Too Late For Tears restoration hits a snag

Bad news for fans of the little-seen film noir masterpiece Too Late For Tears. As I've talked about before, plans have been underway for the Film Noir Foundation to attempt a restoration--really a rescue/resurrection-- of this thriller starring noir goddess Lizabeth Scott. In the latest issue of the Noir City Sentinel, however, FNF president Eddie Muller breaks the bad news that plans to rescue the film have ground to a halt because of a lack of suitable source materials. The search for these materials goes on.

What's so disappointing about this, of course, is that Too Late For Tears is a first rate film which exists right now in abhorrent condition. Cheap DVDs abound and you can watch the film on line, but the print looks like it's been run through a cement mixer. There are few people alive today who have ever seen this great movie in anything approaching decent condition.

So we won't be getting a clean, fresh print of the film this year like we had hoped. Having said that, though, while the hunt for an original nitrate print of the film goes on, now is as good a time as any to consider donating some cash to the Film Noir Foundation. Aside from helping to rescue and restore wonderful, and vulnerable, films from possible extinction, you'll also get a free subscription to the Noir City Sentinel, a quarterly electronic magazine featuring articles on films, stars, directors, writers, and more. The current issue features my piece on the director Felix Feist, as well as articles on the film The Scarlet Hour, a book to film comparison of To Have and Have Not, a review of the Red Riding Trilogy, The Manchurian Candidate, and a lot more. So head over there, give 'em some money (they'll take any amount; they ain't picky), get a great magazine mailed to you four times a year, and maybe you'll help save Too Late For Tears. There is no downside here, people. Go do it.