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Loan Shark
Loan Shark
	Theatrical release lobby card
Directed by	Seymour Friedman
Screenplay by	Eugene Ling; Martin Rackin
Produced by	Bernard Luber
Starring	George Raft ; Dorothy Hart ; Paul Stewart
Cinematography	Joseph F. Biroc
Edited by	Albrecht Joseph
Music by	Heinz Roemheld
Production; company	Encore Productions
Distributed by	Lippert Pictures
Release date	May 23, 1952;
Running time	80 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$250,000

Loan Shark is a 1952 American crime film noir directed by Seymour Friedman and starring George Raft, Dorothy Hart and Paul Stewart.^[2]^[3]

Plot

An ex-con avenges his brother-in-law's death by infiltrating vicious loan rackets.

Cast

George Raft as Joe Gargen
Dorothy Hart as Ann Nelson
Paul Stewart as Lou Donelli
John Hoyt as Vince Phillips
Helen Westcott as Martha Gargen Haines
Henry Slate as Paul Nelson
Russell Johnson as Charlie Thompson
Margia Dean as Ivy
Benny Baker as Tubby
Lawrence Dobkin as Walter Kerr
Virginia Carroll as Netta Casmer
Robert Bice as Steve Casmer
George Eldredge as Mr. Howell
Ross Elliott as Norm
William Tannen as Rourke
Harlan Warde as Lt. White
Robert B. Williams as Scully
Charles Meredith as F.L. Rennick
William Edward Phipps as Ed Haines
Barbara Woodell as Mrs. Hilton
Robert Karnes as Police Lieutenant
Claire Carleton as Nagging Wife

Production

The film was based on an original script by Martin Rackin.^[4] He originally wrote it for producer Louis Edelman at Warner Brothers in 1949.^[5] The project ended up with Lippert Pictures, an independent film company that had enjoyed success with second features as well as occasionally more ambitious productions.

It was the first production from a new arrangement between Robert Lippert and Famous Artists Corporation whereby clients of Famous Artists would make a film, and Lippert would distribute it. Lippert said he was willing to give away up to 75% of the profits to make the films more attractive to talent, in view of the dwindling B market. The writer, producer and director all had a piece of the film.^[6]^[7] Gail Russell was meant to play the female lead but was unable to do so because of personal problems. Raft was paid $25,000 plus 25% of the profits.^[1] Filming started 15 January 1952.^[8]

Reception

The Los Angeles Times said the film "will probably fill the bill for those who like this vigorous straight away sort of action film. It sustains its interest."^[9]

The New York Times called it "standard fare" which "isn't particularly hard to take. The director... manages to pace the proceedings at a reasonable clip. The screen play... not only affords the cast some brisk dialogue but stirs up a fair amount of suspense, particularly toward the clima... For once, Mr. Raft's tight-lipped suavity seems perfectly in order... "Loan Shark", while nothing special, could have been a lot worse."^[10]

Film critic Dennis Schwartz panned the film, writing, "A lifeless thriller about an ex-convict trying to smash a brutal loan-shark racket. Sappy dialogue, an awful plot, and unimaginative directing by Seymour Friedman, make this hardly believable crime story fizzle. The story made about as much sense as snow in July. It is only watchable because George Raft tries to inject into it some Hollywood star pizzazz. But even the final shootout is flat ... This low-budget crime thriller puts all its action into the final shootout scene in a shadowy theater. It had nothing to say about crime or the workforce. The script leaves the impression that all the parties concerned don't seem to have enough brains to walk and chew gum at the same time.^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b Everett Aaker, George Raft: The Films, McFarland 2012 p150
^ Loan Shark at IMDb.
^ Vagg, Stephen (February 9, 2020). "Why Stars Stop Being Stars: George Raft". Filmink.
^ Schallert, E. (Dec 3, 1951). "Brothers of maureen O'hara progress; naish teamed with ruth hussey". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 166266591.
^ "MASON TO CO-STAR WITH GRETA GARBO". New York Times. Aug 16, 1949. ProQuest 105716456.
^ THOMAS M PRYOR (Dec 4, 1951). "LIPPERT IN A DEAL WITH FILM AGENCY". New York Times. ProQuest 111920439.
^ T. M. (Dec 9, 1951). "HOLLYWOOD MEMOS". New York Times. ProQuest 111903138.
^ Schallert, E. (Dec 3, 1951). "Brothers of maureen O'hara progress; naish teamed with ruth hussey". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 166266591.
^ Schallert, E. (May 10, 1952). "'OUTCASTS' UNIQUE, POTENT WESTERN". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 166353782.
^ Review of film at New York Times
^ Schwartz, Dennis Archived 2017-12-12 at the Wayback Machine. Ozus' World Movie Reviews film review, August 29, 2003. Accessed: July 9, 2013.