''Loan Shark'' is a 1952 American

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definit ...

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

directed by

Seymour Friedman Seymour Friedman (August 17, 1917 – April 2, 2003) was an American film director. He later worked as a Unit production manager, production manager in television. Friedman began his career as an assistant director, before enlisting for military s ...

and starring

George Raft George Raft (born George Ranft; September 26, 1901 – November 24, 1980) was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is ...

Plot

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

Cast

as Joe Gargen *

Dorothy Hart Dorothy Hart (April 4, 1922 – July 11, 2004) was an American actress, mostly in supporting roles. She portrayed Howard Duff's fiancée in the film ''The Naked City'' (1948). Early life Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Hart was the daughter of insura ...

as Ann Nelson * Paul Stewart as Lou Donelli *

John Hoyt John Hoyt (born John McArthur Hoysradt; October 5, 1905 – September 15, 1991) was an American actor. He began his acting career on Broadway, later appearing in numerous films and television series. He is perhaps best known for his film and TV ...

as Vince Phillips *

Helen Westcott Helen Westcott (born Myrthas Helen Hickman, January 1, 1928 – March 17, 1998) was an American stage and screen actress and former child actress. She is best known for her work in ''The Gunfighter'' (1950). Early years Westcott was the daughte ...

as Martha Gargen Haines *

Henry Slate Henry Sonken (July 15, 1910 – August 11, 1996) was an American film, television and theatre actor. He was known for his appearances in the films ''Miss Sadie Thompson'', ''Loan Shark'', '' Hey Boy! Hey Girl!'', ''Somebody Loves Me'' and ''Rock ...

as Paul Nelson *

Russell Johnson Russell David Johnson (November 10, 1924 – January 16, 2014) was an American actor. He played Professor Roy Hinkley in ''Gilligan's Island'' and Marshal Gib Scott in ''Black Saddle''. Early life Johnson was born in Ashley, Pennsylvania, on ...

as Charlie Thompson *

Margia Dean Marguerite Louise Skliris-Alvarez ( Skliris; born April 7, 1922), known as Margia Dean, is an American former beauty queen and stage and screen actress of Greek descent, who had a successful career in Hollywood films during the 1940s until the ...

as Ivy *

Benny Baker Benny Baker (born Benjamin Michael Zifkin; May 5, 1907 – September 20, 1994) was an American film and theater actor and comedian, and appeared in over 50 films between 1934 and 1988. He died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California. Filmogr ...

as Tubby *

Lawrence Dobkin Lawrence Dobkin (September 16, 1919 – October 28, 2002) was an American television director, character actor and screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades. Dobkin was a prolific performer during the Golden Age of Radio. He narrat ...

as Walter Kerr (as Larry Dobkin)

Production

The film was based on an original script by Martin Rackin. He originally wrote it for producer Louis Edelman at Warner Bros in 1949. It was the first production from a new arrangement between

Robert Lippert Robert Lenard Lippert (March 31, 1909 – November 16, 1976) was an American film producer and cinema chain owner. He was president and chief operating officer of Lippert Theatres, Affiliated Theatres and Transcontinental Theatres, all based in ...

and Famous Artists Corporation whereby clients of Famous Artists would make a film, and Lippert would distribute it. Lipper 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.

Gail Russell Gail Russell (born Betty Gale Russell; September 21, 1924 – August 26, 1961) was an American film and television actress. Early years Gail Russell was born to George and Gladys (Barnet) Russell in Chicago and then moved to the Los Angeles ...

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. Filming started 15 January 1952.

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." 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." 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.Schwartz, Dennis
. ''Ozus' World Movie Reviews'' film review, August 29, 2003. Accessed: July 9, 2013.

References

External links

* * *

informational page and DVD review at DVD Beaver (includes images)
Review of film
at Variety * {{DEFAULTSORT:Loan Shark 1952 films 1950s crime thriller films American crime thriller films American black-and-white films Film noir Films about organized crime in the United States Films directed by Seymour Friedman Films scored by Heinz Roemheld Lippert Pictures films Money lenders 1950s English-language films 1950s American films