The Pay-Off

1930

Action / Crime / Drama

7
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 25%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Spilled 25%
IMDb Rating 5.6/10 10 331 331

robbery based on play or musical pre-code engaged couple

Director

Lowell Sherman Photo
Lowell Sherman

Top cast

George F. Marion Photo
George F. Marion as Mouse
Marian Nixon Photo
Marian Nixon as Nancy Porter
William Janney Photo
William Janney as Tommy Brown
Lowell Sherman Photo
Lowell Sherman as Gene Fenmore
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
649.67 MB
1280*974
English 2.0
NR
us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 10 min
Seeds ...
1.18 GB
1420*1080
English 2.0
NR
us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 10 min
Seeds 3

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by lawprof 5 / 10

"Squeeze Me": That's About as Erotic as it Gets

Another Alpha Video $4.99 DVD bringing a forgotten pre-WWII second (or third?) matinee feature to the DVD player.A young couple sits in a faux Central Park late at night contemplating their marriage the next day. Fortunately the lad has saved $260 towards their life together. But a real nasty bad guy overhears them and holds them up taking every dime.But...the almost groom recognizes the creep as a guy who hangs out in the building where he's a super's schlepper (that's NYC talk). So he and fiancee attempt to regain the money by armed robbery and blow it. They're captured by the gang.The gang, which does high values burglaries and robberies, is headed by a suave guy, Gene Foreman, played actually with some insight by Lowell Sherman who was at the tail end of his acting career. Perhaps he knew that: he seems genuinely sad throughout the film.Foreman eschews violence-he's a dapper dan in tails who gets leads to promising heists through wining and dining the rich. Foreman sort of adopts the young couple and the girl really likes him. Her boyfriend worries about losing this gem who intones "squeeze me" whenever she's scared, needs affectionate reassurance or both.The really nasty dude, Rocky, is murdered and the couple are the suspects. Foreman magnificently rises to the occasion, his acting transcending the limitations of predictable plot, sets less realistic than those on "The Honeymooners" and a supporting cast of deservedly unknowns.Fun flick from the past.5/10
Reviewed by kidboots 6 / 10

Debonair Lowell Sherman keeps you interested

Reviewed by wes-connors 5 / 10

Lowell Sherman Makes Crime Pay

On an early morning in New York City, school-boyish 20-year-old William Janney (as Thomas "Tommy" Brown) and his mature-looking 18-year-old girlfriend Marian Nixon (as Nancy Porter) wake up on a park bench. The cute couple are planning to get married on the $230 Mr. Janney has saved. Unfortunately, thieving Hugh Trevor (as Rocky) walks by and hears them talk about the money. He robs Janney. Later, the victims return the favor by finding Mr. Trevor and his gang. As it turns out, Janney works at the hotel where Trevor and his shady pals play cards. Janney's attempt to hold-up the gang fails, but gang leader Lowell Sherman (as Eugene "Gene" Fenmore) admires the effort. He takes a fatherly interest in Janney and could become even more interested in Ms. Nixon..."The Pay-Off" is a film adaptation of the Broadway play "Crime" (1927), written by Samuel Shipman and John B. Hymer. The too common title was changed, appropriately. Also changed was the name of the young teenager debuting on Broadway; future film actress Sylvia Sidney's character "Annabelle" becoming "Nancy". The film has a very stagy look, and the writers' names in the Internet Broadway Database's search engine will reveal the origin. As such, it's a good effort, also directed by Mr. Sherman. The former "silent" movie villain serves himself well as star and director. Age on stage matters less; here, Gimbels worker Nixon seems too girlish and Janney is not far behind. As Sherman's understanding servant and friend, authentic character actor George F. Marion helps.***** The Pay-Off (10/15/30) Lowell Sherman ~ Lowell Sherman, William Janney, Marian Nixon, Hugh Trevor
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