Payment on Demand (1951): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1951, Payment on Demand is a drama film directed by Curtis Bernhardt, running about 90 minutes. “He Strayed... and He Paid. She saw to that!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. David gives his wife, Joyce, an unexpected—and unpleasant—surprise when he suddenly demands a divorce. When she then learns that David has taken up with a younger woman, Joyce decides to make the most of this separation by taking a solo trip to the Caribbean. However, just before diving into a vacation fling, she runs into Emily, an old chum whose own divorce has left her embittered. Joyce then debates giving married life one last chance.

Who’s in it. Payment on Demand stars Bette Davis as Joyce Ramsey (nee Jackson), Barry Sullivan as David Anderson Ramsey, Jane Cowl as Mrs. Emily Hedges and Kent Taylor as Robert Townsend, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.7/10, Payment on Demand has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV and HBO Max and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Payment on Demand page.

If you liked it. Fans of Payment on Demand tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.