A special prosecutor goes after a syndicate involved in rackets and local corruption. He is murdered before he can bring his case to trial. Police reporter Brad McKay investigates, and uncovers a $100,000 bribe. McKay traces the money to a nightclub operator, who orders his assistant to kill the reporter. When the assistant is himself found dead, McKay has two murders to solve.
Production
In 1942 Lee Tracy announced plans to partner with Jack Schwarz and co-produce a series of feature films for PRC release, only to forsake the deal when he was accepted by the U. S. Army for military service. Just before he reported for duty as a first lieutenant in the Army Military Police Corps,[1] Tracy did manage to make one quickie feature with Schwarz, The Payoff.
Reception
Both Tracy and the picture were well received by trade critics. Motion Picture Herald called The Payoff "by far the best picture to come from Producers Releasing Corp. Lee Tracy, with all the fire of The Front Page, returns to the screen before reporting to the Army, and does exceptionally well with the part of the reporter."[2] Trade publisher Pete Harrison wrote, "This newspaperman-gangster melodrama is as good, and better, than many similar type program pictures produced by the major studios. Tracy performs very well, and his antics should more than satisfy the action trade."[3]Showmen's Trade Review said, "Here is one that is strong enough to stand on its own [as a single feature] and should prove a satisfactory business-getter. For his return to pictures, Lee Tracy has picked a good story, a good cast, and a good director."[4]
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