Safe in Hell (1931)

After accidentally killing the man who raped her and forced her into prostitution, a New Orleans woman flees to a Caribbean island. While she awaits her fiancé, the vicious local police chief sets his sights on her.

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Houston Branch (play), Joseph Jackson (adaptation)

Stars:

Dorothy Mackaill, Donald Cook, Ralf Harolde

Cast

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	...	General 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

Storyline

Sought by the New Orleans police for accidentally killing the man who raped her and forced her into prostitution, a woman flees New Orleans for a Caribbean island. Surrounded by lecherous criminals, she awaits the return of her fiancé and seems to be holding her own until the treachery of the local police chief leaves her but one choice to gain her freedom.

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Plot Keywords:

caribbean | naval officer | wanted for murder | death sentence | false confession | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 December 1931 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Lost Lady

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A 1931 publicity shot of Boris Karloff has him listed as playing the role of Bobo in this 'recently completed' film, yet Noble Johnson portrays the character on screen, and this has never been included on the Karloff filmography.

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Quotes

Gilda Carlson - aka Gilda Erickson: I aint got so many friends that I'm forgetting ANY of them.

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Crazy Credits

The title card shows burning flames covering the letters of the title.

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Connections

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

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Soundtracks

The Peanut Vendor (El Manicero)
(1927) (uncredited)
Written by Moïse Simons

User Reviews

enjoyable melodrama

Although this film directed by the versatile William Wellman is not essentially different from many other fallen women pictures of the early talkie era, it has elements that lift it out of the ordinary. For contemporary viewers it's an opportunity to see Dorothy Mackaill in a starring role. She was a beautiful and self-possessed actress whose career came and went too quickly. At times she looks so much like Marion Davies that you could easily mistake them for twins. Here she plays a prostitute fleeing the law with a young fellow who loves her. He deposits her in a hotel on a steamy Caribbean island inhabited by escaped male criminals. There is the appealing shock of seeing two African-American actors actually speaking and behaving in a dignified and even admirable manner: Nina Mae MacKinney and Clarence Muse as a hotel proprietress and porter, respectively. Muse speaks the King's English better than the blonde leading lady and comports himself in a far more civilized manner than any of the white men. MacKinney is spectacular. She holds her own no matter who she is playing against and even sings a spirited round of "Sleepy Time Down South" as she pours wine for a large table of diners. Another case of wasted talent in the old Hollywood days.