KILLER BAIT (1949) Money - the root of all film noir

KILLER BAIT (aka TOO LATE FOR TEARS) is about money, greed and murder - the stuff film noir is made of. Driving one night on a lonely stretch of highway, a bickering married couple passes a speeding motorist, who dumps a satchel full of cash intended for somebody else into their back seat. A debate ensues. The goody two-shoed husband (Arthur Kennedy) wants to turn the 60 grand over to the cops, while his money-starved spouse (Lizabeth Scott) considers it rightfully hers and stakes her claim with a bullet, i.e., instant divorce. Promising start, but alas, a combination of bad direction, bad acting, bad dialogue and goofy storyline sinks KILLER BAIT. But even stinker noirs can be fun. Watch for a revealing exchange between the greedy wife and the sleazy hoodlum (Dan Duryea): After searching her apartment for his lost dough, he asks her, “You haven't anything to hide, have you?” As she sits down and crosses her legs, he answers his own question. “No, I can see you haven't.” HehHehHeh.