At the same time, like some of the best classics, its examination of how women are exploited and treated by men is far too timely, with mackaills performance feeling just as suited for 2020 as it did for 1931. Pictures purchased a majority interest in first national pictures and from that point on, all first national productions were actually made under warner bros. After killing an exboyfriend in new orleans, a prostitute flees to a caribbean island. But the movie really belongs to dorothy mackaill as the lady with a past and nina mae mckinney as the nononsense hotel clerk. Wellman, with dorothy mackaill, donald cook, ralf harolde, available from turner classic movies. There the vicious local police chief sets his sights on her, unaware that she is a. In new york, newspaper advertising featured a warning that safe in hell was not recommended for children. Wellman with dorothy mackaill, donald cook, ralf harolde, john wray, year. Gilda dorothy mackaill is a new orleans prostitute and her introduction to the business was a brutal one, as a man raped her and then forced into the lifestyle.
Watch safe in hell full movie in hd visit movie 82397 to avoid the rigors of the law, gilda flees new orleans and hides on a cari. After accidentally killing the man who raped her and forced her into prostitution, a new orleans woman flees to a caribbean island. The unnamed island is a sort of precode, low budget casablanca setting, filled with a. Apr 15, 2012 start with safe in hell, from 1932, her best movie, a tough precode entry directed by the great william wellman, in which she plays a hardboiled call girl. A rebellious teenager, dorothy who had long wanted a career in the theater ran away to london and finally persuaded her father to pay for her board and lessons. The hot dog vendor from the carol burnett show full sketch duration. Notes about safe in hell, 1931, directed by william a.
To avoid the rigors of the law, gilda flees new orleans and hides on a caribbean island where the worst criminals can ask for asylum. Aug 03, 2011 dorothy mackaill lets loose, while nina mae mckinney sings the blues in william wellmans eccentric precode safe in hell 1931. To avoid the rigors of the law, gilda flees new orleans and hides on a. Gilda dorothy mackaill thought she had fallen as far as a woman could fall when she got a call telling her a client was requesting her services. Wellman, with dorothy mackaill, donald cook, ralf harolde.
After believing she has killed an exlover ralf harolde in a hotel fight, a new orleans hooker dorothy mackaill flees to a caribbean island that has no extradition treaty with the united states with assistance from her loyal sailor boyfriend donald. Safe in hell is is a cross between sadie thompson and the getaway, with dorothy mackaill. Wellman, with dorothy mackaill, donald cook, ralf harolde, at turner classic movies. Wellman on allmovie a young barbara stanwyck was considered for the. Feb 27, 2010 24 thoughts on safe in hell 1931 sam juliano on march 1, 2010 at 3. Wellman and starring dorothy mackaill and donald cook, with featured. Great quality in paper and colors, nice to frame on your.
Safe in hell is the epitome of precode with its saucy plotline that revels in sexuality and violence. Mackaill in particular makes such a strong impression that i wondered why she didnt have a bigger career. At the same time, like some of the best classics, its examination of how women are exploited and treated by men is far too timely, with mackaills performance feeling just as. Wellman makes use of his limited window to give us one sweat drenched sleaze ridden movie. But it starts with a lurid title card in flames, shifts to a scene on the docks of new orleans, then to a shot of a womans legs as she answers the phone the legs more important than the phone. Safe in hell dvdr 1931 warner archive collection mod. Movie posters dorothy mackaill safe in hell 1931 original. Wellman, dorothy mackaill, donald cook, ralf harolde, drama june 22, 2017 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. The carol burnett show official recommended for you. Jan 23, 2020 safe in hell is the epitome of precode with its saucy plotline that revels in sexuality and violence. Safe in hell 1931 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Safe in hell is one of the five films that william wellman directed in 1931, along with the public enemy.
The lost lady street date november 8, 2011 available through the warner archive collection 14. The first time i watched safe in hell, i couldnt quite believe how good it was so i watched again and, if anything, i admired it even more the second time. Dorothy mackaill and ralf harolde in a scene from safe in hell. For me this is one of the strongest early wellman films ive seen yet, with all the terseness of his best 1930s talkies, and the feeling that not a scene or line has been wasted. Later a sailor finds himself attracted to her and takes her to a safe tropical. Despite a certain roughness around the edges, the pluses listed above allow safe in hell to eke out four stars. The story is silly but fans of early thirties cinema need to see this. Become a fan via fan sites about safe in hell, 1931, directed by william a. From its opening salvo of gilda, legs rested on her desk, displaying her stockinged legs, to the sight of a line of men in their chairs, lined up in the hotel bar, eyes trained on gildas bedroom door, safe in hell is a movie that screams its sexuality, and tugs at your clothes. A film noir way before the film noir era or a protonoir or pre noir film, if you like.
Safe in hell 1931 nude scenes safe in hell is a 1931 american precode thriller film directed by william a. Mandalay may represent a sort of regression, as its heroine finds personal redemption through murder rather than patriarchal damnation. Precode retrospective safe in hell 1931 the movie waffler. Dorothy mackaill lets loose, while nina mae mckinney sings the blues in william wellmans eccentric precode safe in hell 1931.
Gilda is a complex cigarette smoking call girl who is laid back about her status as a working girl. Contrary to the implied theology of its title, safe in hell depicts a hopeless, godless world in which man and especially woman is just another morsel of meat on the food chain. Dorothy mackaill was 11 when her parents separated. They worked on breakneck schedules for relatively small.
Cast and crew credits for safe in hell, 1931, directed by william a. Gilda dorothy mackaill is a new orleans sex worker, who, after clocking her first pimp with a bottle and setting his. Its a film of great faces, but for all of the seedy atmosphere and leering. Three on a match is one of the six films that mervyn leroy directed in 1932, along with i am a fugitive from a chain gang. Fleeing the authorities, she finds deadly sanctuary on an island of criminals. Safe in hell stars dorothy mackaill as gilda, a new orleans prostitute, who. Besieged by the scum of the earth, gilda will soon find out that she has found refuge in hell.
Get info about the original print of safe in hell, 1931, directed by william a. Read the full synopsis of safe in hell, 1931, directed by william a. Hollywoods precode era, william wellmans fifth movie of 1931 his notable. Precode retrospective safe in hell 1931 directed by.
Safe in hell 1931 you might think this would be routine hollywood, directed by the mainstream director william wellman. His classics include wings 1927 the public enemy 1931 a star is born1937 and so many countless others. In this grim adult drama, a whore blames herself for the death of one of. Dorothy mackaill, donald cook, ralf harolde, nina mae mckinney, morgan wallace. Landing smackbang in the middle of hollywoods precode era, william wellmans fifth movie of 1931 his notable others being james cagneys starmaking, grapefruitsmashing the public enemy, and the squalid thriller night nurse proved to be of his tawdriest. But it starts with a lurid title card in flames, shifts to a scene on the docks of new orleans, then to a shot of a womans legs as she answers. As long as you behave yourselves here, you are safe from both jail and gallows, safe in hell morgan wallace as mr.
The screenplay by joseph jackson and maude fulton is based on a play by houston branch. Robert velez from bronx, ny us september, 17, 2015. The opening shot of the movie goes straight up dorothy mackaills legs. A prostitute blames herself for a clients death but later encounters him once again. After believing she has killed an exlover ralf harolde in a hotel fight, a new orleans hooker dorothy mackaill flees to a caribbean island that has no extradition treaty. Safe in hell 1931 1212 1931 us thriller, drama 1h 11m user score. With dorothy mackaill, donald cook, ralf harolde, john wray. No mean feat for a director who seemed intent on pushing boundaries throughout his career. Watch safe in hell full movie in hd visit to avoid the rigors of the law, gilda flees new orleans and hides on a cari. Safe in hell movie poster 70x100cm 1931 dorothy mackaill frame on your wall. Safe in hell depicts a hopeless, godless world in which man and especially woman is just another morsel of meat on the food chain.
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