Damaged Lives (1933)

An extramarital affair leads to a young couple contracting venereal disease.

Director:

Edgar G. Ulmer

Writers:

Eugène Brieux (play), Donald Davis,

Stars:

Diane Sinclair, Lyman Williams, Harry Myers

Cast

Cast overview:
Diane Sinclair	...	Joan Bradley
Lyman Williams	...	Donald Bradley Jr.
Harry Myers	...	Nat Franklin
Marceline Day	...	Laura Hall
Jason Robards Sr.	...	Dr. Bill Hall (as Jason Robards)
Charlotte Merriam	...	Elise Cooper
Murray Kinnell	...	Dr. Vincent Leonard
George Irving	...	Donald Bradley Sr.
Cecilia Parker	...	Rosie
Almeda Fowler	...	Mrs. Bradley

Storyline

An extramarital affair leads to a young couple contracting venereal disease.

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Plot Keywords:

exploitation | cult film | based on play

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Taglines:

Approved by CANADIAN SOCIAl HYGIENCE COUNCIL (on all eight original lobby cards in Canada)

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 June 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dark Waters

Filming Locations:

General Service Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$1,800,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Weldon Pictures Corp.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

61 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although the film's credits say it was produced and released by Weldon Pictures, it was actually filmed and distributed by Columbia. Weldon Pictures was a dummy company set up by Columbia, which didn't want to be associated with the film's topic, syphilis. Producer Nat Cohn was the brother of Columbia's head, Harry Cohn.

User Reviews

Poor

Damaged Lives (1933)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

A year before directing the first team up between Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi in The Black Cat, director Edgar G. Ulmer made this cheapie warning film. A man goes out and sleeps with a city girl, goes back home and marries his sweetheart but soon learns the city girl had syphilis. This isn't as silly as most of these warning films but the over-dramatic nature still doesn't work. The film drags on even though it lasts just over an hour. When it comes to these warning films I think the more camp the better and this one here is just too straight to keep it entertaining.