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On Friday and Sunday nights, the Guild Theater at 35th and Broadway held screenings of the documentary Overdrawn. The film, directed by Karney Hatch, provides insight into the development and implementation of widespread banking practices, such as overdraft fees and high-interest loans. The director answered questions after Sunday's 7 p.m. screening.

Overdrawn begins with a brief history of banking, jokingly referred to as "one of the two oldest professions." Usury, the levying of punitively high interest, is characterized as socially harmful and potentially evil.

The film explains that for much of the United States' existence, state usury laws were enforced, limiting interest payments to 7 percent. During the 20th century, these laws were relaxed and repealed.

This wave of deregulation is shown to have culminated in the bank overdraft fee, which, when calculated at an annual rate, can charge individuals more than 1,000 percent interest.

While the film lacks Hollywood polish and its narrative structure is, at times, choppy, Overdrawn is remarkably successful at building its case against predatory banking.

Two scenes stand out. At one point, a troubled former bank employee describes the systematic mailing of $1,000 checks to low-income neighborhoods, including those devastated by Hurricane Katrina. When cashed, the checks instantly became high-interest loans.

The film also features an interview with a loan shark, who explains his rates. The rates charged for unconventional loans are much higher than for traditional loans.

Although the film's tone is somewhat grim, crusades against bank abuses in England are presented as blueprints for potential victories in the United States.

Director Hatch eliminates all of his bank fees by settling a small claims court grievance with Wells Fargo. The $47 court filing fee he paid to file the grievance was even refunded.

Through interviews with industry experts, Hatch reveals that community development banks and credit unions are often good choices for those concerned about usurious practices by commercial banks.

Although the film provides a wealth of information, many viewers may find it to be dated, as the film was produced in 2007, before the current banking crisis. When asked during Sunday's Q&A about revisiting the film with updated content, Hatch said that he "chose to leave the film as a time capsule."

Hatch also mentioned during the Q&A that some viewers of his film who were inspired by his success at eliminating fees through small claims court have failed to replicate his luck.

Hatch is optimistic that the string of legislative and judicial successes that banks have enjoyed over the past several decades may be ending. He said he hopes that his film will make a difference in Congress. "I'm trying to set up a screening on Capitol Hill," he said.

To learn more about Overdrawn, visit: www.overdrawnmovie.net.

To read more about the Guild Theater, visit: www.guildtheater.com.