Safe in Hell (1931)

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Houston Branch (play)
Joseph Jackson (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

12 December 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

USA | Spanish | Short Wave Radio | Killing | Judge

Cast

Dorothy Mackaill	...	Gilda Carlson, aka Gilda Erickson
Donald Cook	...	Carl Bergen, aka Carl Erickson
Ralf Harolde	...	Piet Van Saal
John Wray	...	Egan
Ivan F. Simpson	...	Crunch (as Ivan Simpson)
Victor Varconi	...	Gen. Emmanuel Jesus Maria Gomez
Morgan Wallace	...	Mr. Bruno, the Hangman
Nina Mae McKinney	...	Leonie, the Hotel Manager
Charles Middleton	...	Lawyer Jones
Clarence Muse	...	Newcastle, the Porter
Gustav von Seyffertitz	...	Larson (as Gustav Von Seyffertitz)
Noble Johnson	...	Bobo, a Caribbean Policeman
Cecil Cunningham	...	Angie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George F. Marion	...	Jack (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

The Lost Lady (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Vitaphone

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:K-16 (1940) | Finland:(Banned) (1933)

Company:

First National Pictures

Trivia:

At a time when most African-Americans were stereotyped, both Nina Mae McKinney and Clarence Muse were the two most reputable characters in the movie. Although their parts in the script are written in dialect, both spoke normally.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Darktown Strutters' Ball

Wellman Pre-Code

Safe in Hell (1931)

*** (out of 4)

Warner Pre-Code from director William A. Wellman about a prostitute (Dorothy Mackaill) who kills a former lover and then takes off with her current lover (Donald Cook). The sailor/lover takes her to an island where she can live without fear of being arrested since the local sheriff gives shelter to criminals. This sounds good but it isn't because she's the only white woman on an island full of criminals and all of them have ideas for her. What really stands out about this film is all the sexuality that Wellman throws out the screen and this film is certainly one of the dirtier films of the era. As expected, there's a scene with Mackaill undressing for the camera and a see through night gown. We also get a scene where the men spread their legs out as they watch the woman with a high sexual tone. Not to mention another scene where the men look up her dress as she walks up some steps. Mackaill is very, very good in her role as she blends sex and a toughness, which makes these films so memorable. The supporting cast is also very good but the story is pretty standard and lacking. There's not too much drama as the screenplay seems a tad bit lazy but this is still worth watching due to all the sexuality.