Loan Shark (1952)

A vicious loan shark ring has been preying on factory workers. When several workers at a tire factory suffer violence at the hands of the loan sharkers, a union leader and the factory owner... See full summary »

Director:

Seymour Friedman

Writers:

Eugene Ling, Martin Rackin (story)

Stars:

George Raft, Dorothy Hart, Paul Stewart

Cast

Complete credited cast:
George Raft	...	Joe Gargen
Dorothy Hart	...	Ann Nelson
Paul Stewart	...	Lou Donelli
John Hoyt	...	Vince Phillips
Helen Westcott	...	Martha Gargen Haines
Henry Slate	...	Paul Nelson
Russell Johnson	...	Charlie Thompson
Margia Dean	...	Ivy
Benny Baker	...	Tubby
Lawrence Dobkin	...	Walter Kerr (as Larry Dobkin)

Storyline

A vicious loan shark ring has been preying on factory workers. When several workers at a tire factory suffer violence at the hands of the loan sharkers, a union leader and the factory owner try to recruit ex-con Joe Gargan to infiltrate to the gang. At first Joe does not want to get involved, but changes his mind when his brother-in-law dies at the hands of a savage loan shark hood. Joe works his way into the mob, but in order to keep his cover, Joe can't tell anyone what he is up to. This results in him being disowned by his sister and girl friend.

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Plot Keywords:

loan shark | murder | extortion

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Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 May 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Les requins font la loi

Box Office

Budget:

$250,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Encore Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gail Russell was originally hired to play Ann Nelson, but her problems with alcohol, which eventually destroyed her career, resulted in her being replaced by Dorothy Hart before production began.

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Goofs

Despite using a six-shot revolver, one of the characters in the final reel fires eleven shots without reloading.

User Reviews

Satisfying grade B gangster film

Loan Shark is a nice little gangster melodrama centering in on the loan sharking racket. By the time this movie was made, George Raft's popularity was dwindling. But for George Raft fans, this movie still makes the grade. In my opinion, with the exception of "Each dawn I Die", "They drive by night" and "Invisible Stripes", his best movies were done in the 1950's. In Loan Shark, Raft is cast as Joe Gargan, a tough ex con who wants to settle down and go straight by working with his brother-in-law's tire company. But alas, the tire plant is infected by a wave of assaults and killings. The plant's general manager pleads with Raft to find the criminals responsible and perhaps put an end to the bloodshed. Watch for Russell Johnson (TV's "the professor" on Gilligan's Island")in an early role.