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"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.

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!

"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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

Bayard Veiller's name on the credits is usually a reason to watch because he wrote some of the greatest pictures of the early thirties. He brilliantly captured the chaos, the loudness, the fun and especially the prejudices and the inequalities of the era. This is one of his very early stories - not of his best.

He penned this one back in 1912 and despite benefiting from a snappy, very authentic and naturalistic script from Charles MacArthur, the plot's naivety and simplicity reflect that older age. But it's got to be remembered that this is a pre depression movie - it's really a 1920s picture, not a 1930s picture. Its atmosphere, its attitudes and character certainly draw you back to that time and it's surprising how subtly different that era is from what you get in the more familiar films after The Depression kicked in just a few months later.

Unlike other studios, MGM didn't rush into making talkies. They waited until they'd developed the technical skills and until their actors knew how to act in this new medium. A good example is the excellent THE TRIAL OF MARY DUGAN (again written by Vieller) This one therefore is very professional, the people look like real people, they talk like and act like real people - well as we imagine they did but whether they did or not - they're not stiff stagey wooden cut-outs like you find in lesser pictures. Joan Crawford gives an absolutely astounding performance - the girl can act!

There are however two problems with this which keep it out of your list of favourite old movies.... One: It's interesting, it's entertaining but I didn't find it emotionally engaging.

Problem Two: Like every single film made between 1930 and 1945 which required an annoying, flabby, rather slobby cop, we have Robert Emmett O'Conner doing the exact same role. He was either the busiest actor in Hollywood, the result of early human cloning or an actual cop who just wandered onto various studio sets.

Well acted, well directed, well written but it does lack that certain something.

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.

***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

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.

It takes about eight minutes for Joan Crawford to go from shopgirl being sentenced to three to five for stealing from her employer, Purnell Pratt, to smart ex-con setting sentimental gangster Robert Armstrong on the path to safe money, suing sentimental sugar daddies under the heart's balm laws. But she has more than money in mind. She wants vengeance. She gets it by marrying Douglass Montgomery, Pratt's son.

But although money is good, Armstrong is always on the lookout for more. Despite Crawford's warnings, he takes up police spy Tyrell Davis' idea to rob Pratt's home. Davis winds up dead, and Inspector John Miljan puts Armstrong and Miss Crawford under pressure.

Miss Crawford does well in a role originally intended for Norma Shearer -- she was expecting at the time -- although the performances occasionally border on hysteria. Perhaps director Sam Wood was still getting used to talkies, or perhaps it was intended to make Miljan's quiet and seemingly uncaring attitude during the grilling seem vicious.

The movie starts with Mary Turner (Joan Crawford) being sentenced to three years for a crime she did not commit. Some stolen merchandise was found in her bag and her locker at the store where she worked. The public defender is convinced of her innocence and asks for leniency. The judge asks the store owner, Mr. Gilder (Purnell Pratt), if he would agree to tempering justice with mercy. Gilder flatly refuses, saying if he did that he'd get cleaned out by thieves. Mary gets 3-5 years, which seems extreme for a first offense.

Three years later Mary emerges a hardened woman. When she gets out she looks up her old prison pal Agnes (Marie Prevost). Agnes is currently part of a gang that shakes people down, but Mary, who has studied law in prison, shows them how to do it legally. Among other rackts, Agnes and Mary play up to wealthy men to get them to write salacious letters. They then claim they proposed marriage and threaten them with breach of promise suits and the public embarrassment that would come from that if they don't settle. This is "within the law" - which was the title of the silent version - and pays off better than blackmail and keeps everybody out of jail.

In the meantime, Mary seeks out the son of Gilder, the man who put her in jail. Her intention is to shake him down too, but he actually falls for her, so she comes up with a better plan for young Gilder. Complications ensue.

The thieves have more honor than the establishment and their mouthpieces here, those mouthpieces being the cops and the DA. The thieves in this film are robbing from the rich, and specifically rich men looking to take advantage of poor girls and then throw them away. They seem outraged that somebody would make them pay for their good times. Gilder acknowledges that he is sending Mary to prison as "a lesson to the rest of them", with no thought or care as to the specific justice of her case. It must be fun thinking all of your employees are potential thieves. The police even confiscate the bank accounts of Mary's gang at one point, even though they acknowledge what they are doing is illegal. I'm sure this resonated with Depression era audiences, who probably wished they had the guts and brains to do what Mary did.

But the people who ran MGM were rich too, so they couldn't have the rich lose this war, So MGM did what they did so often, even in the precode era. In the end, it doesn't have the courage of its convictions. It has a completely mawkish ending that is typical of 30s MGM melodramas. If the film had stayed true to itself then I would have probably given it an 8/10. But with this conclusion I'd have to give it a 7/10.

I'd recommend it mainly for Joan Crawford, as she gives a great performance here. Robert Armstrong is solid as Joe, the member of her gang who loves her but knows it is not reciprocated, although there is strong friendship and respect there, on both sides. I didn't like the smug self-righteous character John Miljan played here, but I did like his acting. It was good seeing him get a role that was worthy of him for a change.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.