Safe in Hell (Warner Bros.) (1931)

FRERST NATIONAL And VUTap Hon TALKING ia Permission is granted licensed exhibitors to reproduce with proper notice of copyright all matter contained herein. LENG FH (Vitaphone) 6824 Feet RUNNING TIME 75 Minutes | PICTURES FIRST NATIONAL PICTURES 321 WEST 44th STREET DOROTHY NEW YORK CITY, U. S. A. y MACK AILL SYNOPSIS Not for Publication ROUTINE STORY (The above story contains all the important fects about “Safe in Hell.” Release it several days before the beginning of the engagement) [HER OUTSTANDING ROLE Copyright 1931, First National Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved Gilda, servant in the home of an unprincipled insurance man, Piet Van Saal, is kicked into the streets when his wife discovers his relations with the girl. Finding refuge in the only house open to her, she is sent by the Madame to an apartment, where she finds Van Saal, In repulsing him a lamp is overturned and the next morning she is told that he is beliéVed to have been} burned to death and that police are on her trail. “Safe in Hell,” the First National production starring Dorothy Mackaill, which comes to the........ PMOMTE ss next, offers Dorothy Mackaill another highly dramatic role as Gilda, the more-sinned-against-than-sinning heroine, Miss Mackaill fulfills the promise first recognized by the theatre-going world when \ she played “Chickie” for First National. Sensational in the extreme is the story of “Safe In Hell.” And . the direction is by that wizard of the screen, William Wellman, _ who recently gave us “The Public Enemy,” “Night Nurse” and ’ “The Star Witness.” Miss Mackaill is supported by a large and 1. able cast including Don Cook. Ralf Harolde, Morgan Wal'ace ; 4 Cr te Dy son. John Wrav. ‘Nis Mae >” “Mistop Var iy ; itz, .ecil. Cunningham, Noble Johitson, ner an an ail . DbaV.. YUL ODE ~ ~weorge Mariofi, jr.,'and Clarence Muse. Miss Mackaill plays the part of Gilda, who is acting as servant in the heme of a ribald insurance man, Piet Van Saal, while her lover, Carl Bergen, petty officer of an oil tanker is away on a two year voyage. When the wife of Van Saal discovers the attentions her husband is forcing on the girl, she is unceremoniously consigned to the streets. Taking refuge in the only house open to her, she is sent by the Owner to an apartment where Van Saal is in waiting. In protecting herself from him, Gilda overturns a lamp as she rushes out, after having felled her assailant. The next day she is informed that Van Saal is supposed to have been burned to death and that the police are on her trail. Carl Bergen returns from his voyage and when Gilda tells him her plight, he conceals her in the hold of his ship, sails with her to an island in the Carribean Sea which is inhabited by criminal outcasts from all parts of the world, and leaves her promising to call for her on his return voyage. , Gilda is subjected to indignities from the half-crazed men, and Bruno, keeper of the prison, makes himself most obnoxious. ear voyage and hastens to Gilda] io whom he is engaged. Her confession makes no difference to him and she becomes a stowaway in the hold of his ship. He leaves her at in island in the Carribean which is notorious refuge for criminals, promising to take her with him on his return voyage. All the island-dwellers—thieves, murderers and swindlers—plot to get possession of the beautiful girl, chief among them being the villainout Bruno, keeper of the hell hole called a prison. Maddened by his failure, Bruno plants a pistol in Gilda’s room, that he may arrest ner. Piet Van Saal arrives, explaining that he disappeared to claim his insurance, meaning later to go back Dorothy Mackaill, returns to the screen OF 0 eociscnas: Theatre next week in “Safe In Hell,” hailed as one of the season’s most spectacular dramas. to civilization and spend it. He again attacks Gilda who shoots him. iler cause is eloquently pled during the murder trial by Jones, once a famous lawyer. Dreading Bruno’s plot to re-arrest her, she falsely confesses that her murder of Van Saal, was without cause and is sentenced to death by the jury of outcasts. On her way to prison, Carl appears. He says his ship is lying off-shore and that he will soon return to claim her as his wife. Without telling him of the fate that “waits her, she bids him a smiling ood-bye, saying that she will be ‘aiting for him. WHO'S WHO HY -=MACKAILE: — = In o-wid Follies. On screen in “Chickie’ "The: Barker,” “The Great Divide,” “The Woman of the Jury,” “Bright Lights,” Strictly Modern,” ‘Kept Husband,” “Their Mad Moment,” “The Office. Wife,” <“Party Husband,” “The Reckless Hour,” and “Safe in Hell.’ Born in Hull, England. others in the cast of this First National hit are Donald Cook, Ralf Harolde, ON COOK—On Broadway stage in “Paris Bound,” “Half Gods,” “Rebound” and “Gypsy.” On screen in “Unfaithful,” “Party Husband,’ ’“The Public Enemy,” Victor Varconi and John Wray. Cut No. 22 “Hook Line and Sinker” “Night Nurse” and “Safe In Hell.” Born in Pittsburgh, Pa. MORGAN WALLACE—Famous on Broadway stage. On screen in “Orphans of the Storm,” “Dream Street,” “One Exciting G Night,” “Fighting Blade,” ‘“Dangerous Maid,” “Sandra,” “Tillie’s Punctured Romance,” “Up the River,” “Big Money,” “Smart Money” and “Safe In Hell.” Born in Santa Barbara, California. IVAN SIMPSON—On English and American stage. On,screen in “The Director,” “Out™ of the Drifts,’ “The Man Who Played God,” “Lovers In Quarantine,” “A Kiss Of Cinderella,” “The Green Goddess,” “Disraeli,” and “Old English.” Born in Glasgow, Scotland. VICTOR VARCONI—On stage in Hungary—and with UFA in Germany. On screen in “Triumph,” “King of Kings,” “The Volga Boatman,” “Feet of Clay,” “The Forbidden -Woman,” “Eternal Love,” “The Divine Lady,” “Captain Thunder” and “Safe In Hell.” Born in Hungary. NOBLE Cut 30c, Mat 10c stage. On screen in “Congo,” “Bellamy Trial,” “Welcome Danger,” “Beau Bandit,” “Way Out West,” “Alexander Hamilton” and “Safe In Hell.” Born in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. USTAV VON SEYFFERTITZ —On screen in “Goose Woman,” “Diplomacy,” ‘Sparrows,” “The Gaucho,” “The Bells,” “The Waivare.’” “Yellow Lily,” “Vamping Venus,” ‘Mysterious Lady,” ‘Me, Gangster,” “The Case of Lena Smith,” “Chasing Thru Europe,” “His Glorious Night,” “Come Across,” “Seven Faces” and “Safe In Hell.” Born in Vienna, Austria. GEORGE MARION—On #§sstage. On screen in “Anna Christie,” “A Texas Steer,” “Big House,” “Benson Murder Case,” “Soul Kiss,” ‘Man To Man,” “Hook Line and Sinker” and “Safe In Hell.” JOHNSON—On the screen in “Topsy and Eva,” “The Ten Commandments,” “Soft Cushions,” “Something Always Happens,” “Gateway of the Moon,” “The Black Ace,” “Black Waters,” “The Four Feathers,” “Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu” and Finding that the girl is deaf to his pleas and threats he places a pistol in her room, that he may have her imprisoned. When Gilda’s life is at its most hideous, Van Saal, puts in an appearance explaining that he had hidden in order to claim his insurance. When he again tries to possess Gilda, she shoots him. One of many moving scenes is that in which an outcast, who at one time had been a famous lawyer, pleads her cause before the tatterdemalion jury. The last sequence of “Safe In Hell” climb to heights of tragic intensity—and place the role of Gilda among the most superb characterizations of stage or screen. “Safe In Hell” with its picturesque settings, its thrilling situations, its strange hodge-podge of personalities, its vivid dialogue, its suspense and its strange power, is Maude Fulton’s adaptation of a play by Huston Branch. PME CAST GILDA, Pawn of fate CARL, Her lover, PIET, Her betrayer BRUNO, Prison warden GOMEZ, Renegade general CRUNCH, Pickpocket EGAN, Castaway LEONIE, Colored singer, LARSON, Outcast ANGIE, woman the world DOROTHY MACKAILL DON COOK RALF HAROLDE MORGAN WALLACE VICTOR VARCONI IVAN SIMPSON JOHN WRAY NINA MAE McKINNEY G. VON SEYFFERTITZ CECIL CUNNINGHAM “Safe In Hell.” Born in Colorado “Side Show,” “The Mad Genius,” | JOHN WRAY—Legitimate stage. 1 Springs, Colorado. d “Safe In Hell.” Born in PortOn screen in “New York Nights,” id, Oregon. “All Quiet on the Western ————. Front,” “The Czar of Broadway,” | CLARENCE MUSE—Colored ac\LF HAROLDE—On stage. On and “Safe In Hell.” Born in tor who created title role of creen in “Officer O’Brien,”| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “Porgy” on Broadway stage. On Framed,” “Young Desire,” “Dixscreen in “Nappas,” “Hearts In na.” “Check and Double Check,”1! CHARLES MIDDLETON— On| Dixie” and “Safe in Hell.” JONES, Once famous lawyer BOBO, Desperado JACK, Old tar NEWCASTLE, Negro islander CHARLES MIDDLETON NOBLE JOHNSON GEORGE MARION, SR. CLARENCE MUSE