The Pay-Off

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

Please ignore the CGI Generation Comments – because – if you love silent films and early talkies – you'll love this.

If this film does have a fault – it lies in the film's not being quite able to make up its mind whether to be one of those wonderful screwball comedies of the 30's – or – something a bit more serious.

Watching actors/actresses who had survived the transition to talking films is always fascinating to me – and – we had our share here – with – Lowell Sherman being both actor and director.

The plot is simple and straightforward – as it should be – without becoming overly melodramatic or silly. Had the direction moved in either direction toward a screwball comedy – or – a drama – (perhaps) – the film might have been a tad bit better – but – all-in-all – it did manage to strike a nice balance between the two.

Some wonderful actors – many forgotten names – many of whom died young.

Not the type of film that will tug at your heartstrings – but – an enjoyable film none-the-less.

Highly recommend for old film buffs.

This film begins with New York's stupidest couple (Hugh Trevor and Marian Nixon) falling asleep on a park bench. When a cop wakes them, it's the middle of the night. Now you'd THINK a sane couple would immediately leave the park. Instead, dopey Rocky begins talking rather loudly and imprudently about the $200 plus that he's carrying on him!! It's really hard to believe anyone could be that dumb--and this is clearly a sign of poor writing. Not surprisingly, a thug overhears them and robs the young couple.

Now if this happened to you, what would you do? Well, these rocket scientists decide to don masks and hold up a group of crooks to get the money they were saving in order to get married!! The plan, naturally, backfires and the big boss-man, Gene Fenmore (Lowell Sherman) feels sorry for them and takes him under his wing. They do not realize he's the local mob leader and think he's just a swell guy. At first, their good fortune seems assured but later Fenmore's shady dealings end up getting the couple arrested for a crime they didn't commit. So what's next? The only reason to watch this film is to watch Sherman. He was a fine actor and very few of his films are seen today. He had a very likable and natural style and "The Pay-Off" is no exception. Unfortunately, the film is full of silly writing and a decent idea for a film is squandered. Not great but still very watchable despite its many deficits.

Stagy and a little disappointing but an interesting story, and the film boasts Lowell Sherman--a very underrated actor/director. A film star for 20 years, he is forgotten now, but his great talkie success, What Price Hollywood, is still considered one of the best 30s films.

In The Pay-Off, Sherman plays a gentlemanly gangster who gets involved with a young couple of innocents--William Janney and Marian Nixon--who get involved in his crime ring when they get mugged my a "butcher" played by hunky Hugh Trevor. While the premise is interesting, the film is not too well done and it talks itself to death.

The ending is no big surprise, but Lowell Sherman remains one of the great undiscovered acting talents of the early talkie period. Despite his make-up (very stagy) his acting is very natural and not at all the hammy early talkie style.

George Marion plays Mousy, Helene Millard is Dot, Robert McWade and Al Roscoe also co-star.

Hugh Trevor, who died a few years after this film, is best remembered for 2 comedies with Wheeler and Woolsey--The Cuckoos and Half Shot at Sunrise. He could have been a big star--tall and handsome--but he died on the operating table during a routine appendectomy.

This film tells the story of an well bred and mannered man (Lowell Sherman) who happens to be the boss of an underworld racket. When one of his henchmen robs a young couple about to get married, he feels sorry for them and takes them in as his family, only to have other henchmen in his crime unit make them stooges in robberies.

An early sound film (1930) directed by Lowell Sherman, the stand out performance here is by Sherman himself. He has a very natural and easy going style of acting, making me curious to see other films in which he starred. The plot of the film, though not very believable, still makes for interesting viewing.