Safe in Hell (Warner Bros.) (1931)

ER MOST SPECTACULAn ..— DOROTHY Mackaill Sensation Includes In Cast Amazing Canine “Safe in Hell,’ Now Here, Presents Great Human Cast Not Forgetting Mutt Named ‘Beans’ (Advance Story—Plant $ Days Before) “Safe in Hell,” the First National melodrama starring Dorothy Mackaill, which comes to the Theatre next, includes in the cast such favorites as Don Cook, Victor Varconi, Morgan Wallace, Ralf Harolde, Ivan Simpson, John Wray, Nina Mae McKinney, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Cecil Cunningham, Charles Middleton, Noble Johnson, Géorge Marion, Sr,, and Clarence Miise. But this array of humans does not eclipse ore of the clévérest of canine actors of the day. Many of the scenes of the sénsational picture are _Jaid in dn island inhabited by desperadoes. Here in the settlement at the edge of the tropical forest many strange creatures disport themselves, birds, monkeys and last but not least, Mr. Beans, the dog. So intelligent is Mr. Beans, that one might well imagine him telling his own story. .“How old am I? Six. How long in pictures? Longer than I care to remember. What can. I do? Yawn, scratch, yelp, whine, whimper, play dead, stretch, walk on my hind legs, shake hands and— “What kind of a dog am I? My mom was a fox terrior, they tell me—and my pop a bulldog. I’m not so impressed with pedigrees, It’s brains that count, if you know what I mean. “The actors in “Safe in Hell” are all made up to look like desperados. ‘They may look tough, but they sure are swell to me! From Director Bill Wellman down, everybody seems to have time to give me a good word or a pat. I have other friends in the cast, too—Polly the green parrot—Charlie the monkey Rags the pup—and a fot iy 1 think he cares for me, a little more than I care for him. “How do I prepare for a part in pictures? Well, first I study my lines carefully. Then I figure out first what I would do and say if I were the sort of dog I am to portray. I practice facial expression before the mirror. I don’t run around and have a good time, till the filming begins. I just sit quietly at leashlength from my master, and concentrate. My. motto is ‘The director knows best.’ “Well, I must be going. They’re just about to take one of my big scenes. Woof, woof—you'll be Seeing me at the Theatre, in ‘Safe in Hell!’” George Marion, Sr. Is Here In Mackaill Film (Biography, October 1, 1931) George Marion who appears in support of Dorothy Mackaill in “Safe in Hell,” the First National picture now at the Theatre is a veteran of stage and screen. One of his finest recent characterizations was the part of Chris in the screen version of Euene O’Neill’s “Anna Christie.” Among pictures in which he has appeared are “Loco Luck,” “The Skedaddle Gold,” “A Texas Steer,” “Just Marriel,” “The Bishop Murder Case,” “Sea Bat,” “Big House,” “Benson Murder Case,” “Pay Off,” “A Lady’s Morals,” “Soul Kiss,” “Man to Man,” “Hook, Line and Sinker” and “Safe in Hell.” **Safe In Hell’? Locale Is Known Only By Author (Advance Reader) Huston Branch, author of “Safe in Hell’—the play of which the First National melodrama starring Dorothy Mackaill and coming to the APN GAEL Es 5 next, is an adaptation—is not permitted to disclose the real name and_ position of the island of outcasts shown in the picture. In his early travels he came upon the real island, but afterward when seeking more detailed information from steamship company, foreign consul, and government channels, he was suavely told to desist from further research. It is one of the few spots in the world where no extradition treaties prevail. more. | DOROTHY MACKAILL NOTES CHANGE IN MOVIE-MAKING BY WHICH MANY, OUTDOOR SCENES MATURE INDOORS Tropical Island Sequences of ‘‘Safe In Hell,’ First National Picture, Now At Strand Made On Sound Stages and Island (Interesting Feature for No. 1 Paper) : ; Dorothy Mackaill, the dashing blonde English girl who is starring in “Safe In Hell,” the First National picture now at the Theatre, remarked recently on the change in the industry by which location trips are less frequent, and vast exteriors ate made on inside sound stages. ————_—_—_—_—_—_—— “Not so long ago citizens of Los Angefes could entertain out of town visitors by taking them about the streets of Hollywood to watch the making of outdoor sequences of pictures,” said Miss Mackaill, “Imitation policemen chased fictitious fugitives around corners—celebrities wete photographed on lawns of splendid estates—elopements were filmed in front of famous mansions and on any street an innocent bystander was apt to be unwittingly included in an atmospheric shot. BEHIND STUDIO GATES “This is gone forever. Motion picture making is no longer a public activity. When outdoor scenes are needed they are generally made on the property of the producers from whieh lookers-on are rigidly excluded. “The advantages of exteriors built inside sound stages have recently become so apparent, however, that studios are doing this wherever possible. A synthetic exterior can be built absolutely according to specifications. Camera angles can be fixed in advance—lighting effects insured against weather—wind provided when needed. Sunshine or moonilght made available by day or night to match the script. Interior exteriors have taken most of the weather gamble out of production. The sets for certain exterior scenes in ‘Safe in Hell’ could never MOST ENCHANTING OF PARADOXES IS GAY MISS MACKAILL Miss Dotothy Mackaill, now at the Sree Theatre as star of “Safe in Hell,” the First National feature prodiction, is Hollywood’s most intriguing baradox: Born in Hull, England, she is ready to fight all comers for the honor of her hotie town, yét vows she will never go back to it. A devotee of the stage atid rather indifferent 16 pictures she has beconie Gre Of the thost. popular talkie stars. Looking like a dream in fluffy feminine things, she prefers duck trousers and a sweater. Endowed with a perfect figure, she has never dieted to keep it and never intends to. As a debutante she proposed marriage and later proposed divorce, and kept up a jolly friendship with her ex-husband. Most delightful of comediennes, she prefers roles in the tragic mood, and excels in them, as is evidenced in the part of Gilda in “Safe in Hell.” Don Cook plays romantic lead in the current melodrama. William A. Wellman directed. = @ 2.) flaming exterior, The studio keeps on hand many tons of find black soil for building the ground work of an in“ye set. fi ty tons a PT EN EERE ERIE SAR SS TNS LEE TRV DET CET EP TES EGR Y CLS LE REE LAD IIS of this pron dirt the f ter f Bee ar 4was ftually; _ tropical conditions can be Fe iain a) approximated more closely inside |, these tremendous stages than out ~—-S side in semi-tropical Southern California, particularly in the winter months when Hollywood climate is less well-behaved than it is cracked up to be by native sons. “Jungle rains, storms of hurricane proportions and other violent weather conditions can be provided better in the vast interior of a sound stage than in the wide open spaces where the surrounding weather can not be made to match. These sets can be built as exact reproductions of the true locale of the story, something that is often difficult to do outside, where skylines are misfits and where familiar vegetation often Prove the camera to be something of a liar. “Scenes of ‘Safe in Hell’ are laid on a jungle island of the Caribbean Sea. This required many spectacular outdoor scenes and the little known islands off the coast of Lower California served excellently for general location sequences. But when the closer, more exact settings of the picture were needed the director moved us back inside of a sound stage, four hundred feet long and half as wide, into manufactured tropics.” Miss Mackaill is supported in “Safe in Hell” by Don Cook, who plays romantic lead—Ralf Harolde, Morgan Wallace, Victor Varconi. John Wray, Ivan Simpson, Charles Middleton, Gustav von Seyffertitz Nina Mae McKinney, Cecil Cunningham, George Marion. Sr., Noble Johnson and Clarence Muse. William A. ellman directed. The picture provides Miss Mackaill with her most dramatic role. Wellman Given Two-Year Contract For Fine Work The most talked of picture of the year a iy (Current Reader) William A. Wellman, who directed “Safe in Hell,” the First National melodrama starring Dorothy Mackaill, now at the Theatre, was granted a two-year contract at the completion of the picture. His recent achievement in the direction of “The Public Enemy,” “Night Nurse” and “Star Witness” were also considered in the award of the signal honor. Don Cook plays romantic lead in “Safe in Hell” which gives Miss Mackaill her most dra with DONALD COOK @ JOHN WRAY IVAN SIMPSON *> VICTOR VARCONI matic emotional role. Cut 20c, Mat Sc Cut No. 6 have been duplicated in Hollywood] Starting with forty or More dramatic, mote sensational! the decade! A First National @ Vitaphone Picture Directed by Wiliam A. Wellman. Cut No. 7 more daring Brings you the most discussed picture of Cut 40c, Mat 10c NegroWho Did“‘Porgy On Broadway Stage Coming In Film (Advance—Plant 4th Day Before) “Safe in Hell,” the First National melodrama starring Dorothy Mackaill and coming to the Theatre next, is presented by an imposing cast of screen favorites, including Clarence Muse, the talented negro who created the title role in: the Broadway stage production of “Porgy.” ‘ Muse, in speaking of those of his race who have reached high places in the artistic world, mentions Paul Robeson, Roland Hayes, Charles Gilpin, Bill Robinson, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and others—modestly omitting himself. Muse alone has found success in talking pictures. Gilpin, for whom Eugene O’Neill wrote “Emperor Jones,” was about to appear in one of the early talkies when death came. Clarence Muse was featured in “Nappas” and “Hearts in Dixie.” Another famous blues singer in the cast of “Safe in Hell” is Nina Mae McKinney, who is accompanied by the Cotton Club Orchestra. Picturesque scenes in a farflung island of the South Seas, inhabited by desperadoes from all parts of the world, are heightened by the melodious crooning of the negroes. Dorothy Mackaill plays her finest role as Gilda, a servant girl, wronged by her employer, driven to the streets, and finally to the outcast island as a murder suspect—with the inevitable tragic denouement. Don Cook plays the romantic lead. Among those in the cast are Victor Varconi, Morgan Wallace, Ralf Harolde, John Wray. directed. eeeowe ee ree William A. Wellman Ivan Simpson and}]! John Wray Is Given Long Term Contract John Wray who appears in support of Dorothy Mackaill in “Safe in Hell,” her latest First National Starring vehicle, has been given a long term contract by the producers for his fine work on stage and screen. Mr. Wray was co-author of “Night Stick” from which “Alibi” was made. The clever Philadelphian plays Egan, one of the desperadoes in “Safe in Hell,” a play which gives Miss Mackaill her most tragic role. Don Cook plays the romantic lead. William A. Wellman directed. eee Miss Mackaill Wins New Screen Honors “Safe in Hell,” the First National melodrama which comes to the Theatre... 2, next, gives Dorothy Mackaill an opportunity to display the emotional genius suggested in her first screen triumph, “Chickie” also a First National film. The tragic role of Gilda in “Safe in Hell” is done with superb understanding by the blonde and glittering English girl, Don Cook plays lead. William Wellman directed. LA ST 2 DAYS I!STRAND Dorothy Mackaill SAFE '® HELL @ Cut 20c, Mat Sc Cut No. 17 yr.