Paid (1930 film)

Paid is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film^[2][3] starring Joan Crawford, Robert Armstrong, and Kent Douglass in a story about a wrongly accused ex-convict who seeks revenge on those who sent her to prison using a scam called the "Heart Balm Racket".

Paid
Directed by	Sam Wood
Written by	Adaptation: Lucien Hubbard Adaptation and dialogue: Charles MacArthur
Based on	"Within the Law" (1912 play) by Bayard Veiller
Produced by	Sam Wood
Starring	Joan Crawford Robert Armstrong Kent Douglass
Cinematography	Charles Rosher
Edited by	Hugh Wynn
Music by	Yellen & Ager
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	December 30, 1930 (1930-12-30)
Running time	86 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$385,000[1]
Box office	$1,231,000[1]

The film was adapted by Lucien Hubbard and Charles MacArthur from the play, Within the Law by Bayard Veiller (1912) and was the fourth film version of the play. The film was directed and produced by Sam Wood.^[4]

Plot

Cast

• Joan Crawford as Mary Turner
• Robert Armstrong as Joe Garson
• Marie Prevost as Agnes Lynch
• Kent Douglass as Bob Gilder
• John Miljan as Inspector Burke
• Purnell Pratt as Edward Gilder
• Hale Hamilton as District Attorney Demarest
• Robert Emmett O'Connor as Detective Sergeant Cassidy
• Tyrell Davis as Eddie Griggs
• William Bakewell as B.M. Carney
• George Cooper as Red
• Gwen Lee as Bertha
• Louise Beavers as Black Convict (uncredited)
• Edward Brophy as Burglar (uncredited)
• Payne B. Johnson as Baby (uncredited)
• Fred Kelsey as Night Policeman (uncredited)
• Wilbur Mack as Mr. Irwin (uncredited)
• Tom Mahoney as Policeman at District Attorney's Office (uncredited)
• Polly Moran as Polly
• Lee Phelps as Court Bailiff (uncredited)
• Herbert Prior as General Harrison (uncredited)
• Jed Prouty as Policeman Williams (uncredited)
• Walter Walker as Judge Lawler (uncredited)
• Clarence Wilson as Max Hardy (uncredited)

Reception

Lobby card

Photoplay commented, "The story is absorbing and Joan is simply grand!" The New York Times noted, "Miss Crawford and Miss Prevost are very good in their roles."^[5]

Box office

According to MGM records the film earned $920,000 in the US and Canada and $311,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $415,000.^[1]

Adaptations

Paid was remade in Bollywood as the film Intaqam starring Sadhana.