Torture Money (1937)

By CinemaSerf

This is quite a decent little ambulance chaser exposé, brought to us on behalf of the Los Angeles Police Department. It’s all about people who fake road traffic accidents for the insurance money. There is quite a network behind the operation that sees the victims sign powers of attorney to allow their lawyer to do some horse-trading with insurers keen to avoid protracted legal proceedings. Once the deals are done, “Beacher” (Edwin Maxwell) keeps most of the cash and disburses percentages to the “victims” and the “witnesses”. The cops are getting wise to this scam as the total extorted approaches $100,000 and so put in an undercover officer (George Lynn) to infiltrate the gang and help catch them red handed. There’s never any doubt they will get their man, but along the way this is actually quite a horrible tale of just what people will do to get money. Scheming and conniving, yes, but also allowing themselves to be roughed up to look convincing when the ambulance arrived. A cheese grater is prominent! The production is all adequate enough and, of course, there is the resounding message at the end…