Most of the time when you watch a vintage exploitation cult movie, you can count it in being pretty shoddy. The writing, the performances, the production values, and the directing are inferior. In fact, everything is so second-rate, you expect the film will be unintentionally funny, perhaps 'so bad it's good.' Typically, Poverty Row studios made these epics, or—in the case of director Edgar G. Ulmer's "Damaged Lives"—a major studio under another company title produced it owing to the taboo nature of the subject matter. "Damaged Lives" concerns syphilis. Nothing funny or unintentionally funny occurs in this modest 53-minute, black & white film. The genuine medical footage inserted in the story is tastefully done. There is nothing either sensational or lurid about it that would appall most people. Several examples of individuals afflicted with the consequences of syphilis are shown in either long shots or medium shots. There is no nudity, too. Unlike most exploitation movies, the characters are well-to-do, upper class citizens, and grimy criminals do not lurk in dark corners trying to persuade ignorant youth to engage themselves with women of questionable virtue. Ulmer and scenarist Don Davis treat the subject matter and the characters with more than a modicum of dignity. Sure, the protagonist suffers the consequences, but the consequences are not life-long. Neither the protagonist nor his wife die from VD so "Damaged Lives" concludes on an upbeat note. No, this doesn't qualify as a candidate for Mystery Science Fiction Theater.
Donald Bradley Sr., (George Irving of "Crime Ring") has given his son Donald Bradley, Jr., (Lyman Williams of "The Eleventh Commandment") a promotion to executive assistant to the president and placed him in charge of the operation of all his steamships. Evidently, Don Junior had been working for his dad at sea because he shouts when he gives orders in the office as if he were yelling at a crew aboard a ship. Senior breaks Junior of this bad habit, and Junior becomes integrated in the office. Later, he breaks a theater date with his fiancée Joan (Diane Sinclair of "Tomorrow's Children") for a business supper date with Nate Franklin (Harry Myers of "City Lights"), but they conduct no business. Nate has brought along a lady, Charlotte Merriam (Elise Cooper of "Alimony Madness"), but he abandons Donald and Charlotte and migrates to another table to flirt with another woman. Donald apologizes to Charlotte, "You see I don't quite know what I'm doing here." Donald and Charlotte get along with each other so well that they hit some other speakeasies. Eventually, they end up back at Charlotte's place, and things happen. Essentially, Charlotte seduces Donald, but Charlotte is no working class prostitute. She just enjoys having a good time. Donald is torn up about his affair with Charlotte and plans to marry Joan. Actually, he wishes that he had married Joan earlier so he wouldn't have gotten trapped in this predicament. Joan dreams about having children and dotes on the child that one of their friend couples have. At one point, Don's friend and physician, Bill Hall (Jason Robards, Sr., of "Code of the West") suggests that they get married. After Donald ties the knot with Joan, and the Justice of the Peace marries them for $2.00!
Later, about 23 minutes in the action, Donald receives a call from Charlotte. She insists that he come see her and Donald reluctantly visits her. Charlotte is rather distraught and takes her time telling Donald what is wrong. She confesses that she has had sex with Nat on several occasions and that she has contracted an infection. Donald doesn't understand what Charlotte means and dismisses the entire situation. As he is about to leave, he and Charlotte's maid hears a gunshot, and the maid finds Charlotte dead in her room. Surprisingly enough, the maid doesn't scream in shock. In a typical exploitation movie, the maid would scream. This maid doesn't exhibit any hysterics. Afterward, Donald visits Dr. Horton, and he pays the quack a $100. Horton assures him that there is nothing to worry about. Before long, Donald's family physician Bill persuades him to come downtown and visit a famous specialist Dr. Vincent Lennox (Murray Kinnell of "The Public Enemy") who confirms that Joan has venereal disease. Of course, Donald is aghast and refuses to believe it. Eventually, Dr. Lennox explains that he can treat them over a two-year period and everything will be okay. Lennox shows Donald a number of people who are suffering from syphilis. The worst example is a medium shot of a man's naked chest covered with pimples of some kind. Naturally, Joan is aghast about the revelation of her disease, too. She faints while they are at Lennox's clinic. Later, when they visit Bill and Laura Hall, Joan tries to kiss their little boy. Bill seizes his little boy before Joan can kiss him, then he apologizes for his momentary display of hysterics. After they go home, neither Donald nor Joan sleep with each other in the same bed. Joan tries to gas both Donald and herself, but Donald awakens and shut off the stove. Donald tries to reassure Joan that they can live with this experience between them. Things take a turn for the better at the end when a friend called them about a problem. The friend is pregnant and due to give birth in a week and she freaks out about because she ate pickles with her husband on a diner date. Our heroic couple laughs off the friend's predicament and "Damaged Lives" fades out.
Director Edgar G. Ulmer rarely made anything significant compared with other prestigious Hollywood helmers, but every film that he directed was done with style despite their low-budgets. "Damaged Lives" is not a film about debauchery, but an intelligent depiction of a social disease and its nearly devastating effects on a young couple.
Donald Bradley Sr., (George Irving of "Crime Ring") has given his son Donald Bradley, Jr., (Lyman Williams of "The Eleventh Commandment") a promotion to executive assistant to the president and placed him in charge of the operation of all his steamships. Evidently, Don Junior had been working for his dad at sea because he shouts when he gives orders in the office as if he were yelling at a crew aboard a ship. Senior breaks Junior of this bad habit, and Junior becomes integrated in the office. Later, he breaks a theater date with his fiancée Joan (Diane Sinclair of "Tomorrow's Children") for a business supper date with Nate Franklin (Harry Myers of "City Lights"), but they conduct no business. Nate has brought along a lady, Charlotte Merriam (Elise Cooper of "Alimony Madness"), but he abandons Donald and Charlotte and migrates to another table to flirt with another woman. Donald apologizes to Charlotte, "You see I don't quite know what I'm doing here." Donald and Charlotte get along with each other so well that they hit some other speakeasies. Eventually, they end up back at Charlotte's place, and things happen. Essentially, Charlotte seduces Donald, but Charlotte is no working class prostitute. She just enjoys having a good time. Donald is torn up about his affair with Charlotte and plans to marry Joan. Actually, he wishes that he had married Joan earlier so he wouldn't have gotten trapped in this predicament. Joan dreams about having children and dotes on the child that one of their friend couples have. At one point, Don's friend and physician, Bill Hall (Jason Robards, Sr., of "Code of the West") suggests that they get married. After Donald ties the knot with Joan, and the Justice of the Peace marries them for $2.00!
Later, about 23 minutes in the action, Donald receives a call from Charlotte. She insists that he come see her and Donald reluctantly visits her. Charlotte is rather distraught and takes her time telling Donald what is wrong. She confesses that she has had sex with Nat on several occasions and that she has contracted an infection. Donald doesn't understand what Charlotte means and dismisses the entire situation. As he is about to leave, he and Charlotte's maid hears a gunshot, and the maid finds Charlotte dead in her room. Surprisingly enough, the maid doesn't scream in shock. In a typical exploitation movie, the maid would scream. This maid doesn't exhibit any hysterics. Afterward, Donald visits Dr. Horton, and he pays the quack a $100. Horton assures him that there is nothing to worry about. Before long, Donald's family physician Bill persuades him to come downtown and visit a famous specialist Dr. Vincent Lennox (Murray Kinnell of "The Public Enemy") who confirms that Joan has venereal disease. Of course, Donald is aghast and refuses to believe it. Eventually, Dr. Lennox explains that he can treat them over a two-year period and everything will be okay. Lennox shows Donald a number of people who are suffering from syphilis. The worst example is a medium shot of a man's naked chest covered with pimples of some kind. Naturally, Joan is aghast about the revelation of her disease, too. She faints while they are at Lennox's clinic. Later, when they visit Bill and Laura Hall, Joan tries to kiss their little boy. Bill seizes his little boy before Joan can kiss him, then he apologizes for his momentary display of hysterics. After they go home, neither Donald nor Joan sleep with each other in the same bed. Joan tries to gas both Donald and herself, but Donald awakens and shut off the stove. Donald tries to reassure Joan that they can live with this experience between them. Things take a turn for the better at the end when a friend called them about a problem. The friend is pregnant and due to give birth in a week and she freaks out about because she ate pickles with her husband on a diner date. Our heroic couple laughs off the friend's predicament and "Damaged Lives" fades out.
Director Edgar G. Ulmer rarely made anything significant compared with other prestigious Hollywood helmers, but every film that he directed was done with style despite their low-budgets. "Damaged Lives" is not a film about debauchery, but an intelligent depiction of a social disease and its nearly devastating effects on a young couple.