What Price Vengeance (1937)
Directed by Del Lord and written by J.P. McGowan, What Price Vengeance is a gritty crime drama produced as part of Columbia Pictures’ effort to meet the British Quota Law. Shot in Victoria, British Columbia, and distributed in the U.S. by Columbia, the film blends action, moral conflict, and undercover intrigue in a compact 61-minute runtime.
Plot Summary
Tom Connors (Lyle Talbot), a dedicated police officer, hesitates to shoot during a robbery, allowing the criminals to escape. One of them, Pete Brower (Marc Lawrence), injures Connors’ nephew during the getaway. Wracked with guilt and forced to resign from the force, Connors adopts the identity of “Dynamite” Hogan, a small-time gambler, and infiltrates the criminal underworld to bring Brower to justice from within.
As he navigates the gang’s violent schemes, Connors must balance his thirst for vengeance with the risk of losing himself in the role he’s assumed. The film builds toward a tense confrontation that tests his resolve and moral compass.
Cast Highlights
- Lyle Talbot as Tom Connors / “Dynamite” Hogan
- Wendy Barrie as Polly Moore
- Marc Lawrence as Pete Brower
- Eddie Acuff as Tex McGirk
- Lucille Lund as Babe Foster
- Robert Rideout, Reginald Hincks, Wally Albright, and Arthur Kerr in supporting roles
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- Produced under the British Quota Law, which required U.S. studios to shoot films in the British Empire with mostly British or Commonwealth cast and crew to gain distribution rights in the UK
- Shot at Commonwealth Studios in Willows Park, Victoria, Canada, with Canadian producer Kenneth J. Bishop overseeing production
- Director Del Lord, best known for his work on The Three Stooges, brought a brisk pace but limited dramatic flair, according to critics
- The film is also known by its alternate title “Vengeance” in Canada
