The Penalty (1941)

Director:

Harold S. Bucquet

Writers:

Martin Berkeley (play)
Harry Ruskin (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 March 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

Find the Blonde and Get the Gangster!

Plot:

The son of a murderer is entangled in his father's crimes and is sentenced to a rehabilitive farm, where he learns a new way of life. |

Plot Keywords:

Airplane | Bank Robbery | Candy | City Country Contrast | Classified Ad

Cast

Edward Arnold	...	Martin 'Stuff' Nelson
Lionel Barrymore	...	'Grandpop' Logan
Marsha Hunt	...	Katherine Logan
Robert Sterling	...	Edward 'Ted' McCormick
Gene Reynolds	...	Russell 'Roosty' Nelson
Emma Dunn	...	'Ma' McCormick
Veda Ann Borg	...	Julie Jackson, Stuff's Moll
Richard Lane	...	FBI Agent Craig
Gloria DeHaven	...	Anne Logan
Grant Mitchell	...	Judge
Phil Silvers	...	'Grapevine' Hobo
Warren Ashe	...	Jay, Stuff's Henchman
William Haade	...	Johnny Van Brook, Stuff's Henchman
Ralph Byrd	...	FBI Agent Brock
Edgar Barrier	...	'Burnsy' Burns

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #7082)

Filming Locations:

Inglewood, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

The New York production of the play "Roost" opened 14 February 1938 and closed after 8 performances.

An excellent cast in a fine movie

"The Penalty" is really about the character played by Gene Reynolds. It's a role similar to the one he had in "The Get-Away," another excellent film. He was a fascinating, intense young actor. He was sort of a teen-aged John Garfield. (I understand that the actor went on to win numerous Emmys producing for television. That's fine. Who knows how he would have matured and what sort of roles, if any, he would have got had he remained with acting.) The movie begins with the fine Edward Arnold in his usual genial manner. He is hiring men for a job, assuring them in a fatherly manner that they'll be paid well. But quickly we see that they are being hired as his stooges for a bank robbery. And that he yes, is fatherly: He is the father of the Reynolds character, who worships him.

Arnold plays one bitter, nasty guy. And he's teaching his son to be as cold and cynical as he is. His girl friend, played by the entertaining Veda Ann Borg, may not worship him. But she worships the furs and other finery his ill-gotten money buys her.

The bulk of "The Penalty" takes place on a farm where Reynolds is sent while dad is on the lam. No more about the plot other than to mention the people in this new home: Robert Sterling is excellent as the farmer. Marsha Hunt is appealing as his lady friend, the local schoolteacher. Lionel Barrymore is her father. As he often did, he plays variations on his standard persona: When he's talking about young Reynolds or young Sterling, he could as easily be speaking of young Dr. Kildaire.

The movie has a little of everything: It's exciting and suspenseful. It's funny at times. And it's sad. I recommend it very highly.