Money to Loan (1939)
The MGM crime reporter introduces Norman Kennedy, District Attorney of a large city, he who talks about the general want for money, and the extraordinary lengths some will go to to get it. The loan sharking business has that want for money on both sides. He tells the story of one such loan shark, Stephen Hanley, who tried to pass his company off as a legitimate loan business, but who charged exorbitant rates, and used extortion and fraud to get out of his customers even more than what they may have owed on paper.
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It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.
Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.
Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.
If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.
"Money to Loan" is an unusually powerful episode of the "Crime Does Not Pay" series from MGM--a long series of short films that illustrate criminals in action and police apprehending these jerks. It begins with a long series of egregious behaviors by a seemingly legitimate loan company--behaviors that make them more like strong-arm loan sharks! In one case, a guy had made every payment on his car and only owed one more. He asked for an extension for until the weekend was over--and they agreed. When he went to get his car, they'd sold it! In another, they hired a lady to walk into a man's office and loudly badger him about the money in front of all his co-workers! And, in another, they caused a traffic accident! But it gets worse--and it's up to the police and district attorney to get evidence on these evil jerks.Overall, the film illustrated its case very well and they constructed a very convincing and emotionally charged film. Well worth seeing and very well done.
Money to Loan (1939) *** (out of 4) Another winning entry in the Crime Does Not Pay series from MGM. This, the 21st entry, talks about loan sharks and the evil they do. Many desperate people are needing money so they go to a new loan shark in town but soon he is beating them, stalking them and doing worse in order to get them to pay back their loans. Many people are hard on this series saying that they seem like moral plays with someone on a soap box preaching. I've never agreed with a statement like that because this is one of my favorite series but I must admit that this one here is way too preachy. The movie goes way too far out in order to show how mean loan sharks are and I think the message could have gotten across without so many "look how mean they are" sequences. Alan Dinehart is very good as the main shark and Paul Guilfoyle steals the film has his gun carrying sidekick. There's some nice drama in the film but I still wish they had cut back on some of the preaching. With that said, fans of the series should still find plenty of entertainment here.