''I Demand Payment'' is a 1938 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Clifford Sanforth Clifford Sanforth was a film director and producer in the United States. See also Clifford S. Elfelt, his birth name and the name he used prior to the 1930s. He produced and directed under that name through 1926. Sanforth said he got the idea to ...

and starring

Betty Burgess Betty Burgess (February 15, 1917 – 2002) was a singer, dancer, and actress in the United States. She married Duncan Laing in 1951 and then George Zaharias in January 1960. She co-starred in the 1935 film ''Coronado'' and the 1938 film ''I Deman ...

Jack La Rue Jack La Rue (born Gaspare Biondolillo; May 3, 1902 – January 11, 1984) was an American film and stage actor. Early years The son of Sicilian immigrants Pasquale and Concetta Biondolillo, La Rue was born in New York City. His father sailed to ...

and

Matty Kemp Matty Kemp (September 10, 1907 – December 12, 1999) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1926 and 1943. After retiring from acting, Kemp produced many musical short films. In 1954, he contributed the story ...

. The film was based on Rob Eden's 1932 novel ''Second Choice''. Sanforth produced the film and

Sherman L. Lowe Sherman L. Lowe (born Salt Lake City, Utah, United States (or Russia), 18 October 1894; died 24 Jan 1968, Los Angeles, California, United States) was an American screenwriter. He was a writer of the Frank Buck serial Jungle Menace. Early life Sh ...

wrote the screenplay. ''I Demand Payment'' was produced by

Poverty Row Poverty Row is a slang term used to refer to Hollywood films produced from the 1920s to the 1950s by small (and mostly short-lived) B movie studios. Although many of them were based on (or near) today's Gower Street in Hollywood, the term did ...

company Imperial Pictures.

Synopsis

A man finds himself drawn in too deep after going to work for a

loan shark A loan shark is a person who offers loans at extremely high interest rates, has strict terms of collection upon failure, and generally operates outside the law. Description Because loan sharks operate mostly illegally, they cannot reasonably ...

, and his new wife tries to leave him after discovering his true occupation.

Cast

as Judith Avery *

as Smiles Badolio *

as Toby Locke *

Guinn "Big Boy" Williams Guinn Terrell Williams Jr. (April 26, 1899 – June 6, 1962) was an American actor who appeared in memorable westerns such as '' Dodge City'' (1939), '' Santa Fe Trail'' (1940), and '' The Comancheros'' (1961). He was nicknamed "Big Bo ...

as Happy Crofton * Lloyd Hughes as Doctor Craig Mitchell *Anthony Orlando as Louie Badolio * Sheila Terry as Rita Avery *

Bryant Washburn Franklin Bryant Washburn III (April 28, 1889 – April 30, 1963) was an American film actor who appeared in more than 370 films between 1911 and 1947. Washburn's parents were Franklin Bryant Washburn II and Metha Catherine Johnson Washburn. He a ...

as Joe Travis *

Donald Kirke Donald Kirke (1901–1971) was an American stage, film and television actor. Career In the early 1920s, Kirke acted in stock theater, including the Gene Lewis-Olga Worth and the Lewis-Worth companies. Kirke's Broadway credits include ''The Co ...

as Mr. Twitchett *

Harry Holman Harry James Holman (March 15, 1862 – May 3, 1947) was an American character actor. He appeared in approximately 130 films between 1923 and 1947. Biography Born in Conway, Missouri, Holman dropped out of school in the ninth grade and b ...

as Justice of Peace *

Edward Keene Edward Keane (May 28, 1884 – October 12, 1959) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 300 films between 1921 and 1955. Selected filmography * ''The Supreme Passion'' (1921) – Dr. Jennings * '' The Runaway Bride'' (1930) ...

as District Attorney *Norma Taylor as Miss Farnsworth

Reception

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' wrote that it was "a powerful illustration that crime does not pay". ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

s review described the film as featuring "The loan-shark racket framed in an undistinguished production" and as "Imperial's contribution to the gangster cycle." It noted, "It provides an hour's entertainment for fans with time to kill who do not care how they kill it.... Bright spots in the production are Jack La Rue and Matty Kemp, standouts in unsympathetic parts, and Betty Burgess as the femme lead. La Rue's strong personality and intensity as a strong-arm guy practically dominates the entire proceedings... Story progresses in routine fashion until the melodramatic climax where Kemp is cornered in his hideout after fleeing gang vengeance... Action fans who like plenty of gun-play will get it here". The New York ''Daily News'' rated it two stars, stating in its review that "Matty Kemp tries desperately to give a fine performance in a film distinctly amateurish." ''

The Film Daily ''The Film Daily'' was a daily publication that existed from 1918 to 1970 in the United States. It was the first daily newspaper published solely for the film industry. It covered the latest trade news, film reviews, financial updates, informatio ...

'' stated that the film "rates weak with amateur script and direction" and called the photography "fair".

References

Bibliography

* Pitts, Michael R. ''Poverty Row Studios, 1929–1940''. McFarland & Company, 2005.

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0030255 1938 films 1938 drama films American drama films American black-and-white films Films based on American novels 1930s English-language films Films directed by Clifford Sanforth 1930s American films