LOAN SHARK
Directed by Seymour Friedman
1952 – 74 Minutes/Fullscreen

ARSON INC.
Directed by William Berke
1949 – 63 Minutes/Fullscreen
DVD Provided by VCI Entertainment
Article written by Craig Hamann

If you like the Kit Parker productions from yesteryear, then no doubt you're a fan of the recent releases from VCI. Here we have their Forgotten Noir Volume 2, which not surprisingly has almost nothing to do with noir filmmaking. These are both black and white crime films that aren't all that stylishly shot, nor are they creatively conceived, especially considering there were a glut of similar themed films made during the 40's and 50's. While neither flick is a classic gem, at least the first one has a crime film movie star in it.

Director Seymour Friedman's LOAN SHARK explores a cutthroat illegal operation that has infested the factory workers of a tire plant. Times are tough and the factory workers occasionally need to get cash loans. Their lack of credit means dealing with reputable banks is almost out of the question, since few of the workers can offer any kind of collateral. As a result, the workers turn to other sources for financial help. The problem is this particular loan shark ring is absolutely ruthless in its dealings with its borrowers. The factory owner and a union leader try to persuade tough ex-con Joe Gargan (George Raft) to go undercover and help them and the police bust these racketeers once and for all. At first Gargan isn't interested. But after his brother-in-law is murdered by thugs working for the loan sharks, Gargan jumps in with both feet. That's when the fists fly and the gun battles begin.

The direction and story is fairly predictable, though most of the acting performances are good. That said, you watch this film to see George Raft. Admittedly, this production wasn't finished during Raft's vintage years. Quite the opposite, it was done at a time when the actor's career was beginning to slide. That means you get a Raft well into his 50's romancing a 30 year old Dorothy Hart while exchanging punches with a multitude of thugs. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. If the dialogue wasn't quite so trite and the plot wasn't so ordinary in some of the scenes, Raft's performance would certainly be better. Even so, he is still fun to watch and you can't help but root for his character throughout the movie. Remember now, this is George Raft I'm talking about. This is the same guy that rubbed elbows with actual Mafia figures in real life. Raft is the man who pressured the Mafia to call off a hit on Jimmy Cagney because Cagney had enraged them when he wouldn't allow the mob to infiltrate the Screen Actors Guild. No matter how you cut it, when George Raft is in a crime film, you have to take notice.

William Berke's ARSON INC. is about a fireman named Joe Martin (Robert Lowery) who goes undercover to investigate a corrupt insurance company that uses arson to cover thefts. It's yet another movie from this time period where the lead is working undercover for someone. This time, though, there seems to be a bit of a stretch, what with a fireman spying on a group of lethal crooks. In my view, the film seldom works. Not only is the plot far-fetched but much of the acting is over the top to the degree that the performers oftentimes indicate and play results. The biggest offender might be usually reliable Douglas Fowley as the bad guy Mr. Fender. Fowley seems to believe he's in another movie, maybe a silent flick, with his Snidely Whiplash mannerisms and line deliveries. On top of that, there are numerous crippled attempts at humor, very tired humor (even for 1949), dropped into various scenes throughout the film that keep falling flat on their face.

VCI offers a DVD package that contains good picture and sound quality for both films. There are original theatrical trailers, bios, and photo galleries. Also on hand is an “Inside Lippert” essay by Robert L. Lippert Junior and a much too mundane LOAN SHARK audio commentary by Richard M. Roberts. As for the double feature, if you're really into Kit Parker productions, or crime flicks from the 40's and 50's, or you're a big George Raft fan, then this DVD might be something you should check out. But aside from the pleasure of watching George Raft in a crime film, it's difficult to recommend this VCI Forgotten Noir release to all genre fans.