After gushing over WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE
on-set rivalry in Shaun Considine’s BETTE AND JOAN: THE DIVINE FEUD in one of my
last posts I found myself catching one of Crawford's early projects called PAID, which,
come to think of it, is exactly what the audience should have gotten sitting
through this hammy of a film. Indeed, released in 1930, this pre-code revenge
flick is far from being Crawford’s silver screen glory but has just the right
amount of craziness to render it quite tolerable if not delectable in a sordid campy
way. Now, before you devoted Crawford fans go suddenly cray-cray on me, let me
just quote a knife-wielding Nomi Malone on her way to Vegas in SHOWGIRLS:
chill! It’s just a movie, a very silly movie. 
In it, Crawford plays Mary Turner, a down on her luck department
store clerk who, after being accused of wrongly theft, is put in jail for three
whole years. Her time there is presented, or should I say, represented, by a soapy
doo-doo floating on the shower floor. Crawford, as the viewers, is disgusted by
it, despite the nonchalance of a fellow black inmate who turns her way and says,
‘Don’t fret, honey, it all goes down the
drain’. With revenge still on her mind, Crawford finally gets out and, with
the help of a former fellow convict, schemes her way to the accuser’s turf and marries
the man’s wealthy son. Of course, falling in love is never in her plans but she
does, big time. You can see it just by the way she looks at actor Douglass
Montgomery (Kent Montgomery for this film). Her big beautiful eyes are always
sad and teary—or are they as such because she knows she is trapped in a mess of
a film? Either way, she seems always tormented and oh-so torn. 
Cut to a major heist at the house of her tormentor that
goes awry and the viewer is left again with a teary Crawford in a final
confrontation at the DA’s office. It all plays out like a mediocre dinner
theater where everyone howlers and screams, and unless you’re very attentive
you will find yourself lost in the scene. One thing is certain, though,
Crawford is spared the slammer this time and, still teary-eyed, is hurt and
devastated by all that she had to endure. We would be too if we had to sit
through this turkey once again. 
PAID is directed by Sam Wood who went on to helm 1939
GOODBYE MR CHIPS which earned him his first of many Academy Award nominations.
He even wound up being uncredited for his work on the troubled GONE WITH THE
WIND which ultimately went to Victor Fleming (though many were used). Judging by
talent alone, it’s fair to say that he made a big leap after the release of PAID.
Yes, I may be a tad too harsh on this one, for I have seen worse films,
but I expected more from what I’ve got. As you all know I’m a serious cinephile
now. Oh, who am I kidding, I just wanted to see the supposedly Crawford’s five
minute fight scene in the shower that was supposed to be a riot but shamelessly
cut by the studio. Now, THAT would have elevated the film to an all-time high campfest.
As is, I can only recommend it to die-hard Crawford fans.
Until next post—Martin
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