Loan Shark (1952)

At the request of factory owners and union leaders, a tough ex-con infiltrates a gang of loan sharks who are preying on financially desperate factory workers.

Director:

Seymour Friedman

Writers:

Eugene Ling (screenplay), Martin Rackin (story and screenplay)

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 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 | union leader | job interview | neighbor | fistfight | 

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Taglines:

He knew every racket's strength . . . and every woman's weakness!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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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

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$250,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Encore Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 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

The actor killed in the final sequence can be seen reacting twice to being shot in different angles BEFORE the shot is actually fired.

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Connections

Referenced in Dirty Money: Payday (2018)

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Soundtracks

Peru
by Victor Young and Edward Heyman

User Reviews

George Raft as Blanche DuBois

OK: That's only at the beginning. catch the start of this nice little noir. Raft makes an entrance any diva would have been pleased with. And he arrives to visit his sister. On the way, he passes a squabbling couple. The sister greets him with love and concern, commenting on how tired he looks. And then he goes to soak in a hot bath! Later in the movie, we see that the authors have been influenced by another play that became a movie: The girlfriend of one of the bad guys suddenly sounds like Judy Holliday as Billie Dawn, from "Born yesterday." It may indeed have been unconscious. But wait: The climactic scene -- and this is giving nothing away -- is set in a theater.

All this said, it's an excellent movie for something on so obviously low a budget. Raft is the same as he usually was. He's not exciting but he gives a solid performance. The lead female, Dorothy Hart, is attractive and convincing. The supporting cast is very good and they're all well directed.

It's by no means a great movie but it's a decent, good one, worth your time.