The Damned Don't Cry (1950)

Director:

Vincent Sherman

Writers:

Harold Medford (screenplay) and
Jerome Weidman (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 May 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir | Romance

Tagline:

Warner Bros.' Flaming Stars of 'Flamingo Road' Meet in Scarlet Shadows Again!

Plot:

A New York socialite climbs the ladder of success man by man until a life among rich gangsters gives her what she thought she always wanted.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Socialite | Flashback | Underworld | Accountant

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Ethel Whitehead
David Brian	...	George Castleman
Steve Cochran	...	Nick Prenta
Kent Smith	...	Martin Blackford
Hugh Sanders	...	Grady
Selena Royle	...	Patricia Longworth
Jacqueline deWit	...	Sandra
Morris Ankrum	...	Jim Whitehead
Edith Evanson	...	Mrs. Castleman
Richard Egan	...	Roy Whitehead
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bob Alden	...	Messenger (uncredited)
Bonnie Bannon	...	Woman in Casino (uncredited)
George Baxter	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Paul Bradley	...	Delivery Boy (uncredited)
Kathryn Card	...	Mrs. Sullivan - Employment agency worker (uncredited)
Tristram Coffin	...	George - Maitre d'Hotel (uncredited)
Herschel Daugherty	...	Rewrite Man (uncredited)
Diane DeLaire	...	Castleman's Secretary (uncredited)
Forrest Dickson	...	Woman on Street (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Nightclub Extra (uncredited)
Don Forbes	...	Radio Commentator (uncredited)
Jack Gargan	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ned Glass	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Tom Greenway	...	Deputy (uncredited)
William E. Green	...	Agent (uncredited)
Dabbs Greer	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Weldon Heyburn	...	Robert - The Butler (uncredited)
Charles Jordan	...	Editor (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Man in Montage (uncredited)
Fred Kelsey	...	Dock Extra (uncredited)
Lyle Latell	...	Trooper (uncredited)
David Leonard	...	Barney Green (uncredited)
Leon Lontoc	...	Filipino House Boy (uncredited)
Herbert Lytton	...	Attendant (uncredited)
Warren Mace	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Rory Mallinson	...	Johnny Enders (uncredited)
Strother Martin	...	Springboard diver (uncredited)
John Maxwell	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Paul McGuire	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Lee Miller	...	Jalopy Driver (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Taxicab Driver at Dock (uncredited)
Jimmy Moss	...	Tommy (uncredited)
Hugh Murray	...	Alfred, the Houseman (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Waiter at Party (uncredited)
Keith Richards	...	Croupier (uncredited)
Ann Robinson	...	Girl at Poolside in Home Movie (uncredited)
Ric Roman	...	Sam Loman (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford	...	Norman Riley (uncredited)
Jameson Shade	...	Sheriff (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock	...	Man at the Hacienda (uncredited)
Allan Smith	...	Surveyor (uncredited)
Clarence Straight	...	Castleman's Henchman (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Cop (uncredited)
Blanche Taylor	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Herb Vigran	...	Vito Maggio (uncredited)
Duke Watson	...	Hardware Man (uncredited)
Paul Weber	...	Syndicate Boss (uncredited)
Crane Whitley	...	Eddie Hart (uncredited)

Directed by
Vincent Sherman

Writing credits
Harold Medford		(screenplay) and
Jerome Weidman		(screenplay)
Gertrude Walker		(story "Case History")

Produced by
Jerry Wald	....	producer

Original Music by
Daniele Amfitheatrof
Max Steiner		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Ted D. McCord		(director of photography) (as Ted McCord)

Film Editing by
Rudi Fehr

Art Direction by
Robert M. Haas		(as Robert Haas)

Set Decoration by
William L. Kuehl

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist
Ray Forman	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Otis Malcolm	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Gertrude Wheeler	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Sound Department
C.A. Riggs	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Ellsworth Fredericks	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sheila O'Brien	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrations (as Maurice de Packh)
Ray Heindorf	....	musical director

Other crew
Wandra Ramsey	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1950) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1951) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1951) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #14169) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Belgium:16 | Germany:12 | UK:PG (re-rating) (2005) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Palm Springs, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The title comes from Eugene O'Neill's "Mourning becomes Electra", in which a brother tells his sister: "Don't cry... the damned don't cry."

Quotes:

Patricia Longworth: [at the roulette table] What's happened to that system of yours, darling? I thought you always quit while you were still ahead.
Ethel Whitehead: I've been experimenting with a new one: stay to the bitter end.
[to croupier]
Ethel Whitehead: If you'll write out the obituary, I'll give you a check.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Damned Don't Cry: The Crawford Formula - Real and Reel (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Trade Winds

minor classic

An energetic film about a woman (one of Joan Crawford's best parts) who leaves her family and gets involved with a gambling syndicate. It's surprisingly good thanks to the pace and direction which keeps the focus on the main characters, all of whom become or already are corrupted by money, crime, society, or their own jaded world views. She had been watching the "American Dream" slip by with her tightwad husband who's played in an outstanding role by Richard Egan. It could get stereotyped and clichéd but doesn't thanks to the fine acting throughout by David Brian, Steve Cochran, Kent Smith, and of course Joan Crawford, who, though she was in her mid 40's, carried a role off that was sexy and ambitious.