Payment on Demand (1951)

The film is about divorce but with flashbacks as to why divorce occurs.

Director:

Curtis Bernhardt

Writers:

Bruce Manning, Curtis Bernhardt

Stars:

Bette Davis, Barry Sullivan, Jane Cowl

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bette Davis	...	Joyce Ramsey
Barry Sullivan	...	David Ramsey
Jane Cowl	...	Emily Hedges
Kent Taylor	...	Robert Townsend
Betty Lynn	...	Martha Ramsey
John Sutton	...	Anthony Tunliffe
Frances Dee	...	Eileen Benson
Peggie Castle	...	Diana Ramsey
Otto Kruger	...	Ted Prescott
Walter Sande	...	Swanson
Brett King	...	Phil Polanski
Richard Anderson	...	Jim Boland
Natalie Schafer	...	Edna Blanton
Katherine Emery	...	Pat Gates
Lisa Golm	...	Molly

Storyline

Well-to-do Joyce Ramsey is the dominant and domineering force in her household comprised of her lawyer husband David Ramsey, their young adult daughter Diana Ramsey and their late teenaged daughter Martha Ramsey. Everything Joyce has done in the course of her marriage to David has been in the pursuit of wealth, prestige, comfort and security for her and the family, which belies her and David's humble beginnings. Their current wealth and status began with a white lie told by Joyce to one of David's potential clients when David was still struggling as a lawyer, that lie which had the consequence of Joyce, and by association David, stepping on the back of a friend as they climbed the social ladder, Joyce never to look back after this and subsequent such actions. Joyce has no real idea of how her actions have negatively affected David's feelings for her, Joyce who is blindsided when David asks her for a divorce in no longer loving her. As such, Joyce has no idea why David wants the ...

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Plot Keywords:

divorce | flashback | negotiation | lawyer | cruise | 

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Taglines:

The one sin no woman ever forgives.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

3 February 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Story of a Divorce

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gwenaud Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the beginning of the film, Jim drives up to the house in a 1949 Cadillac (Series 62) convertible. Only 8,000 were built. Fully restored, in excellent condition this car can easily fetch six figures in 2016. In 1949 the sticker price was $3,442 ($34,743 in 2016).

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Goofs

Shadow on the wall to the right as it pulls back from the conference room after the divorce settlement meeting.

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Quotes

Joyce Ramsey: Without me you'd be nothing! less than nothing. And then you wouldn't be able to afford a conscience or to help your indigent, snivelling, whining friends, so-called.

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Connections

Featured in Stardust: The Bette Davis Story (2006)

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Soundtracks

A Woman's Intuition
(uncredited)
Music by Victor Young
Lyrics by Ned Washington
Sung by Bette Davis

User Reviews

Finally released on DVD! A Warners Archive release.

I just saw Payment on Demand for the first time last night. An excellent Bette Davis vehicle! As you all know, this movie was made before All About Eve (though it was released after) and the first movie she made after leaving Warners in 1949. The role and the movie is vintage Bette, a return to form you might say after the three flops she made with Warners in 48 and 49. The quality of the movie is perfectly good. Even though it is not "restored" the picture quality is just fine, especially if you own a Blue Ray player. Curtis B. does a great job directing and the flashback scenes are wonderful. Bette is very good in this role. She looks amazing in the flashback scenes and the Edith Head wardrobe is fabulous. For me, Payment on Demand is the Bette Davis Holy Grail since it has never before been released and almost never shown on TV. It is worth the price of the DVD or download.