Devil's Island (Warner Bros.) (1939)

:) | , ‘ t \ \ PUBL Karloff’?s New Makeup (Lead ) “Devil's Island” Drama Of “Dry Guillotine’ Why convicts condemned to Devil’s Island describe their punishment as the “dry guillotine” is vividly brought out in the Warner Bros. picture entitled “Devil’s Island” which is scheduled to open next Friday at the Strand Theatre with Boris Karloff in the leading role. Timely and powerful, the Warner picture depicts with stark, unblinking realism the cruel and ruthless brutality that made this island penal colony seem an anachronism in the Twentieth Century and led finally to its being temporarily abolished less than a year ago. — The story, which, while it is a fictional invention, is said to be an authentic representation of incidents which have happened, is concerned mainly with the efforts of some of the prisoners to escape their open-air torture chamber, Karloff, a highly respectable surgeon, is convicted of treason merely because he gave professional treatment to a man who was shot and mortally wounded while trying to escape from a prison train. Sentenced to Devil’s Island, the surgeon incurs the displeasure of the brutal commandant, and his lot is no better after he performs an operation which saves the life of the commandant’s little daughter. That does, however, win him the friendship of the commandant’s wife, who aids him and several other prisoners in a plot to escape. They escape by sea in a small power boat, but run out of gasoline and drift helplessly until picked up by a passing vessel, which proves to be a prison ship enroute to Devil’s Island. Back at the penal colony, the surgeon is sentenced to death by the guillotine. The commandant’s wife speeds to the mainland to ask the governor of the colony to prevent the execution. As the surgeon is on the guillotine, a new Minister of Justice, the governor, and the commandant’s wife arrive on the scene, and not only is the surgeon’s life spared but he is given his freedom by the Saws For His Supper Convicts assigned to timber cutting on Devil’s Island go to work at 5:30 a.m, and work until late afternoon, quitting while it is still light — so they can’t escape under cover of darkness— it was learned during the filming of Warner’ Bros.’ “Devil’s Island,” which opens at the Strand Theatre next Friday. Each man has to cut one cubic meter of wood per day or he is fed only dry bread and water for his evening meal. Rigorous Menu A typical day’s ration of food for prisoners in the notorious penal colony, “Devil’s Island” consisted of a half pint of black coffee for breakfast; a pint of soup containing no vegetables, three ounces of boiled beef and 26 ounces of bread for lunch; three and one-half ounces of dried peas or beans for the evening suppertime meal. The Warner Bros. picture, “Devil’s Island,” starring Boris Karloff, comes to the Strand Theatre next Friday. minister of justice, whose investigations also lead him to order the arrest of the commandant. The commandant is played by James Stephenson, his wife by Nedda Harrigan and his child by Rolla Gourvitch. Other important roles are filled by Adia Kuznetzoff, Will Stanton, Edward Keane, Robert Warwick and Pedro de Cordoba. The screen play was based by Kenneth Gamet and Don Ryan on an original story by Anthony Coldewey and Raymond L. Schrock, and the production was directed by William Clemens. wo (Advance Feature) “Horror Man” Karloff For “Devil’s Island’’ Mat 103—I15c Just Farmer At Heart The man who created the role to top all horror roles—that of “Frankenstein’s monster” — and whose name has become a pet manner for some people to frighten children, is in reality quite a peaceful gentleman. Boris Karloff, whose latest and most grim role is that of a French convict in “Devil’s Island,” the picture coming Friday to the Strand, is a cultured Englishman and a gentleman farmer. This fact is something of a Hollywood curio, as a matter of fact, for Karloff, whose real name is William Henry Pratt, may be found between roles at home, bespectacled and with spade in hand, weeding out his garden. A while ago, Karloff was invited by some studio friends to go on a hunting trip. On the trip Karloff, the “horror” man of the screen, would shoot, yes, but only with a camera! British born, and educated in London for the Consular Service, he was expected by his family to follow in his father’s steps and enter the Chinese Consulate at Hong Kong. Deciding that he wasn’t suited for the quiet life, he left home and sailed for Canada. Inventing a reputation as an English actor, he obtained a job with the Brandon Players in British Columbia. He became popular as a heavy, or villian. One stage job led to another until, while in a stock company, he landed in California. First appearing before the cameras as an extra, he later played bits and minor roles until his sensational characterization in ‘“Frankenstein.”” From then on he became the “horror” star. Cast of Characters Dr. Charles Gaudet .................... BORIS KARLOFF Mi cd rive VACCINE isc ccc ak wes on basnge cae sao ets Nedda Harrigan Col. Armand Lucien .................cccccc ce eens ee eeu James Stephenson PRE vba de ji hecaiicsns bebguih vhcenep susdsots OO Ra ae azneteor COM GEE Ce ccs cc: 5 FERS Betta ose ts i ee et, he Rolla Gourvitch PROD OI es en Ee eA A ED EOS Will Stanton Dre Duval ee ae rr ae OE Ee Edward Keane NDENROTEROS so ook Sole bet Ee Robert Warwick Dey (GEERT ] eae ar PA 2 la it er Re eo RN Pedro de Cordoba Erith, ee. pee ek esses ts ae ee Tom Wilson WAnaure.......1....... 0. eee John Harmon CeO BERT he Saas ia iiulor Ss ata Ets ei ROMAN ie bo Ta ae Richard Bond COTE oa tecte ee OES Ee haa es OR oe eee Earl Gunn Ree ire Mon Nets nme. So Se Ne Be Sidney Bracy PET OC RRM ee UR nye ls Artin cole eo 55 George Lloyd Governor Beaufort ..................... Gustav Le Brun........................65 Advocate General ...................465. DO YELI gf 11 (OES eee ae ae ees Plan eae President of Assize Court ........... Escape, If you can, Die, If you can’t! Thus do prisoners of “Devil’s Island”’ look into their grim future. Boris Karloff (right) Plays the Lead In The Warner Bros. Drama Coming Friday To The Strand. Mat 202—30c [13] Charles Richman Stuart Holmes Egon Brecher Frank Reicher Production Staff Directed by WILLIAM CLEMENS Screen Play by Kenneth Gamet and Don Ryan Original Story by Anthony Coldewey and Raymond L. Schrock Photography by George Barnes, A.S.C. Art Director ...Max Parker Dialogue Director John Langan Film Editor....Frank Magee Sound by ...... Robert B. Lee Technical Advisor Louis Van Den Ecker Karloff Rescued From Guillotine James Stephenson, who plays the cruel commandant of the penal colony in ‘‘Devil’s Island,” the Warner Bros. picture coming to the Strand Theatre next Friday, was cut severely on the hands while the picture was being filmed. The accident occurred during the rehearsal of a guillotine scene in which Boris Karloff, on the guillotine, was supposed to be saved from death by a soldier who thrust his rifle into the death machine to halt the descending blade just in time. Because of the nature of the scene, which required the metallic sound of the blade striking the gun, a real steel blade had to be used in the guillotine. Safety stops had been inserted to stop the blade in case of mishap. Stephenson, standing close to the guillotine, saw the safety stops give way and quickly grabbed the blade, which fortunately had a dulled edge, preventing it from decending on Karloff’s neck. He was rushed to an emergency hospital, and after treatment for severe cuts on his hand, he was taken to his home. It was almost a week before the cuts had healed sufficiently to permit him to return to work. Ragged By Degrees Boris Karloff had twelve “costumes” for the Warner Bros, picture, ‘“Devil’s Island” soon coming to the Strand Theatre, Each costume was made of tattered rags, and the degree of raggedness increased with each “suit.” The wardrobe department numbered each from one to twelve, so the director and assistant director could call for each by number. Germ Proof Straw Because Boris Karloff is a hay fever sufferer, straw used in scenes for Warner Bros.’ “Devil’s Island” was treated to make it hay fever germ proof. “Devil’s Island” comes to the Strand Theatre next Friday.