Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Tymon Sutton The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

TanakaK I agree with many of the previous comments about "The Payoff", although I'm just not that enthusiastic about it.The film is a page straight out of the part-crime-mystery / part-comedy genre of the day. It's true that the dialog is snappy and if you're in the mood it can be quite engaging. But it's also true that "The Payoff" is really more of a theatrical-style of presentation than film. Lee Tracy immediately goes over the top, and stays there, with a very stage-style performance. Too loud, too gestural, too self-entertaining, just plain "too". The other characters are mostly cliché, too.I wouldn't avoid The Payoff if you enjoy 40's urban crime features. It's a terrific feature if you're home sick and need to fill an hour. But I wouldn't go to any extraordinary measures to see it, either.

kidboots Lee Tracy was huge pre 1934 but by the time of "The Payoff" bad behaviour and a drinking problem had just about finished his career. He may have looked older but this film certainly benefited from his peppy delivery.Chief Prosecutor Lloyd Pearson is gunned down by an unknown assassin. Brad McKay (Lee Tracy) "the best newspaper man in the country", becomes involved in the Pearson murder after police come after one of his poker buddies, Moroni (John Maxwell). He gives Moroni an alibi, but Moroni, (who is the real killer) sends him on a wild goose chase by telling him the killer is Hugh Walker - Pearson's assistant, who was disbarred for taking bribes. He also says Pearson was taking a payoff of $100,000. When Moroni is found dead, Brad meets Phyliss Walker (Tina Thayer), her father mysteriously goes missing and they find themselves at a gambling club run by John Angus (Jack LaRue). Evelyn Brent makes an extremely brief though very welcome appearance as Alma Dorn - a mystery woman, who doesn't seem to have much to do except to give Tracy a big kiss at the fadeout. Tom Brown, who never seemed to age - maybe that was the reason his career never took off - he always seemed like an over eager cub reporter which is what he played here.

sculptagain-1 "The Payoff" (1942) Special prosecutor Lloyd Pearson (Ian Keith) has been murdered and there is strong evidence that gambler Moroni (John Maxwell) committed the crime, but he has an air-tight alibi, spending the evening with Brad McKay (Lee Tracy), star reporter of the Chronicle. Norris (Robert Middlemass), the publisher, send Brad and his son, Guy Norris (Tom Brown), to cover the story. Brad learns that Moroni did commit the murder, but has no way to prove it. Moroni tells Brad that the murdered prosecutor was getting a payoff, and was killed by his assistant Hugh Walker (Forrest Taylor) following a quarrel. John Angus (Jack La Rue), proprietor of the Hi Lo Club, tells Moroni that Brad suspects him. Phyllis Walker (Tina Thayer) tells Brad that her father is in danger from Moroni. Hugh Walker has given her a key to the public locker where some money is hidden. That night, Brad finds Moroni dead. He realizes there is a higher-up that had Moroni kill Pearson, and then has had Moroni killed. He learns that Walker has been kidnapped, but secures the money from the locker and hides it in his apartment. He meets Alma Dorne (Evelyn Brent)at the night club, and, while attracted to her, he suspects she is an accomplice of the gang. He surprises her while she is searching his apartment for the money, and agrees to help him. Norris summons Brad to his home for Brad to show him what evidence he has collected so far. Norris, at the point of a gun, tells Brad he has collected too much. Brad gets the upper hand by telling Norris that his son Guy is walking into a death trap. Norris rushes to save his son from the trap he himself had set for Brad.Note: Summary written by Les Adams {longhorn@abilene.com} IMDb.com

dbborroughs Lee Tracy plays Brad McKay a smart mouthed reporter loved, or at least respected by both the police and the criminals. When a reforming special prosecutor, who's work he had been covering, is killed McKay is thrust in to the thick of things since its assumed that he may have a clue as to who might have killed the man. Tracy, an expert at playing fast talking wisenheimers, is in great form here delivering a steady stream of pontifications and wise cracks that not only amuse but also bamboozle the people around him giving him room to solve the case. I really liked this film a great deal since its a rare that a B-movie of this type had so many witty lines and comedic comebacks, it's almost like being hit by a machine gun of jokes. Tracy is aided by a great cast of character actors who manage to make their roles into something more than pieces to be moved around the chess board. If there is real weakness in the movie its that it becomes pretty clear who the bad guy is much too early in the film (the problem is simply that there really isn't anyone else it could be).It's not fatal but it sort makes what happens a foregone conclusion. Despite its short comings this is a movie that you're going to watch for, especially if you like great dialog and witty exchanges.