IMDb >
Safe in Hell (1931)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsSafe in Hell (1931) More at IMDbPro »
Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
12 December 1931 (USA) moreUser Comments:
amazingly bleak moreCast
(Complete credited 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) | |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
73 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)Certification:
Finland:(Banned) (1933) | Finland:K-16 (1940) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)Fun Stuff
Trivia:
In September 1928, Warner Bros. Pictures purchased a majority interest in First National Pictures and from that point on, all "First National" productions were actually made under Warner Bros. control, even though the two companies continued to retain separate identities until the mid-1930's, after which time "A Warner Bros.-First National Picture" was often used. moreMovie Connections:
Featured in Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood (2008) (TV) moreSoundtrack:
Pagan Moon moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Safe in Hell (1931)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| Dorothy Mackail's madam | sideways8 |
| Good movie, depressing ending | deadpan_diva |
Recommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Special Agent K-7 | Midnight Court | Bulldog Edition | Code of the Streets | Secret Agent X-9 |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Drama section | IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |


I saw this for the first time a few years ago in a festival of pre-Code films, and it was a revelation--Dorothy Mackaill was new to me and she is excellent as the "loose woman" who finds a very strange salvation on a Caribbean island that is a stand-in for hell, if not in fact the real thing. The atmosphere is palpable--you can almost feel the heat and smell the sweat. This movie is uncanny in being both intensely grim and very funny. Sort of like a painting by the German Expressionist George Grosz come to life. Wonderful camera set-ups, such as the front-on shot of the row of seated disreputable lechers, legs spread and ogling Dorothy as she climbs the rickety stairs to her hotel room. Also unusual for a film of that time is the respectful treatment of Black characters--there is a very nice camaraderie between Dorothy and the woman who works at the hotel.