''Tarnished'' is a 1950 American

action film The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...

directed by

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

, 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 M ...

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'' (1954). Early life Franz was born in Perth Amboy, N ...

Barbra Fuller Barbra Deane Fuller (July 31, 1921 – May 15, 2024) was an American actress. Career Fuller signed a contract with Republic Pictures in 1949. Her father Ralph Fuller died when she was three years old. She had worked in radio shows since the 1 ...

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 is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...

. ''Tarnished'' is based off the novel ''Turn Home'' written in 1945 by author

Eleanor Mayo Eleanor Mayo (1920–1981) was an American novelist of the mid twentieth century. She lived most of her life on Mount Desert Island, Maine. She was raised in Southwest Harbor, Maine. Mayo and well known Maine novelist Ruth Moore were lovers and l ...

Plot

Lou Jellison is a woman living in

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

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 U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

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 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 Films scored by Stanley Wilson (composer) English-language action films {{action-film-stub