Keller American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{action-film-stub