Payday

I saw this about 3 years ago - I got to admit I was slightly inebriated after a lot of alcohol, but still some of the scenes penetrated my mind clearly, with their pull-no-punches cynicism. Maury Dann (played by Rip Torn) was one of the most memorable crooks I've ever seen in film. This sombre character study from the 70's addresses the themes of power and using people, set in the world of country & western music. As Dann's world slowly but surely crumbles, we see glimpses of the past of this cynical singer star trying to hit it big and the bleak relationships around him.

I agree with the previous writer, that the film is (sadly) largely unknown, despite a great script by the writer Don Carpenter and a staggering performance from Rip Torn.

This is an unvarnished look at the life and lifestyle of a country singer who spends all his time on the road,touring. (His character is likely an amalgamation of several of the rowdy country singers of the time) The cheap hotels,cheap restaurants,the rough honky-tonks and bars that he and his group play in are all on display. Not to mention the bar owners,accountants, groupies,fans,and hangers-on that are all part of the life of a travelling band on the road. It is not all pretty I assure you. The main character is a troubled man,he has been out of touch and estranged from his family for years. (Why? Because he has spent the last 5-10 years on the road !) This man has many people counting on him to keep performing,so they all can continue to get paid. A vicious circle indeed ! The movie can be slow in spots,but when it is you can rest assured that something is about to happen,it does keep moving along. The camera work,the angles,lighting and so forth are all well-done. The characters and acting are all believable for the most part. Is this a fantastic film? Maybe not to some viewers,but I think it is at least very good. It is different, entertaining,and rather believable mostly.

This is another one of those brilliant character studies that proliferated film screens in the early 1970's. Rip Torn gives a superb performance as Maury Dann, a mercurial, drunken country/western singer whose life ultimately careens out-of-control during a road tour. Payday is probably the most accurate filmed depiction of a musician's life on the road that you'll ever see: endless drug abuse, random sex, sudden violence. It's all here in one well-written, astutely directed package. Sadly, Payday is seldom seen in revival houses or on television. This is a true gem worth finding.

I saw this on the big screen at AFI in Washinton D.C. and was blown away. From what I've ready about life on the road in the seventies, this movie recreates the itinerate life of outlaw musicians like Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, etc, perfectly; Rip Torn is a revelation for those who don't know his work from the 70's when he was thin and charismatic.

I can't think of any film that quite captures the feeling of what it must have been like to be running around on amphetamines and barbiturates in the 70's (which had their peak usage then), from show to show, on a medium size tour circuit complete with one night stands, hanger-ons, fistfights, and various charlatans. The drugs are specific to this period as Qualudes, and various uppers and downers, were being produced legally (albeit with a prescription. This makes for a certain kind of life you could never lead now as the drugs just aren't available like they were then. (Johnny Cash gotten busted I believe in the 70's for smuggling a whole bunch of pills from Mexico). Farewell to a bygone era. If you couldn't be there, this may be your best education.

Rip Torn steals the film and lifts it above its drive-in milieu. It played briefly in NYC and the cast works hard enough to make it a good rental. Many of the actors had only TV credits and this could have been a breakthrough film. It was marketed poorly. It also has a good 'road' feel to it. This road feel could have made it a nifty period piece. Why it never made a punch is hard to tell. However a preview audience in NYC found a lot to like about it, including the Torn character's disregard for the other characters. It's worth a look and should make a good double bill in a rep cinema with Coppola's "You're A Big Boy Now" where Torn and the Lovin' Spoonful soundtrack help to save that film. The film was also released at a time when everybody was trying to "recreate" Easy Rider, et al.