Safe in Hell

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
Original title Safe in Hell
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1931
length 74 minutes
Rod
Director William A. Wellman
script Maude Fulton, Joseph Jackson
production Warner Brothers
camera Sidney Hickox
occupation

Safe in Hell is an American feature film starring Dorothy Mackaill and directed by William A. Wellman . The film is a typical example of the lax handling of the censorship regulations before the production code in pre-code Hollywood.

action

One day the prostitute Gilda Karlson is called to Piet Van Saal and recognizes in him the man who seduced her back then and who deprived her of any chance of an honorable life. During a dramatic argument, Gilda hits Piet on the head with a vase, believing she killed him. In a panic, she flees from the crime scene. The next day the building burns down completely, and Gilda is charged with the murder of Piet Van Saal. Gilda is about to escape from town when her friend, the sailor Carl Bergen, shows up. Gilda confesses her sad fate to him. Carl, who initially reacts to Gilda with incomprehension, wants to help her. He smuggles them as stowaways on board his ship in order to hide them on an island in the Caribbean. Convicted violent criminals are deported to there and no one can be extradited to third countries. As soon as Carl has left, all the men try to seduce Gilda, who, however, is loyal to her lover. This moral honesty quickly finds admiration from the convicts, who eventually leave Gilda alone. Only Bruno, the executioner of the island, leaves no stone unturned to make Gilda sexually compliant. One day Piet Van Saal stands at Gilda's door. He survived her attack and the fire and, together with his wife, took out the life insurance. Gilda, overjoyed not to be a murderer, wants to take the next ship back to the USA. In the meantime, however, Piet tells all the men that Gilda was a prostitute, whereupon some of the inmates try to rape Gilda. In a scuffle, she shoots Piet Van Saal with a stolen pistol. Just as Gilda is about to be acquitted of the allegations during the trial that was scheduled shortly after the crime, Bruno blackmailed the young woman with the weapon that Gilda was carrying without permission. Gilda, who is true to her promise never to cheat on Carl, refuses to go to Bruno and instead confesses to the deed. She is sentenced to death. A short time later, Carl comes to the island. Gilda manages to keep the truth from him and promises to go to New York with him soon. After his departure she goes to her own execution with her head held high.

background

William A. Wellman was under contract with Warner Brothers in the early 1930s , where he mostly made films with a socially critical background. His work with Barbara Stanwyck such as Night Nurse and The Purchase Price showed the desperation and material hardship that the Great Depression had triggered, using the example of the dramatic fate of women. Safe in Hell was his only collaboration with Dorothy Mackaill , who had made the transition from silent film to sound film with difficulty and was only able to build on her earlier successes with The Office Wife last year . The role of Gilda was first offered by the studio to Barbara Stanwyck, who however took over the part in Illicit . The character of Gilda is typical of Wellman's heroes: people who demonstrate strength of character in extreme situations and who remain true to themselves and their beliefs. Gilda, despite her shady background, chooses death over betrayal of her ideals, thereby proving an integrity that is not necessarily to be assumed. In the midst of a society of lawlessness and violence, Gilda renounces the easy way out and prefers to go to her death confidently than to give herself to Bruno sexually.

Is interesting from today's perspective the way in which the African-American actress Nina Mae McKinney, known from the musical Hallelujah by King Vidor , interprets its role. Her character Leonie is the only one with absolute moral integrity, and McKinney speaks without the slang and gibberish customary at the time with which African-Americans usually appeared on screen.

criticism

Nina Mae McKinney was particularly praised in the New York Times :

“Dorothy Mackaill and Don Cook are the unhappy lovers. [...] Nina Mae McKinney, the too seldom seen temptress of "Hallelujah," as a dark-skinned barmaid, is about the most entertaining item in the film. "

“Dorothy Mackaill and Don Cook are the unhappy lovers. [...] Nina Mae McKinney, the seductress from Hallelujah , who is unfortunately far too seldom seen , here as a dark-skinned bar girl, is by far the most entertaining element of this film. "

Web links

Sources and further literature on the topic of pre-code films