The Public Pays (1936)

A protection racket preying on milk distribution is broken through the persistence of law enforcement and the courage of a local businessman.

Director:

Errol Taggart

Writers:

John C. Higgins (story), John C. Higgins (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Alexander, Barbara Bedford, Harry C. Bradley

Won 1 Oscar.

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Richard Alexander	...	Drunken Hood Who Knocks Over Milk Wagon (uncredited)
Barbara Bedford	...	Markovitz's Secretary (uncredited)
Harry C. Bradley	...	Grocer (uncredited)
Russ Clark	...	Officer Jerry (uncredited)
Betty Ross Clarke	...	Paige's Secretary (uncredited)
John Dilson	...	Moore, Milk Company Executive (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Bit (uncredited)
Karl Hackett	...	Markovitz, Milk Company Executive (uncredited)
Robert Homans	...	Officer Donovan (uncredited)
George Humbert	...	Simonelli, Italian Milk Dealer (uncredited)
Cy Kendall	...	Police Chief John Carney (uncredited)
Ivan Miller	...	Charles Paige (uncredited)
William Pawley	...	Kelly (uncredited)
Frank Puglia	...	Moran's Hood (uncredited)
Edwin Stanley	...	John Allgren, Department of Justice (uncredited)

Storyline

Racketeers, led by Moran, set up what they call the Creamery Betterment Association. They quietly coerce dairy producers to join the association, which will control the dairy market by raising milk by three cents per bottle, one cent of which will go to the association. Moran's ultimate goal is for all three cents to go to the association. Those dairy producers who refuse to join are more forcefully coerced until they feel they have no other option but to join. The higher price of milk has a profound affect on consumers, some who can no longer afford this important product. One dairy producer who holds out of the association is Paige Creamery until Moran's gang threatens Paige's family. The police feel powerless to act until they have more concrete evidence. They convince Paige to continue to hold out so they can use his company as a front for their sting operation of Moran and his gang.

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Plot Keywords:

milk | creamery | racketeering | crime does not pay series | gangster | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Short

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 October 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Crime Does Not Pay No. 8: The Public Pays

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

19 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The set for the crooks' office is the same one Clark Gable's character uses in Wife vs. Secretary.

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Goofs

The police chief of the city where the crooks set up their racket says he thought such crimes were usually only found in big cities, and not a small one like his. However, outside the window of the crooks' office can be seen New York skyscrapers.

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Quotes

[last lines]
John Allgren, Department of Justice: Extortion demands good organization, clever brains, and much money, but extortion cannot operate against a brave man who faces down these parasites and goes to the police for help. He cannot be robbed!

User Reviews

Crime Still Does Not Pay

Public Pays, The (1936)

*** (out of 4)

Crime Does Not Pay

Oscar winning short from MGM's Crime Doesn't Pay series. Gangster move to small cities throughout America so that they can take over the milk business thinking the hick cops won't be able to stop them. This short will entertain anyone interesting in the gangster films that were being made at the time. There's plenty of nice action including one scene with a milk tanker being shot. There's also some nice laughs along the way.