Paid (1930) User Reviews

A bit contrived and melodramatic, this oldie still packs a punch

[Michael-110 · 7/10 · 12 January 2000]

"Paid" is the story of Mary Turner (Joan Crawford), who spent three years in the pen for stealing from her boss (Gilder's Department Store)--a crime which she didn't commit. She vows revenge as she's dragged away. We see the sentencing phase of her trial with an inept defense lawyer and a vicious, contemptuous DA who keeps interrupting her. Indeed, one recurring theme of this film is its criticism of the justice system--the DA and the cops care only about pleasing the rich by harassing the poor.

According to Vieira, Sin in Soft Focus: Pre-Code Hollywood p. 19 (1999), Crawford got the role when Norma Shearer went on maternity leave. Vieira also says that a five-minute fight scene in the women's shower in prison was cut from the film by the studio. There are stills of Crawford and the fight scene at pp. 24-25.

Mary learns some law while in the joint and she and her prison friend Aggie find some clever ways to make money and frustrate the cops by staying just "within the law" (the title of the play from which the film is drawn as well as the 1939 remake). Mary hangs out with Aggie's gang of petty criminals led by Joe Garson. Joe is, in fact, a kind and decent person who just can't say no to the big payoff. Meanwhile, Mary seduces and marries Gilder's son--just to take revenge on the man who falsely accused her of stealing.

While the final portions of "Paid" get rather contrived (there's a major heist which goes badly wrong) and the ending is melodramatic, I think "Paid" was pretty good and Crawford was excellent. The low ratings assigned by IMDb users to this film are not justified. The film is involving and it has some important things to say about class and justice.

Joan Crawford Mesmerizes in Revenge Plot

[sonyareyna11 · 7/10 · 19 January 2014]

1930's film "Paid" is worth every penny and a collector's item for film buffs primarily because of Joan Crawford! This was one of her first "talkies" and Joan determined to show the movie studio execs she was more than a flapper, proved she had the acting chops in her first compelling dramatic performance. She is mesmerizing! Supported by a strong cast like Marie Prevost as endearing wise cracking Agnes Lynch, Robert Armstrong as con artist Joe Garson and Purnell Pratt as the hateful Edward Gilder, her former boss, the film is well written and an entertaining story! Based on "Within the Law" by Bayard Veiller which ran successfully on Broadway in 1912 and three silent films later, this film version (and a talkie) is a must see. Although director Sam Wood does a decent job, it is evident that several scenes were shot like a stage play. The look of the film is interesting however, and set lighting captures the mood, especially with shots of Joan in the women's penitentiary. 30's Films of the day were somewhat stylized and the acting often exaggerated and over the top. But Joan Crawford is a natural and gives an unforgettable performance. She is a knockout in every sense of the word!

The premise is still a good one and this movie buff would love to see the film remade today in a modern version with excellent direction. But it would be hard to top Joan Crawford's performance. "Paid" opens up with a court scene that sentences wrongfully accused Mary Turner to three years in the pen for stealing from the Gilder store where she's worked as a clerk. The department store owner Edward Gilder and his high priced lawyer decisive in sending Mary to jail, represent the unfair establishment.

The film made shortly after the famous stock market crash, is a perfect film for the times. The viewer is immediately on board and Mary Turner represents the oppressed innocent trying to get ahead. It is no wonder that the film did so well in the box office. The first time the camera gives you a close up of Joan Crawford, it is a powerful and unforgettable experience. Joan shows her enormous talent in her hurt, indignant,scared and angry expressions as she receives her sentence. Her big eyes and convincing performance reels the audience in and the viewer becomes an ally with her promise to avenge herself. I was glued to the screen wondering how she was going to get her revenge. The twists and turns in the story line were not always predictable. Joan Crawford gives the most enigmatic and interesting character transformation. In the beginning of the film she is a framed innocent person, but when Mary Turner comes out after doing her time, she is jaded by the system though wiser, stronger and with knowledge of the law. She is going to get even and no one is going to stand in her way even when she starts to fall in love. Mary Turner helps her con artist friends but only if they stay "within the law." Her associations lead to conflict and a major turning point in the story. I recommend this gem of a film. "Paid" has a good pay off for the viewer!

Early Joan Crawford Talkie

[atlasmb · 7/10 · 16 April 2014]

"Paid" is the story of a young woman, Mary (Joan Crawford), who is wrongfully convicted of theft in the workplace. She promises to get even with her employer after she serves her time in prison. The film might have been better if they had included more scenes of Mary in prison, demonstrating the rough and dehumanizing conditions she had to endure (as a way of explaining her motivation).

While in prison, Mary becomes friends with Aggie (Marie Prevost), a young woman who lives in criminal circles. She has plans for them both after their release.

After prison, Mary hooks up with Aggie again when she has financial problems. Aggie introduces Mary to Joe (Robert Armstrong)--a thief/grafter with a kind heart. With Mary's intelligence (she even studied law while in prison), this small group works a con that lets them live the good life. Still, Mary wants to be repaid for the three years she spent in prison. She gets to her former boss, Mr. Gilder, through his son.

"Paid" is an early talkie in the pre-code era and is interesting for that alone. It also includes a couple of phrases that, though racist in nature, were deemed acceptable at the time. Obviously, Joan Crawford made the transition from silent films to talkies without a problem. Though I am not a big fan, I find that I enjoy her earlier performances. She definitely had acting skills.

It is interesting to note those times that the director allows the camera to move. Also, the action that takes place on a rooftop--including a fall--was very well done.

I recommend this film, though it is a little wordy in the last third.

The story has too many difficult to believe moments and is a bit too long--but it is entertaining.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 31 March 2013]

"Paid" is a film that hasn't aged as well as many of Joan Crawford's films. It's not bad, but the film has too many difficult to believe moments and the ending seems to drag. It's a shame, as the basic story COULD have been great.

The film begins with Mary Turner (Crawford) being convicted of theft--though she swears she's innocent and begs for mercy. As for the District Attorney, he's a hard man and won't be swayed--and demands a harsh prison sentence. In prison, Mary comes up with a plan--to stay out of trouble BUT use the law to her advantage. Her plan--to get men to write incriminating letters and use them LEGALLY to extort money out of the guys. But her plan doesn't stop there, as she plans on wooing the son of the prosecutor--as she plans to marry him and ruin him and his family.

I loved the film up to this point. It's revenge angle was exciting and I loved it. But, the film's energy soon came to a grinding halt and limped, slowly, to it's conclusion. It could have been MUCH better had the film not go through a very lengthy portion where a man is shot and the DA is trying to prosecute ANYONE for the crime--even if it's innocent Mary. And, how did Mary get into the predicament, this was also a bit hard to believe. Overall, not a terrible film but one that failed to sustain its momentum. With a bit of a rewrite on the ending, the movie would have been among Crawford's best early performances.

excellent Joan Crawford role

[lshelhamer · 7/10 · 23 March 2013]

This is another of the Joan Crawford wronged woman roles, this time as a someone out for revenge on those who helped send her to prison for a crime she did not commit. Predictably, she falls in love with the son on her main protagonist.

The first hour of this film is quite good. It might have been better if the film ended with the aborted heist of the picture, the murder of the police infiltrator, and the escape of the rest of Mary's Gang. The last half hour, with the police inspector playing cat and mouse with the various suspects was a drag and much less interesting. Douglass Montgomery, otherwise little known, does a good job as the son. But obviously, this was Crawford's film from start to finish.

Great stuff until Act 3!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 14 January 2018]

Another pre-Code entry of interest is the 1930 "Paid" (which I would rate as a 9/10 DVD from Warner Archive) in which Joan Crawford kicks up a storm in Bayard Veiller's smash-hit 1912 Broadway success, "Within the Law".

Actually, as filmed here anyway, the 3rd Act belongs not to Joan Crawford but to John Miljan who suddenly seizes center stage., while Joan hardly manages to get a look-in.

Nonetheless, Crawford does make the most of her pre-3rd Act opportunities and she receives great support from Marie Prevost, Douglass Montgomery and two or three others, but not, in my opinion, from Robert Armstrong who seems all wrong as a romantic (or would-be romantic) lead.

Another problem is that the plot is full of holes, but director Sam Wood keeps it moving along at an agreeably fast pace, until he and the scriptwriters throw in the towel for the aforesaid 3rd Act which takes place entirely on the stage set and even commences with a typical curtain-raising episode in which John Miljan sets up the scene's elaborate props.

precode Crawford talkie

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 15 September 2010]

"Paid" is a well done early talkie starring Joan Crawford, Douglass Montgomery, Marie Provost, and Robert Armstrong. It was remade as a programmer in 1939, "Within the Law." Crawford is Mary Turner, sent to the Big Doll House by her store owner boss for a crime she didn't commit. She threatens to get even with him. During her time in stir, she studies the law and realizes that you can use the law to make money. Once out, she joins a gang that prison buddy Aggie (Marie Provost) belongs to, and the group starts legally separating people from their money. Mary, still set on revenge, seduces the son of her boss (Montgomery).

This is a good movie, but the beginning is better than the end, which descends into the world of melodrama. It is superior to the remake.

Crawford, with her hypnotic eyes, does a great job - she replaced Norma Shearer, who was on maternity leave -- and she has excellent support from the tragic Provost, Montgomery, and Armstrong. Apparently a fight in the women's shower was cut, despite the precode status.

Gotta love the young, vibrant Crawford.

Gritty and dynamic performance by Crawford

[modern_maiden · 9/10 · 28 July 2004]

This is one of Joan Crawford's best pre-code films. It is very hard to find, but worth the effort! Through her character's evolution, Joan is able to show off a wide variety of emotions, proving she did have good acting skill early in her career.

Typical of the early Talkies, most of the acting style is a bit theatrical, so viewers not used to watching early classics may feel it has a dated quality. But if that doesn't bother you, you will find that the story is riveting, the characters are colorful, and the performance by Crawford is fabulous.

Crawford's character, Mary Turner, is by far the most fascinating, and commands attention. We see her begin as a confused, frumpy simple girl unjustly imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit. Then we watch her grow into a hard-boiled, intelligent, sophisticated criminal, hellbent on revenge. She grew to become what she had been wrongly accused of. You can't help but pity her lost innocence and respect her determination, despite its criminal intent.

A must-see for anyone who loves pre-code film, gangster films, or Joan Crawford.

Paid's payoff a few bucks short.

[st-shot · 6/10 · 20 January 2014]

As MGMs Depression era every-woman Joan Crawford plays another hard luck story against an unsympathetic system but in this one she is out for revenge.

Mary Turner is sent up the river for three years for a crime she did not commit. Her boss, Mr. Gilder has it within his power to reduce sentence but he smugly declines. In the big house Mary hardens and makes connections. She hooks up with former inmate Agnes Lynch ( scene stealer Marie Prevost) and a small time crook Joe Garson (Robert Armstrong) and together they begin to make a lucrative business out of bilking wealthy old fools. Mary snags a young one though; the son of Mr. Gilder, making her revenge complete. When Joe gets duped into an art heist the cushy racket begins to come unglued.

Paid opens fast with Mary at her sentencing followed by a montage of degrading prison life. A broken woman she seeks out Agnes (already working a scam)and rises like a Phoenix with a hard as nails attitude and her self taught education in prison. In addition to the vivid prison scenes there are also some strong moments between Crawford and Armstrong as he feels her out. Once in the groove though Mary clearly takes charge especially the moment she announces to Gilder the elder she's hitched to her son.

When Mary goes soft so does the picture unfortunately and scenes go limp when the tough talk gets mawkish. There is a well edited and suspenseful heist scene and a superb in your face death scene where a mug takes his omerta oath to the grave as well as some lines of raw bias that contribute to the film's pre-code hard edge but when Crawford abandons her cynical self assured side and returns to the tremulous voice of the first reel Paid ends up shortchanging you.

A moll that guzzles is a moll that gabs

[utgard14 · 5/10 · 4 January 2014]

Joan Crawford plays a woman wrongfully convicted of theft and sentenced to prison. She vows revenge on her former boss who accused her and the prosecutor who was so harsh. Total misfire that could have been a great film. The first few scenes, where Crawford is sentenced and enters prison, are powerful. But instead of spending any time with the prison, the movie skips ahead to after she's released. Worse yet, she seems exactly the same as when she went in. Devoting more time to Joan in prison and showing her become hardened would have worked better. As it is, she gets out of prison, hangs out with some disreputable characters for a short while and suddenly she's Ma Barker. It made no sense and the only thing I can figure is that the studio was afraid of having her character be too hardened. After all, they tacked on a terrible love story to "redeem" her character. Absolutely terrible ending. Too bad, this could have been a classic.

A girl seeking revenge finds love

[sideways8 · 8/10 · 14 January 2005]

This was a find. Good acting, a good plot and dialog way ahead of its time. I know of no other 1930 movie with its sophistication of dialog. Great directing by Sam Wood making sure that all of the intricacies of plot were brought out.

Joan Crawford was a wrongfully convicted convict out to exact revenge upon the store owner/magnate who sent her up the river who teams with Robert Armstrong to become rich shadily but by means "Within the Law".

The final confrontation in the DA's office requires that you pay attention. This movie is ripe for a remake. I see George Clooney as Robert Armstrong's character and Leonardo De Caprio as the son. Robert Armstrong was very strong in this role.

It's TCM keeper.

Decent film but nothing to write home about

[nomoons11 · 6/10 · 8 July 2012]

The premise of this film is actually a very intriguing idea but it's execution in this is so "never gonna happen" it spoils what could have been a better than it is film.

Right off the star of this one is Marie Prevost. She's not in this one near the time Crawford graces the screen but she is way more fun to watch. Crawford is pretty much the same as she always was in these early talkies...decent to look at but pretty average in the acting area. She reminds me of Gary Cooper in that she was, in most of her films, a one trick pony in terms of acting range.

The basic premise is a girl gets railroaded into jail by an owner of a business and an over-zealous DA who wants to set an example. Problem is she's innocent and they know she didn't do it. She vows revenge when she gets out. She eventually hooks up with a small time thief who she doesn't want to get involved in his crooked ways but mentions to him there's a right way to get money without getting in trouble. She says we can use the law to get the money they want. They eventually just scam an old rich guy by wrangling them into marriage with an underage girl (who wasn't underage). Their next mark...is the man who railroaded her into prison's son. Eventually though, she falls for him but can't get the stink of what his father did to her off of her mind.

Her underlings decide to do a supposedly easy job of stealing a painting to get money for it. However they realize that the guy who comes up with the plan is a stool pigeon for the same few who put her in jail. The plan fails and someone gets killed.

My whole issue with this film is the planned robbery of the painting, in any day and time, was flat out entrapment. Plain and simple. No way any of these law enforcement officials would have gotten away with what they were trying to do. There were too many loose ends. They would have been morons to go ahead with it. Of course by the end it's a mute point because the attempted robbery is nothing compared to the murder that's happened in it's place.

I think this film was made at the right time because the underlying theme is the little guy always gets wronged and all cops are corrupt. At the start of the Great Depression I'm quite sure there were thousands of people doing whatever they could to survive and theft was probably quite common. Being it was petty or huge, many defendants probably got quite severe sentences. That being said, I think the problem with this film is they "way over the top" the plausibility of this film to the point where if you were to see this film today, by the end you'll be saying "yeah right".

Decent film but Crawford has done way better. I gave this film a lot of leeway because of the year it was made. Right at the advent of talkies they were also trying to transition decent projects with sound and merge them with scripts. This one has all the earmarks of an early talkie. A few years it would take to see real good examples of early talkies but this was not one of em. This is a timepiece for Joan Crawford fans only. See it for that and you won't be disappointed. See it for any other reason and it might be a let down.

Plot-holes big enough to drive a truck through, plus lots of implausibilities

[Ursula_Two_Point_Seven_T · 3/10 · 14 January 2005]

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS***

This story had great potential (young salesclerk wrongfully convicted of stealing gets sentenced to 3 years in prison, then emerges from prison seeking revenge on her boss and the prosecutor who sent her to prison). However, the execution of this story fell far from reaching its potential.

Mary shows up at her prison pal, Aggie's, place. Aggie, too, is freshly out of prison, but based on her clothing and surroundings we see she is doing well. Aggie has a couple of other "gang" members with her (including Joe Garson, head of the gang). Mary shows up, looking like a skinny wet kitten in need of taking in. Thus begins Mary's association with this "gang". Joe takes Mary to his place and it's pretty clear that he's willing to take her in and take care of her in return for her providing him with sex. He realizes while trying to kiss her that she's a virgin, then respectfully backs off and gives her some money for a cab. This is just the first of many implausible scenes between Mary and Joe.

Unbelievably, Mary goes from scared little waif to implied head of the gang in a matter of scenes. Also, somehow the apartment she showed up at when looking for Aggie has turned into "Mary Turner's apartment", as one of Joe's goons says when he answers the phone. Later in the movie, the police refer to the gang as the "Mary Turner Mob", but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The first scam we see Mary, Aggie and Joe pull is extorting $20,000 from an old man for writing love letters to "14 year old" Aggie (right - Aggie looks about as much as a 14-year-old as I do!). The old man's lawyer drops $20,000 on the coffee table and turns to leave. "Oh no, take your marked money with you. We'll see you at 4:00 in the lawyer's office and do this all legal-like" Mary says. We see Joe's eyes bug out when Mary says "marked money" ... incredibly this naive virgin waif is all of a sudden more street-smart than longtime hoodlum and gang-head Joe?! I just had to roll my eyes! It's never explained how Mary got so savvy, and why Joe turns operations over to her ... I guess we are to assume she "wised up" during her 3 years in the Big House and Joe, still full of admiration for Mary for her virginity as well as her smarts, willingly lets her start calling the shots. Who knows -- that's the best explanation I can come up with based on this poorly developed script.

In another scene, we see fur-drenched, sophisticated Mary show up with a young man at his apartment. The young man brought Mary to his lair with the intent of pouncing on her and getting a little piece of her. She's still a frigid little virgin, as he suddenly realizes when he tries to kiss her (just as Joe had earlier in the movie). All of a sudden, Little Lech Junior turns into Mister "I'm Soooo in Love With You" when his virgin Mary grabs her coat and heads for the door.

As a little aside, Little Lech Junior (who we only later learn is Robert Gilder, son of Mary's ex-employer and the man responsible for sending her to prison) treats his Asian servant like something other than human, even referring to him as "yellow peril" at one point. I know there was no such thing as political correctness in 1930, and I have little patience for most things PC myself, but come on! Even in 1930, that had to have been distasteful!

I'm probably running close to my 1000-word limit, so let me just wrap it up by saying the ending was schmaltzy and improbable and left me bitter at wasting over 1 hour watching this dreck. Mary and Robert Gilder (now man and wife) are at the police station, being questioned for the murder of a police stoolie. Joe Garson did it, but with his long criminal record, if he gets arrested one more time he's going to the chair. Mary and Robert try to protect Joe by claiming Robert shot the man in self-defense. Joe, seeing how much Mary loves Robert, doesn't want to ruin HER life so he confesses to the police that he did it, knowing full well he's going to the chair (riiight!). Mary is crying, upset that Joe is going to fry. Joe and the police lieutenant share a knowing look and nod, as if Joe is saying "tell her I'm not going to the chair, so she won't be upset" and the cop nods in assent. "Aw, don't worry Mary, Joe's not gonna fry", or words to that effect. Mary is still crying, but clearly relieved. Of course we know full well that Joe *IS* gonna fry. Fade out, "The End".

Puh-leeeze.

Good performance by Joan (a little hammy at times, but what JC performance isn't?), as well as Marie Prevost who played Aggie. You might want to watch it once, if you don't mind wasting 1.5 hours of your life. Otherwise, stay away.

My rating: 3/10

Worth Watching for Crawford's Performance

[Michael_Elliott · 20 June 2013]

Paid (1930)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Joan Crawford plays a young woman named Mary Turner who gets three years in prison when her boss accuses her of stealing from the workplace. She's innocent and swears her vengeance and once she's released she gets it by marrying the man's son but things take a turn for the worse when an old friend (Robert Armstrong) decides to break into his house. PAID is a mildly entertaining film thanks in large part to the performances but there's no question that it runs out of gas around the forty-five minute mark and the final half hour just turns downright silly to the point where you'll be laughing at some of the situations. The screenplay is certainly the bad thing here and especially in the finale as all sorts of crazy things begin to happen starting with this robbery of the Mona Lisa. This doesn't turn out to be the real Mona Lisa, which in itself is pretty funny but also goes to show how dumb these criminals are. The entire film is based around the vengeance of Crawford and it's just not written very well. It just seems like there were so many better ways for her to get revenge and you know once she marries the guy that she's eventually going to start to have feelings for him, which is just another boring subplot. The reason to watch this would be for the performances and especially that of Crawford. She's certainly terrific in the part and especially during the opening courtroom sequence. Just look at the pain and anguish in her eyes as she's begging for her freedom. Crawford perfectly nails this but she also handles the other emotions quite well. Armstrong is also enjoyable as a lovable bad guy and Hale Hamilton is also good as the D.A.. The film probably would have been even better had they cut out about ten-minutes because it eventually just keeps running on and on even though you know how everything is going to work out.

Joan Crawford Shines in Adaptation of WITHIN THE LAW

[CJBx7 · 7/10 · 1 September 2014]

PAID (1930) tells the story of Mary Turner (Joan Crawford), a department store employee who is unjustly accused of theft and is sent to prison for three years. After her sentence is over, she determines to get back at her boss, and becomes involved with shady grifters. She decides to concoct a breach of promise scheme targeting wealthy elderly men, and strives to make sure that her plans are executed within the framework of the law. However, she begins to think twice about her revenge later on, but her partners get tipped off to a robbery scheme that complicates things enormously. Directed by Sam Wood.

PAID originated as a stage play named WITHIN THE LAW, which had been previously filmed in 1922 starring Norma Talmadge as Mary Turner. This adaptation has the advantage of being a sound film and not silent, so that the dialogue of the play may be conveyed to the audience. The heroine is portrayed as a victim of injustice who has to choose between perpetrating an act of revenge, and being honest and letting the past go. For the first two-thirds or so of the movie, the plot moves along quite quickly, but the last act in the police station becomes rather talky and the film's stage-bound origins become much more apparent. However, in spite of that flaw, the movie keeps you guessing until the end as to how everything will be resolved.

Joan Crawford is compelling and charismatic in her role as Mary, showing the star quality that would enable her to remain a fixture in Hollywood for decades. Her acting style does show the marks of its time, but her performance holds up very well. Crawford is very expressive, particularly with her unique eyes. Robert Armstrong is solid as her partner in crime, and Marie Prevost provides a sassy presence and comic relief as one of Mary's fellow inmates who is collaborating with her scheme.

The cinematography and editing are fluid and professional throughout, with camera movement and effective composition of shots. There isn't a music soundtrack except for the beginning credits and the end, and some incidental music played by bands, as was usually the case with early talkies. The last act would have benefited from more contrast or intercutting between scenes, but it's fairly satisfying on the whole. PAID is worth checking out for classic movie lovers, especially for Joan Crawford fans and those who are interested in early talkies. SCORE: 7/10.

Talky Early Talkie with An Elongated Ending

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 17 April 2014]

Not Without some Redeeming Qualities the Movie is Almost done in by the Conclusion that is so Talky and Drawn Out that it can Tax the Most Patient of Viewers. Considered the First Talkie to Showcase Joan Crawford's Acting Talent, She does Deliver, but also seems not quite sure of Herself. Chin Tucked Tightly on Her Chest with Eyes Staring Upward in most Scenes, it comes across as Melodramatic and has that Stench of Silent Movie Posing.

But Her Impeccable Diction and Commanding Voice do make up for some of that Showiness. The Film has some Dark (Pre Film-Noir) Lighting and is Visually Arresting at Times, especially in some Night Scenes and some Impressionistic Interiors.

But the Ending is Intolerably Stretched and it is an Example of a Talky Early Talkie when the Addition of Sound was yet to be Included Comfortably.

j. Crawford in early talkie

[ksf-2 · 6/10 · 9 June 2019]

Joan Crawford, at the early days of talkies. She had been around for YEARS in silents films. and Robert Armstrong's biggest claim to fame was probably King Kong, with Fay Wray. J. Crawford is Mary Turner, who gets sent to prison, and vows to get revenge on her accuser. While in jail, Mary learns the ins and outs of the legal system, and uses it to her advantage when she gets out. She stays honest for a while, but even when she tries to keep on the up and up, things start going wrong. Directed by Sam Wood; he directed the Marx Brothers in two HUGE films, and had worked under DeMille. pretty good credentials. Didn't end well for co-star Marie Prevost...she died at age 38, from alcohol use. The film is okay. a snapshot of gritty life in the 1930s, when suspects and citizens didn't have many rights. Those police interrogation scenes just go on forever; they should have ended this one much earlier.

Crawford shines on her first serious dramatic role

[cjh668908 · 10/10 · 22 March 2014]

Paid (1930) stars Joan Crawford, Robert Armstrong, and Marie Prevost, and was directed by Sam Wood. This was really the first serious dramatic role that Crawford received where she could really show her acting abilities. Crawford received the lead role when Norma Shearer, who was originally given the lead part, backed out due to her pregnancy. In stepped Crawford, who is outstanding as Mary Turner, a young woman who's convicted of a crime she didn't commit. She spends three years in prison as a result. Hardened by prison life, she makes plans for what she's going to do when she gets out, which is to get revenge on the person who sent her to prison. Crawford's performance is raw and gritty. That's all I want to say. Watch it to see how everything unfolds. This is a pre-Code film, so there are some things in it that aren't censored that normally would be if it would have been made after the Code was enacted. I think the Code was the worst thing Hollywood ever did.

This is an early talkie, so it has the feel of a stage play much of the time. Noticeably absent as well is a musical score, though it does have music in the opening and closing credits. This is how movies were done back in the late 1920s and early 1930s - music at the start, no music in the movie itself, then music at the end. This is an old movie, having come out in 1930, so there are a lot of "pops" and hiss throughout. Quite often the film is somewhat "wobbly" and "shaky" as well, with lots of scratches and dust. I love this. I love old movies that aren't in pristine condition, instead they're raw and full of imperfections. I do feel, however, that the movie is in good shape considering how old it is.

Paid pays off. Highly recommended.

Joan Crawford wants revenge

[HotToastyRag · 4/10 · 6 June 2019]

Prior to the Hays' Code, there were a slew of movies in the early 1930s about women's prisons. These movies were fun to watch because it gave dramatic opportunities to actresses, and it showed grit and violence in contrast to the typical feminine image. While in Paid, Joan Crawford starts the movie facing a prison sentence, she's only shown entering the prison. The rest of the movie focuses on her revenge upon her release.

After three years in prison for a crime she didn't commit, Joan's great revenge scheme is to find the man who set her up, Purnell Pratt, and marry into his family. His innocent, trusting son, Douglass Montgomery, falls easily into her trap, but what happens if Joan starts to develop feelings for her husband? And what happens if Purnell doesn't take her revenge lying down and tries to send Joan back where she belongs?

I really like the beginning of the film, and Joan's horror at being sent to prison was very believable. She refuses to raise her head for her mugshot and feels humiliated at being forced into the group shower. I would have preferred more of the film show the terrible prison life, because once she got released, my interest dwindled.

One of Crawford's best performances

[modern_maiden · 9/10 · 5 July 2002]

Addmittedly, I'm a big Crawford fan. That's why I was thrilled to see her in PAID. Her role in this film is one of the most diverse of her entire career. She begins as a downtrodden, simple girl, wrongly accused of a crime, and she depicts this very believably. Then prison life hardens her, and she learns more than just street smarts, resulting in a sassy, savvy woman on a mission.

Crawford shines above all the other actors in this film. Her character is complex and interesting. The film overall may seem too "quaint" for anyone who is not already a fan of early talkies, but those who love this genre will love this film, and will love Crawford's performance. It's unfortunate that it is so difficult to find PAID on video, or more classic film fans would be able to see one of Crawford greatest early performances.

Ring in a lawyer

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 6 July 2017]

In 1930 when studios were buying all kinds of plays for actors to have dialog MGM bought this old chestnut Within The Law which had starred Jane Cowl on Broadway. It turned out to be a right choice for Joan Crawford playing a hard bitten woman who wants to get even with those who put her away for larceny, something she hadn't done.

Crawford makes a couple of jailhouse pals Marie Prevost and Polly Moran who get involved in a very legal racket she's thought up. It and she intrigue racketeer Robert Armstrong. It's based on one of those breach of promise suits so typical back in the day. What could be blackmail in some circles is not if you ring in a lawyer and it becomes an out of court settlement.

But Crawford actually marries the son of the guy who put her in jail. Douglass Montgomery is a callow youth, but he does soften her a bit.

But Armstrong decides to steal the Mona Lisa reputed to have been stolen from Louvre in 1911 and presumably the real one was never returned. The Mona Lisa was stolen that year and the original play was on Broadway in 1913 so it was topical for the time. That's when things go wrong for him.

We're not likely to see Paid remade at any time soon. It's old fashioned and melodramatic. But it gave Joan Crawford a good early role to work with.

Crawford's Star Quality is on Display!!!

[kidboots · 10/10 · 15 February 2010]

Before "Paid" Joan Crawford had spent several years building her popularity up with comedies and light dramas but she had yet to tackle a really heavy dramatic role to prove to the MGM heads that she could really act. When Norma Shearer had to pull out of "Paid" because she was pregnant, Crawford begged a reluctant Thalberg to give her the role and he agreed. Joan Crawford's work ethic is legendary and she worked extremely hard on "Paid", which she considered her first real acting challenge. She was also experienced enough in film technique to use her low, beautiful voice to advantage and her big expressive eyes to reveal her thoughts.

Mary Turner (Joan Crawford), a shop girl, is unjustly sent to prison for three years for theft. "You are going to pay me for everything I'm losing in life" are her last words before going to prison. Prison life is tough - and the film is very confronting in the scenes you see of prison life. Prison life ended abruptly, so I believe, as one reviewer states that scenes were cut. I have seen stills of a fight between Mary and Polly Moran. She wasn't in the print I saw. There was also talk at the end of the film about Helen Morris' confession of the initial theft and she is mentioned in the cast, but again I didn't see her.

When Mary is released, she looks up Aggie (Marie Prevost) a good time girl she met in prison. She introduces Mary to Joe Garson (Robert Armstrong) and together, with the legal savvy that Mary has picked up in prison they indulge in larceny, blackmail and embezzlement but always "within the law". Mary has one thing on her mind - to get even with her former employer, the department store owner who showed her no mercy when she was sent to prison. She is already dating his son and charms him into marriage. Everything is going to plan. She plans to confess all in front of his father but Bob (Kent Douglass) shocks her with his declaration of love and determination to stand by her.

Bob's father wants to see her back behind bars and with the help of a police informant, sets up a robbery - to steal the "Mona Lisa" from his house. Mary discovers the plot and together she and Bob expose Griggs, who is then killed by Joe. The last 20 minutes are a cat and mouse game between the police (led by John Miljan) who have some devious tricks up their sleeves and Mary, who always seems to be 2 jumps ahead of them - until the end!!!

Although Kent Douglass is unknown today, when he made "Paid" he was considered one of the most talented of all the rising young Broadway players. His name was changed from Douglass Montgomery (he later changed back to this) to Kent Douglass to avoid confusion with the studio's up and coming Robert Montgomery. Although he made a few quality films he much preferred the stage and his career just peetered out. His performance in "Paid" did not stand out and could have been performed by any other actor. Marie Prevost did put a stamp on her role of Aggie. She had been a rising star just a few years before but her flutuating weight bought her career to a close. She even had a line in this film where she says "meet me up in Minnie's room" - a reference to one of her most popular films - "Up in Mabel's Room"(1926).

Highly, Highly Recommended.

Rare Crawford Gem

[nickandrew · 14 July 2002]

This is one of Joan Crawford's earliest roles, and is just perhaps one of her finest performances during her early 1930s MGM era. She plays a store clerk who is wrongly accused of theft, then is sent to prison for the crime she did not do. When released from jail, she hardens and seeks revenge on those who put her behind bars. Although the film is dated, I would rate it 2.5 out of 4 stars.

Lacking the punch to stand the test of time.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 23 August 2018]

There are moments in this pre-code crime melodrama where the gorgeous Joan Crawford disappears off the screen seemingly for reels at a time, her character Mary Turner in hiding and avoiding questioning by the police by her involvement in the criminal activities of Robert Armstrong's gang. The film starts off on the right note with Crawford being unjustly sent to prison for a crime she claims that she did not commit, joining up with the tough talking Marie Prevost (in a scene-stealing part that should have assured her stardom as a second lead) in getting revenge on the law and starting a breach of promise scam that sees her becoming involved with the son (Douglas Montgomery) of one of the men who sent her to prison in the first place. At times, this film seems to be moving all over the place, and even though I had seen this before (about ten years ago), it was difficult to retain my interest because of its convoluted structure. Still, there are some interesting moments within the script, particularly the prison scene where Joan is in the women's shower next to the legendary black character actress Louise Beavers, a sequence apparently cut by a few minutes. Prevost gets the best lines, and Joan is able to run the marathon of emotions in a rather humorless part. Perhaps one day, I'll find some value in this weak early talkie in Joan's career, but I prefer "Our Modern Maidens" and the 1931 "Possessed" over this one that just lacks the spark of other tough women pre-code dramas of the same period.