Summary
The proposed Metro melodrama, "Pay Day," plunges viewers into a maelstrom of moral depravity and relentless misfortune, centering on the nefarious Kirke Brentwood. Despite his considerable wealth, Brentwood, a figure of insidious charm, manipulates the impoverished Doris Fenton, a young woman harboring hopes of marriage to him, into committing theft on his behalf. Her subsequent incarceration opens the door for his callous abandonment, leading him to marry Isabel without a second thought. Upon Doris's release, a harrowing confrontation ensues, as she discovers Kirke in the act of strangling Isabel. His swift, self-serving accusation condemns Doris to a lifetime behind bars. Five years later, her audacious escape propels her back into Kirke's orbit, only to find him ensnared in yet another marital bond, this time with Ruth. A momentary softening in Doris's demeanor suggests a desire for reconciliation, even forgiveness, culminating in a kiss. However, this gesture transmutes into a chilling revelation: Doris is afflicted with leprosy, sealing a grim, inescapable fate for both of them, destined for a shared existence within the confines of a leper colony. This audacious narrative, brimming with escalating tragedy and a final, grotesque twist of poetic justice, is deemed by Metro president Richard A. Rowland as an assured box office triumph.
Synopsis
Metro comedians Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew, after reading over an assortment of scenarios, decide to film a melodrama entitled Pay-Day , in which Sidney plays the role of the dapper but evil Kirke Brentwood. Although Kirke is wealthy, he forces Doris Fenton, the poor working girl who hopes to marry him, to steal for him, and while she serves time for the crime, he blithely marries another woman, Isabel. Upon Doris' release, she returns to Kirke just as he is strangling Isabel, and his accusation sends Doris to prison for life. After five years, she escapes and confronts Kirke, who has married yet another woman, Ruth. Softening, Doris suggests that they forget the past, but after kissing him, she reveals that she has leprosy and that they must both spend the rest of their days together in a leper colony. Back in their office, the Drews are informed by Metro president Richard A. Rowland that the film would be a huge financial success and should be produced.
Review Excerpt
"
In the annals of early cinema, few genres commanded the visceral attention and emotional investment quite like the melodrama. These were the narratives that, unburdened by the subtle nuances of later cinematic eras, dove headfirst into the grandest human struggles: love, betrayal, sacrifice, and often, the most exquisite forms of suffering. Such is the proposed spectacle of Pay Day, a scenario so audacious in its dramatic contrivances that it compelled the seasoned Metro comedians..."
