Rip Torn steals the film and lifts it above its drive-in milieu. It played briefly in NYC and the cast works hard enough to make it a good rental. Many of the actors had only TV credits and this could have been a breakthrough film. It was marketed poorly. It also has a good 'road' feel to it. This road feel could have made it a nifty period piece. Why it never made a punch is hard to tell. However a preview audience in NYC found a lot to like about it, including the Torn character's disregard for the other characters. It's worth a look and should make a good double bill in a rep cinema with Coppola's "You're A Big Boy Now" where Torn and the Lovin' Spoonful soundtrack help to save that film. The film was also released at a time when everybody was trying to "recreate" Easy Rider, et al.
25 Reviews
A forgotten character study film from the 1970's
AlsExGal27 March 2017
For those of you who are familiar with Rip Torn as irascible and authoritarian yet lovable characters such as Artie in "The Larry Sanders Show" and Zed in "Men in Black" be prepared for a shock. In this film there is nothing likable about Torn's character Maury Dann, a country singer currently on tour through the south. There is no wisdom behind his cynicism - he is all about using people. Specifically he is all about indulging in all the sex and substance abuse he can without regard to what it does to others. His life takes a turn to an even darker place when the boyfriend of one of his one-night stands catches up with him in a restaurant one day. This is one of those character study films that were very popular in the 1970's, and Torn does a great job playing a totally ruthless individual who has a totally different on-stage persona from his actual personality. He even does a fine job singing the country and western songs. Payday was directed by 1974 National Society of Film Critics Award winner Daryl Duke.
It's a hidden gem worth seeking out.
It's a hidden gem worth seeking out.
Small, fine, and memorable.
brefane25 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Before Crazy Heart, I Walk the Line, Tender Mercies, Coal Miner's Daughter, and Nashville there was Payday, a small, sharp, incisive film that's less commercial and less sentimental, but that has far greater impact. It's a road movie that chronicles the last 36 hours in the life of country western-singer Maury Dann as his life spins out of control and he takes refuge in the backseat of his chauffeur-driven Cadillac where most of the action takes place. Director Daryl Duke achieves an almost documentary type realism with authentic backgrounds and convincing performances from a well chosen supporting cast in which the late Ahna Capri as Dann's mistress, and Elayne Heilveil as an innocent groupie are memorable. But the film belongs to wild man Rip Torn who's at his peak as Maury Dann. Unfortunately, Payday is largely unknown because it was released sporadically over a period of several years. They just don't make 'em like they used to!
Rip Torn is a two-bit country music singer living on the road
sstack-121 December 2005
I remember watching this film late night in college on the movie channel Encore some 15 years ago. It is a great flick that captures what life on the road for a country western singer must have been like. As others have noted, it could serve as a biography for Johnny Cash and many others of that era who lived a life of pills, booze, and one-night stands with a little music sprinkled in between. Rip Torn is great in this movie, though it's hard now not to picture him as Arthur from the Larry Sanders Show. The one line from Torn's character that sticks with me even today is: "You only go through this life once. You might as well do it in a Cadillac." I'd love to see this movie again but I imagine it would be a hard find.
Hidden star
rmax30482316 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
You don't have to be Mexican to like burritos and you don't need to be a big country and western music fan to enjoy this nifty, low-budget character study of a singer on the road, pimping his records.
It's been so many years since I've seen it that I've forgotten most of the plot details. What stands out is Rip Torn's performance as a druggie who tries to wheedle one DJ after another into playing his songs. He's quite good.
There's another scene that, to me, illustrates some of the care that's gone into the script. Torn is being driven from town to town in his big 50-foot, ten-ton chipkicker idea of a magnificent car. The chauffeur is a friendly man of simple mind. Torn also has his girl friend with him in the back seat. She feels a genuine affection for this rogue but she's wily too and knows which side her bread is buttered on. She and Torn cuddle together frequently. She's pretty easy to cuddle up to because there seems to be so much of her.
Somewhere along the way the troupe picks up a young and apparently guileless groupie, very attractive, breathless, awed by the company she finds herself in. Before long, while his girl friend nods out in the seat beside them, Torn puts some moves on her and she winds up doing a hushed lap dance on him. And the camera pans slowly to the right of the panting couple and fixes on the girlfriend's now wide-awake face as she stares at them in silent fury.
In another scene, the groupie and the chauffeur are left alone in the car, waiting for the others. The driver begins an amiable conversation with her, talking about his favorite hobby (cooking), his aspirations. She gazes at him as he rambles casually on. When he stops, she smiles tightly and whispers, "What are you -- some kinda DRIVER?" It's like a predator pouncing out of nowhere. She's hardly said anything revealing up to this point and the viewer has formed an impression of her as an innocent young fawn-like creature, harmless and manipulated. And in a second or two she has turned into a self-interested, shallow, and cruel bitch before our eyes.
Worth catching.
It's been so many years since I've seen it that I've forgotten most of the plot details. What stands out is Rip Torn's performance as a druggie who tries to wheedle one DJ after another into playing his songs. He's quite good.
There's another scene that, to me, illustrates some of the care that's gone into the script. Torn is being driven from town to town in his big 50-foot, ten-ton chipkicker idea of a magnificent car. The chauffeur is a friendly man of simple mind. Torn also has his girl friend with him in the back seat. She feels a genuine affection for this rogue but she's wily too and knows which side her bread is buttered on. She and Torn cuddle together frequently. She's pretty easy to cuddle up to because there seems to be so much of her.
Somewhere along the way the troupe picks up a young and apparently guileless groupie, very attractive, breathless, awed by the company she finds herself in. Before long, while his girl friend nods out in the seat beside them, Torn puts some moves on her and she winds up doing a hushed lap dance on him. And the camera pans slowly to the right of the panting couple and fixes on the girlfriend's now wide-awake face as she stares at them in silent fury.
In another scene, the groupie and the chauffeur are left alone in the car, waiting for the others. The driver begins an amiable conversation with her, talking about his favorite hobby (cooking), his aspirations. She gazes at him as he rambles casually on. When he stops, she smiles tightly and whispers, "What are you -- some kinda DRIVER?" It's like a predator pouncing out of nowhere. She's hardly said anything revealing up to this point and the viewer has formed an impression of her as an innocent young fawn-like creature, harmless and manipulated. And in a second or two she has turned into a self-interested, shallow, and cruel bitch before our eyes.
Worth catching.
I like it - I was in it
lgutherie2 June 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I played the role of Sandy in "Payday". Sandy was the groupie who was seduced by Maury Dann and partied with him in his limousine while her boss/boyfriend, Mr. Bridgeway, searched for her. His discovery of where she had been led to his confrontation with Maury and his subsequent murder. I think one thing the other reviewers have missed about this film is the amazing direction by Darryl Duke. His direction of Rip Torn, who was at that time primarily a stage actor, was nothing short of brilliant. Yes, the movie was destined to be a classic. I've heard it was not marketed properly - I guess we'll never know why it didn't get the attention it deserved. I've heard it's Jay Leno's favorite film. A man of discernment!
Great character study of a hard living country singer
PimpinAinttEasy13 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I'm not a big fan of RIP TORN. I like identifiable actors who play themselves and show me a bit of myself in their performances rather than ones who are a bit too real.
TORN plays Maury Dan, a real mean SOB country music singer. He is the sort of character whom podcasters like bill burr and joe rogan discuss with thinly masked reverence. He is a molester, murderer, hard drinker and does not care about anyone but himself.
Cliff Emmich is his loyal driver/bodyguard who is even willing to go to jail for a murder committed by maury.
Elayne Heilveil and Ahna Capri play the groupies who fight over him when he is on the road. In a really mean spirited but funny scene, TORN throws out capri out of his car for fighting with elayne. Then the car drives away, stops suddenly, reverses and torn throws out a wad of cash at Capri. Then the car drives away, only to stop again, reverse and this time torn steps out and retrieves the money from the ground and tells Capri - you didn't earn it. the scene might have inspired a similar one in THE DEER HUNTER.
Apart from being a character study, PAYDAY is also a great road movie. This is a solid film with great shots of the outdoors and some powerful scenes. I really did not see the ending coming. It was quite spectacular.
I suspect TORN is not too different in real life, compared to the character he played in this movie (watch his fight with Norman Mailer on Youtube).
DARYL DUKE, the director, also made the fantastic THE SILENT PARTNER.
TORN plays Maury Dan, a real mean SOB country music singer. He is the sort of character whom podcasters like bill burr and joe rogan discuss with thinly masked reverence. He is a molester, murderer, hard drinker and does not care about anyone but himself.
Cliff Emmich is his loyal driver/bodyguard who is even willing to go to jail for a murder committed by maury.
Elayne Heilveil and Ahna Capri play the groupies who fight over him when he is on the road. In a really mean spirited but funny scene, TORN throws out capri out of his car for fighting with elayne. Then the car drives away, stops suddenly, reverses and torn throws out a wad of cash at Capri. Then the car drives away, only to stop again, reverse and this time torn steps out and retrieves the money from the ground and tells Capri - you didn't earn it. the scene might have inspired a similar one in THE DEER HUNTER.
Apart from being a character study, PAYDAY is also a great road movie. This is a solid film with great shots of the outdoors and some powerful scenes. I really did not see the ending coming. It was quite spectacular.
I suspect TORN is not too different in real life, compared to the character he played in this movie (watch his fight with Norman Mailer on Youtube).
DARYL DUKE, the director, also made the fantastic THE SILENT PARTNER.
True gem worth finding
devalier13 May 1999
This is another one of those brilliant character studies that proliferated film screens in the early 1970's. Rip Torn gives a superb performance as Maury Dann, a mercurial, drunken country/western singer whose life ultimately careens out-of-control during a road tour. Payday is probably the most accurate filmed depiction of a musician's life on the road that you'll ever see: endless drug abuse, random sex, sudden violence. It's all here in one well-written, astutely directed package. Sadly, Payday is seldom seen in revival houses or on television. This is a true gem worth finding.
A slice out of the life of Maury Dann...warts and all.
planktonrules19 October 2021
Rip Torn plays Maury Dann, a country music singer who is traveling about the USA with his band. However, the film is not a traditional narrative. Instead of a typical beginning and ending the story is more like a slice out of his life....showing the man, warts and all. And, frankly, he's mostly warts. In other words, off stage he's a user...a guy more interested in various women, drinking, pills and himself than his music. It's not a pretty picture...and in some ways reminds viewers of Andy Griffith from "A Face in the Crowd"....a guy who seems nice to his public but behind the scenes he's just a creep.
This is probably not a great film to show the kids, your mother or Father Flannigan if he stops by for a visit. This is because there's a fair amount of cussing and boobies during the course of the film...making it seem realistic but also making it anything but family-friendly! Worth seeing but unpleasant viewing.
This is probably not a great film to show the kids, your mother or Father Flannigan if he stops by for a visit. This is because there's a fair amount of cussing and boobies during the course of the film...making it seem realistic but also making it anything but family-friendly! Worth seeing but unpleasant viewing.
The film that should have made Rip Torn a movie star
christopherleebrick16 March 2005
Rip Torn was originally slated to play the lawyer role that Jack Nicholson played in "Easy Rider". After a last-minute spat with Dennis Hopper, Torn was no longer part of the project. (Nicholson, who had pretty much given up on acting by then and was working in a technical capacity on the film, stepped into the role and the rest is history.) No matter; Torn went on to do this movie a couple years later, and if there were any justice in the movie biz (there isn't) this role would have made Rip Torn a bona fide movie star; (instead he is a respected film/t.v actor and a bona fide star of the American stage; most people in the public simply don't know who he is or they get him confused with Rip Taylor, the comedian/magician). CHECK THIS MOVIE OUT, if you're lucky enough to find it; (don't bother with the big video chain stores--you'll need a hip mom/pop shop to locate this one). It is well worth the search. Torn (as Maury Dann) does his own singing (a precursor to Robert Duvall's work in "Tender Mercies") and does it well; the supporting actors are great, the writing quirky and strong, and the direction bold. The film is also filled with some unforgettable scenes: Maury confronted by a jealous boyfriend in a diner tops the list; also, the strangely funny scene where Maury goes home and visits his barbiturate-addled Mother, and the scene where Chicago, the driver, talks about his love of cooking. Other scenes, such as when Maury goes "bird shooting", are memorable simply because they ring out as authentic and true. Some of the other comments seem disappointed with the ending; it didn't bother me. Though disturbing, I thought it worked. There was a sense of inevitability leading up to it. This is a portrait of a singer living on the edge of country music stardom and riding a "downbound train". The film is powerful and stays with you. And, yes, almost nobody knows about it.
Rip Torn Gets A Rare Lead, And Aces It
boblipton19 October 2021
Rip Torn is a country-music singer, fronting his own band, well known on the circuit and just on the point of breaking out into major stardom. He's also an egotistical S. O. B. Here are a few days in his life.
It's a character study, and a rare leading role for Torn, who gets to exhibit considerable self-aware charm in the role, self-indulgently aware of he perks of even minor fame, but without the self-awareness to not take himself seriously. It's a well-written part, and Torn plays it for all it's worth, only gradually letting the audience see what an inherently unlikable character he is.
Shel Silverstein wrote the songs used in this movie.
It's a character study, and a rare leading role for Torn, who gets to exhibit considerable self-aware charm in the role, self-indulgently aware of he perks of even minor fame, but without the self-awareness to not take himself seriously. It's a well-written part, and Torn plays it for all it's worth, only gradually letting the audience see what an inherently unlikable character he is.
Shel Silverstein wrote the songs used in this movie.
Real life on the '70's Outlaw music circuit a la Johnny Cash
andrew_perer31 January 2005
I saw this on the big screen at AFI in Washinton D.C. and was blown away. From what I've ready about life on the road in the seventies, this movie recreates the itinerate life of outlaw musicians like Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, etc, perfectly; Rip Torn is a revelation for those who don't know his work from the 70's when he was thin and charismatic.
I can't think of any film that quite captures the feeling of what it must have been like to be running around on amphetamines and barbiturates in the 70's (which had their peak usage then), from show to show, on a medium size tour circuit complete with one night stands, hanger-ons, fistfights, and various charlatans. The drugs are specific to this period as Qualudes, and various uppers and downers, were being produced legally (albeit with a prescription. This makes for a certain kind of life you could never lead now as the drugs just aren't available like they were then. (Johnny Cash gotten busted I believe in the 70's for smuggling a whole bunch of pills from Mexico). Farewell to a bygone era. If you couldn't be there, this may be your best education.
I can't think of any film that quite captures the feeling of what it must have been like to be running around on amphetamines and barbiturates in the 70's (which had their peak usage then), from show to show, on a medium size tour circuit complete with one night stands, hanger-ons, fistfights, and various charlatans. The drugs are specific to this period as Qualudes, and various uppers and downers, were being produced legally (albeit with a prescription. This makes for a certain kind of life you could never lead now as the drugs just aren't available like they were then. (Johnny Cash gotten busted I believe in the 70's for smuggling a whole bunch of pills from Mexico). Farewell to a bygone era. If you couldn't be there, this may be your best education.
Rip Torn's good...
nancybw22 October 2021
Everybody else is baaaad. Some here have wondered why this movie sank and fell. I don't wonder. All you have to do is observe the cringe-worthy performances and execrable southern accents. Better casti g and this could be been a masterpiece.
Torn just about holds this one together.
MOscarbradley1 June 2018
Daryl Duke's "Payday" is a film that has barely seen the light of day, at least here in the UK. It came out in 1973, at a time when the American cinema was going through something of a renaissance and while it is far from being a classic and very rough around the edges it certainly didn't deserve its fate. Rip Torn is the thoroughly nasty, small-time country and western singer who will do whatever it takes to further his career and step on and over whoever gets in his way in the process. It's easy to see why the film wasn't a success. Apart from Torn, who makes the most of a mediocre script, it's poorly acted and has very much a B-Movie feel to it. However, it has built up something of a cult reputation probably stemming from the fact that it's been very little seen.
Payday hits the paydirt
Miksa7628 November 2005
I saw this about 3 years ago - I got to admit I was slightly inebriated after a lot of alcohol, but still some of the scenes penetrated my mind clearly, with their pull-no-punches cynicism. Maury Dann (played by Rip Torn) was one of the most memorable crooks I've ever seen in film. This sombre character study from the 70's addresses the themes of power and using people, set in the world of country & western music. As Dann's world slowly but surely crumbles, we see glimpses of the past of this cynical singer star trying to hit it big and the bleak relationships around him.
I agree with the previous writer, that the film is (sadly) largely unknown, despite a great script by the writer Don Carpenter and a staggering performance from Rip Torn.
I agree with the previous writer, that the film is (sadly) largely unknown, despite a great script by the writer Don Carpenter and a staggering performance from Rip Torn.
Payday -Rip Torn & Hard Living Country Music - A CLASSIC
HardToFindMovies4 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This is a mighty fine early 1970s film with Rip Torn as a forever touring hard-partying country and western singer....not only does Torn pull it off he does an outstanding job as the lead. Torn also does his own singing and it is not bad at all. The script is strong with good dialogue and the supporting cast shows top notch acting. As this is an early 1970s film viewers should expect some darkness and perhaps a certain fatalistic view on life. During the 1970s many people seemed to want to live fast-die hard-and leave a good looking corpse unfortunately. Still despite some rough edges PAYDAY is one outstanding film and considered a rare gem by many film fans. Anyone who takes the time to hunt down a copy of this timeless film which shows both the struggles of modest fame and touring will be glad they did so....this film is an easy, mostly fun watch and moves quickly...it even has a couple of clever plot twists...all in all one of Rip Torn's best films and one of the top 25 films of the entire 1970s! Tom Wilson (HardToFindMovies)New Jersey
One of Rip Torns' finest hours.
Hey_Sweden18 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Rip Torn is superb as county & western singer Maury Dann in this bluntly honest, unsentimental look at the life of an unrepentant reprobate. He's a self-centered hellraiser who thinks nothing of other people and only of what they can do for him. He counts on the loyalty of people such as his long suffering manager, Clarence McGinty (Michael C. Gwynne) and chauffeur / bodyguard Chicago (Cliff Emmich) in order to get him out of various scrapes. While the unknowing public celebrates his music, they often have little idea of how lowly he is as an individual. Incisively written, by Don Carpenter, and efficiently directed, by Daryl Duke, "Payday" deserves a great deal of respect for the matter of fact way it portrays characters and events. It's left up to the viewer to make any judgment calls. It also works as a too convincing portrait of life on the road for any musician, and the trappings - women, drugs, etc. - that go with it. It's essentially a character study, and the character in question is definitely unappealing, but that is what makes the material as compelling as it is. Even when Maury ends up killing a man, there is never the slightest suggestion that he will sober up and realize the consequences of his actions. Some viewers may take exception to a tale where the main character is irredeemable, but others are certain to find this rather refreshing. A mighty fine soundtrack includes four Shel Silverstein songs, including the opener "She's Only a Country Girl". The acting is exceptional from not just the charismatic Torn but all of the major players as well: Ahna Capri as Maury's fed up girlfriend Mayleen, Elayne Heilveil as naive groupie Rosamond, Jeff Morris as band member Bob Tally, and Henry O. Arnold as young aspiring c & w star Ted. Keep an eye out for future 'Dukes of Hazzard' co-star Sonny Shroyer as an attorney. Director Duke and crew create a wonderful folksy atmosphere at all times, having shot the film on location in Alabama. By the end, one may not like Maury Dann, or even understand him, but they definitely won't forget him. It's just a shame that "Payday" isn't too well known, because it can easily stand alongside more famous productions such as "Tender Mercies" and "Crazy Heart". It's a true unsung gem from a decade that produced more than its fair share of great films. 10 out of 10.
Simply Amazing!
hamanncrosscreek12 August 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this for the first time on "Encore" channel,ten years ago. A gritty,powerful film that days afterward,you're still thinking about.Rip Torn should at the very least been nominated for an Oscar,for his portrayal of a hard living C/W singer,Maury Dann.The film is riveting from start to shockingly abrupt finish.Touching performances from Cliff Emmich as Maurys put upon driver and Jeff Morris as one of the band members.Ahna Capri and Elayne Heilveil are terrific as the love interests.You feel Ahnas characters frustration and sadness as she's about to be replaced by a younger,prettier woman. Cara Dunn is excellent as Maurys drug addicted mother.The "road picture" structure and Alabama locations of this film give it a documentary feel and therefore it never drags or becomes tedious.The story mixes drama,humor,violence and depressing sadness,that give this film its power.This little known film is a must see!
Last Night's Beer
theognis-8082119 October 2021
Slow, dull account of C&W crooner, Maury Dann's (Rip Torn) road trip from Texas to Nashville for a play date. It is a highly episodic stab at the kind of "gritty realism" that the previous year's "Fat City" did so much better. The actors do a fine job, but the script isn't much.
Rip Torn excels in this excellent and observant 70's character study sleeper
Woodyanders5 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Hateful, arrogant, and ill-tempered, but talented and charismatic middle-aged mid-level country music singer/songwriter Maury Dann (a bravura performance by Rip Torn in one of the finest roles of his career) gets worn down from being constantly on tour performing in seedy bars while also struggling to achieve a greater degree of success and selfishly using everyone around him. Director Daryl Duke and writer Don Carpenter do an expert and astute job of precisely etching a stark, cynical, and unsentimental depiction of the sordid and unglamorous underbelly of the 70's country music milieu: the wearying ordeal of living one's life on the road, sex with groupies, popping pills to keep on going, bribing club managers and disc jockeys, sudden outbursts of brutal violence, and sleeping in grimy motels. Moreover, Duke and Carpenter deserve extra praise for not offering any kind of sappy redemption or corny salvation for the sleazy main character; instead Dann speeds ever faster down a dark and dismal path of debauchery and self-destruction that leads to an inevitable grim conclusion. While Torn clearly dominates the film with his exceptional acting, he nonetheless receives sturdy support from Michael C. Gwynne as resourceful and long-suffering manager Clarence McGinty, Ahna Capri as Maury's bitchy fed-up main squeeze Mayleen Travis, Cliff Emmich as loyal body guard and chauffeur Chicago, and Elayne Heilveil as naive straight-laced groupie Rosamond McClintock. The downhome Alabama locations, the flavorsome country music soundtrack, and the colorful assortment of Southern locals featured throughout all greatly enhance the overall gritty authenticity. Highly recommended.
Near Perfect Neo-Realism of the Early 70's...Unacknowledged, Under-Seen B-Movie
LeonLouisRicci26 July 2017
Occasionally, in the Art of Movie Making, all things come Together with a Synchronistic Symmetry and the Result is a Near-Perfect Picture that seems as Well Crafted as it Possibly could be.
This happens, No Matter the Budget, Production Capabilities, or the Artisans Applying Their Craft. This is one of those Movies.
A Gritty, Early Seventies Character Study of a Merle Haggard Style Country Music Singer. A Mid-Level Star that Humps the Highways Playing Honky Tonks and the Sort, and with His Charming Crusty Ways, takes Advantage of Anyone on His Path to one more Payday.
It's that Payday, along with Pills and Alcohol, that Fuels the Folks in the Band and the Entourage that is Small enough to fit into a Cadillac and one more Trailing Vehicle.
Rip Torn Simply Embodies the Type and becomes completely Lost in the Role. He's "In the Skin" of this Self-Centered Warbler as He Encounters Groupies, Payola DJ's, and some Irate and Hostile Folks who Don't Care much for His Lecherous Ways.
The Movie is Mesmerizing with its Neo-Realism and Not One Scene seems Forced or Faked. The Dialog Crackles with Down Home Cynicism and Playful, Uneducated Insight, Fractured by a Hard Reality Colliding with the Hard Living.
A Compelling, Watchable, Car-Wreck of Real People Realizing the World Around Them and What They Want isn't always What They Got Coming. A Must See, Little Known, B-Movie that hasn't lost a bit of its Edge. Primitive Movie Making at its Best.
This happens, No Matter the Budget, Production Capabilities, or the Artisans Applying Their Craft. This is one of those Movies.
A Gritty, Early Seventies Character Study of a Merle Haggard Style Country Music Singer. A Mid-Level Star that Humps the Highways Playing Honky Tonks and the Sort, and with His Charming Crusty Ways, takes Advantage of Anyone on His Path to one more Payday.
It's that Payday, along with Pills and Alcohol, that Fuels the Folks in the Band and the Entourage that is Small enough to fit into a Cadillac and one more Trailing Vehicle.
Rip Torn Simply Embodies the Type and becomes completely Lost in the Role. He's "In the Skin" of this Self-Centered Warbler as He Encounters Groupies, Payola DJ's, and some Irate and Hostile Folks who Don't Care much for His Lecherous Ways.
The Movie is Mesmerizing with its Neo-Realism and Not One Scene seems Forced or Faked. The Dialog Crackles with Down Home Cynicism and Playful, Uneducated Insight, Fractured by a Hard Reality Colliding with the Hard Living.
A Compelling, Watchable, Car-Wreck of Real People Realizing the World Around Them and What They Want isn't always What They Got Coming. A Must See, Little Known, B-Movie that hasn't lost a bit of its Edge. Primitive Movie Making at its Best.
Obscure gem !
ronnybee21126 November 2020
This is an unvarnished look at the life and lifestyle of a country singer who spends all his time on the road,touring. (His character is likely an amalgamation of several of the rowdy country singers of the time)
The cheap hotels,cheap restaurants,the rough honky-tonks and bars that he and his group play in are all on display. Not to mention the bar owners,accountants,
groupies,fans,and hangers-on that are all part of the life of a travelling band on the road. It is not all pretty I assure you.
The main character is a troubled man,he has been out of touch and estranged from his family for years. (Why? Because he has spent the last 5-10 years on the road !)
This man has many people counting on him to keep performing,so they all can continue to get paid. A vicious circle indeed ! The movie can be slow in spots,but when it is you can rest assured that something is about to happen,it does keep moving along.
The camera work,the angles,lighting and so forth are all well-done.
The characters and acting are all believable for the most part.
Is this a fantastic film? Maybe not to some viewers,but I think it is at least very good. It is different, entertaining,and rather believable mostly.
Fantastic movie! Reminds me of a heist!
mousey12 August 2012
36 hours in the life of a madman! It sure was!!! Great film, even though it is old!
Absolutely electric! He just disobeys the law and does what he wants (not that it is a good thing) - just a reminiscent past from the mafia and organised crime units within America!
Action packed, a great film to be watched, and you can get it on the cheap because it's so old :)
It reminds me of the time Hoxton stole a $5 million diamond from a secured vault and also when Dallas effectively started the zombie pandemic!
Absolutely fantastic! Which reminds me... Payday Wolfpack comes out on 7th August 2012! Should be a steamy occasion!
Let your imagination wander! Again good film! 8/10
Absolutely electric! He just disobeys the law and does what he wants (not that it is a good thing) - just a reminiscent past from the mafia and organised crime units within America!
Action packed, a great film to be watched, and you can get it on the cheap because it's so old :)
It reminds me of the time Hoxton stole a $5 million diamond from a secured vault and also when Dallas effectively started the zombie pandemic!
Absolutely fantastic! Which reminds me... Payday Wolfpack comes out on 7th August 2012! Should be a steamy occasion!
Let your imagination wander! Again good film! 8/10
payday
mossgrymk3 November 2021
Why assign nine out of ten stars to a film that fits the Supreme Court's definition of obscenity, namely a work that appeals to one's prurient interests with no redeeming social value? Because the work in question is an absolutely brilliant character study of a societal deviant and borderline psychotic by scenarist Don Carpenter and director Darryl Duke, with a performance by Rip Torn as said sociopath that is at the peak not only of his distinguished career but of all similar performances and that includes Cagney in "White Heat" and Pacino in "The Godfather". From the moment Maury Dann enters our radar with his detritus eating grin that can turn on a computer chip to rage and abuse we are hooked. Torn, like all great actors, instantly inhabits the body and personality of this abusive, petulant, entitled scumbag and not only can we not look away, we are fascinated. It's like being at a somewhat safe distance at a carnival peep show from The Monster. Ably assisting Torn are a gallery of talented unknown at the time (and to me simply unknown) actors like Ahna Capri as a sassy floozie whom Dann dumps for her sassiness, Elayne Heilveil as a too innocent, submissive floozy who is in way over her head with Dann's cruelty, Cliff Emmich as a mentally challenged bodyguard (and amateur chef), and Michael Gwynne as Dann's slick, amoral manager. I had a couple problems with Carpenter's story if not his dialogue which, like all this fine novelist's work, struck me as true to its locale, in this case redneck Tennessee/Mississippi/Alabama. I felt the scene where the bodyguard, even though portrayed as slow, instantly agrees to be the fall guy to a possible murder charge lacked credibility. And as long as you have a scene where Dann returns to his ex wife's and kids' house at night then why not have a scene with the kids? But these story caveats aside this is a crisply directed, sensitively written and brilliantly acted near masterpiece. So I guess it only meets half the Court's definition of obscenity since no artistic masterpiece, even a near one, can be socially valueless. A minus.
A Drifting Cowboy Band
brileyvandyke26 April 2022
Rip Torn plays Maury Dann a drifting country singer. The film covers only a short period of Dann's life, but during that time we discover that Dann is a conceited, manipulative, abusive man, who manages to put on an amicable face for his fans. Rip Torn is quite excellent in this film, and though Dann is hard to like he commands every scene and we see a man fueled by ego, alcohol, pills and junk food.
We get a sense of the poverty and desperation of Dann's roots when he goes to visit his mother, who relies upon her son for her financial support and her pill addiction. We see the disconnect Dann has with his children, as he visits an ex wife hoping to see his kids, who aren't there, Dann is unable to remember their birthdays or their ages.
Later in the movie Dann is at a restaurant eating with his entourage and is confronted by a man who is unhappy with the singer for a tryst he had with the man's girlfriend. Things spiral badly out of control from there and soon trouble looms over him as he finds it isn't easy getting free of the mess he created.
The film concludes with a memorable scene of chaos as Dann drives wildly through the countryside. There is a brief flash of Dann's crazed, almost psychotic eyes peering in the rear view mirror of the car as he drives. That brief moment gave me chills.
Payday is an obscure film, perhaps cult film, and belongs in the pantheon of effective Southern gothic movies, a genre that is dear and relatable to me. This film is worth your time if you are able to find it.
We get a sense of the poverty and desperation of Dann's roots when he goes to visit his mother, who relies upon her son for her financial support and her pill addiction. We see the disconnect Dann has with his children, as he visits an ex wife hoping to see his kids, who aren't there, Dann is unable to remember their birthdays or their ages.
Later in the movie Dann is at a restaurant eating with his entourage and is confronted by a man who is unhappy with the singer for a tryst he had with the man's girlfriend. Things spiral badly out of control from there and soon trouble looms over him as he finds it isn't easy getting free of the mess he created.
The film concludes with a memorable scene of chaos as Dann drives wildly through the countryside. There is a brief flash of Dann's crazed, almost psychotic eyes peering in the rear view mirror of the car as he drives. That brief moment gave me chills.
Payday is an obscure film, perhaps cult film, and belongs in the pantheon of effective Southern gothic movies, a genre that is dear and relatable to me. This film is worth your time if you are able to find it.
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