Loan Shark *½ (1952, George Raft, Dorothy Hart, Paul Stewart, Helen Westcott, John Hoyt) – Classic Movie Review 12,570

The fast-moving 1952 crime film noir Loan Shark stars George Raft as a recently released jailbird who avenges his brother-in-law’s death and sorts out some vicious money-lending sharks by infiltrating loan rackets.

Director Seymour Friedman’s 1952 Lippert Pictures’ American crime film noir Loan Shark stars George Raft, Dorothy Hart, Paul Stewart, Helen Westcott, and John Hoyt.

Raft plays Joe Gargen, a recently released jailbird who avenges his brother-in-law’s death and sorts out some vicious money-lending sharks by infiltrating loan rackets, in this fast-moving but unmemorable tale.

Loan Shark is an interesting though minor thriller film with flaccid handling and meagre production values on a low budget of $250,000. To be fair, it has a good Fifties B-movie feel.

There is a decent basic story here, but the script by Martin Rackin and Eugene Ling needs more bite and the film suffers from some rough and ragged acting in the lower ranks. But, even in his career decline, the star compensates for the film’s vacant spaces with his still involving performance. Joseph F Biroc’s black and white photography also impresses.

Also in the cast are Henry Slate, William Phipps [William Edward Phipps], Russell Johnson, Charles Meredith, and Harlan Warde.

It is produced by Bernard Luber and M H Hoffman, and runs 80 minutes.

Filming started on 15 January 1952 and it was released on May 23, 1952.

Raft was paid $25,000 plus 25 per cent of the profits.

The original script by Martin Rackin was written for producer Louis Edelman at Warner Bros back in 1949 but eventually fell to humble Lippert Pictures.

The Man from Cairo (1953) is Raft’s last top billed performance as star, and the last of three films that he made for Lippert Pictures. Raft had appeared in two Lippert Pictures low-budget thrillers, Escape Route (1952), shot in England with Sally Gray, and Loan Shark (1952). After this, he resumed his original career as a dancer, including a show in Las Vegas. He said: ‘As far as films are concerned, I’m dead. Nobody has been breaking their necks trying to hire me.’ Nevertheless, he appeared in Rogue Cop (1954), Black Widow (1954), and A Bullet for Joey (1955).

The cast are 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, and Claire Carleton as Nagging Wife.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,570

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