Review of Safe in Hell (1931) by Eric R — 02 Aug 2009

Gives meaning to the designation "pre-code." I mean, it's a 1931 film in which a prostitute absconds from a murder trial to a near-anonymous island where she's forced to wait for a well-meaning but negligent husband while horny criminals try day-in-day-out to get her in bed -- all of it ending in a gross perversion of justice.

It's the kind of pulpy, almost farcical material that can make for real stinkers of movies -- especially early sound movies where the resources are generally limited and the filmmaking is often static.

Thankfully though Wellman was a competent director from the start, and 'Safe in Hell' is great (I prefer it even to some of Wellman's other slightly better-known early works like 'Other Men's Women').

The film is patterned with subversions (some abiding and some film-historical), from the priestless marriage to the humanized African Americans to the lawless policeman. These touches make for a continually surprising viewing experience, whether your perspective is limited and casual or informed by knowledge of this particular period in American movies.

It's a moving film with a whole lot of charm (Mackaill being the most charming of all as the movie's emotional center -- she's nearly as good as Stanwyck, whom the part was originally intended for).

I wish TCM would air this more often so we could all get a closer look.