The Damned Don't Cry

The Damned Don't Cry is a 1950 American film noir crime-drama directed by Vincent Sherman and featuring Joan Crawford, David Brian, and Steve Cochran. It tells of a woman's involvement with an organized crime boss and his subordinates. The screenplay by Harold Medford and Jerome Weidman was based on the story "Case History" by Gertrude Walker. The plot is loosely based on the relationship of Bugsy Siegel and Virginia Hill. The film was directed by Vincent Sherman and produced by Jerry Wald. The Damned Don't Cry is the first of three cinematic collaborations between Sherman and Crawford, the others being Harriet Craig (1950) and Goodbye, My Fancy (1951).[2]

The Damned Don't Cry
Theatrical release poster
Directed byVincent Sherman
Screenplay byHarold Medford
Jerome Weidman
Gertrude Walker
Based onCase History
1950 novel
by Gertrude Walker
Produced byJerry Wald
StarringJoan Crawford
David Brian
CinematographyTed McCord, A.S.C.
Edited byRudi Fehr
Music byDaniele Amfitheatrof
Color processBlack and white
Production
company
Warner Bros.
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • May 7, 1950 (1950-05-07) (United States)
Running time
103 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1,233,000[1]
Box office$2,211,000[1]

Plot summary

Cast

Uncredited (in order of appearance)

Reception

L. to R.: Joan Crawford, Steve Cochran, Richard Egan & David Brian - publicity still for The Damned Don't Cry!

Box office

The movie was a hit. According to Warner Bros., it earned $1,540,000 in the U.S. and $671,000 in other markets.[1][3]

According to Variety, the film earned $1.4 million in the U.S. and Canada in 1950.[4]

Critical response

When the film was released, the reviews were mixed, even though the box office was considered good. The New York Times critic Bosley Crowther was tough on the film in his review. He wrote "Miss Crawford as the 'fancy lady' runs through the whole routine of cheap motion-picture dramatics in her latter-day hard-boiled, dead-pan style...A more artificial lot of acting could hardly be achieved" He added "And Kent Smith, as a public accountant whom Miss Crawford lures into the syndicate, plays a Milquetoast so completely that his whole performance seems a succession of timid gulps. Steve Cochran as a tricky West Coast mobster and Selena Royle as a vagrant socialite do their jobs in a conventional B-story, A-budget way. Vincent Sherman's direction is as specious as the script."[5]

Modern critics are generally more sympathetic. James Travers in 2012 stated: "It is not hard to account for the popular appeal of The Damned Don't Cry. The plot may be far-fetched and the characters absurdly exaggerated, but the film is otherwise well-constructed (using the familiar film noir device of the extended flashback) and well-performed by a well-chosen ensemble of acting talent.[6]

Film critic Craig Butler called the film "a ridiculous melodrama that is fairly poor as real drama but is quite enjoyable as camp." He added "Damned starts out as if it were one of Crawford's earlier 'poor gal makes good' flicks, but it quickly becomes lurid and unbelievable. As is often the case in her later vehicles, Damned finds Crawford in a one-dimensional world and asks that she find ways of giving the illusion of depth to her character."[7]

Critic Dennis Schwartz liked the film, Crawford's work and its direction. He wrote "A dreary crime drama following the formula of Flamingo Road, which also starred Joan Crawford. It is efficiently directed by Vincent Sherman...Joan Crawford gives a solid performance as the gangster's moll who discovers when it's too late that she took the wrong path."[8]

Slant critic Jeremiah Kipp wrote "The direction by hack Vincent Sherman is adequate and humble before Joan, though some scenes feel like the transition into the editing room was hardly smooth. (At least two insert shots feel wobbly and jarring.) But Crawford gets what she wants, and that's all we really came for, no? Like the star in question, this diva showcase knows what it is and what it's good at. If you don't like it, why are you still here?"[9]

References

  1. Warner Bros financial information in The William Shaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 30 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551
  2. The Damned Don't Cry! at the American Film Institute Catalog.
  3. IMDb business section. Accessed: August 16, 2013.
  4. "Top Grosses of 1950". Variety. January 3, 1951. p. 58.
  5. Crowther, Bosley. The New York Times, film review, April 8, 1950. Accessed: August 16, 2013.
  6. James Travers. Films de France, film review.
  7. Butler, Craig. Allmovie by Rovi, film/DVD review, no date. Accessed: August 16, 2013.
  8. Schwartz, Dennis. Ozus' World Movie Reviews, film review, November 10, 2004. Accessed: August 16, 2013.
  9. Kipp, Jeremiah. Slant Magazine, film review, June 12, 2005. Accessed: August 16, 2013.
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