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.” But when the client turns out to be the man responsible for her fall from grace, Gilda flies into a murderous rage. Taking it on the lam, Gilda finds shelter in the arms of a sailor boyfriend (Donald Cook) who smuggles her to sanctuary and safety, or so he thinks. In reality he has booked her a bridal suite in hell. This pre-code crime classic, touted at the time as “Not For Children,” is frank, startling and arresting, as gripping today as it was eight decades ago. Directed by William A. Wellman, Safe in Hell is full of terrors and delights, including the most striking ensemble seen this side of FREAKS and a truly twisted stunner of a finale.

For thoughts on Safe In Hell, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/Yu2JUdAc27w?t=1561]

Video Quality

Safe In Hell makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Warner Archive with a brand new 1080p master that manages to leave you bedazzled in spite of some limitations to the source material. This transfer is derived from a 4K scan of the only known surviving 35mm nitrate print which holds up exceptionally well despite some baked-in deficiencies. This restoration is another instance of the label pulling a rabbit out of its hat as they make this film look pretty incredible. Even with brief instances of flicker and incredibly minor print damage that arise from the lower quality elements, this is still a terrific transfer.

This new transfer shows off a stellar amount of depth and enhanced detail within the sweltering locations. The black-and-white photography appears to be quite stunning in high definition with natural grain intact. Black levels are pretty deep with no trace of black crush or compression artifacts. The highlights hold firm, allowing the contrast to impress. There is a fetching amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing. Warner Archive has once again delivered something praise-worthy.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray release comes with a newly restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that brings life back to this movie. This narrative hinges largely on dialogue, and all exchanges come through clearly throughout the duration. Music is not a major part of the narrative, but the minor musical elements maintain their fidelity. The environmental effects never overpowers the dialogue on this release. There does not appear to be too much at all in the way of damage or age related wear and tear to the track outside of some minor sibilance and harsher inflections. This audio presentation is about as capable as you would hope for from a film of this age. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles available on the disc.

Special Features

Pat O’Brien In Crimes Square: A nine-minute Vitaphone short is provided in HD in which a crook attempts to take the legitimate path, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend.

George Jessel and His Russian Art Choir: An eight-minute Vitaphone short is provided in (rough) HD in which Jessel presents a choir he discovered while in Russia.

Dumb Patrol: A seven-minute Looney Tunes short is provided here in (beautiful) HD in which Bosko is taken down by an enemy plane during a WWI aerial battle, but things end up okay!

Theatrical Trailer: The minute-long trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Safe In Hell is a real gut-punch of a Pre-Code drama with its bleak outlook on the ways in which men can systematically deconstruct a woman’s life. The lead performance from Dorothy Mackaill is fearless in the way she allows herself to be incredibly vulnerable while never lacking in fortitude. The direction of William A. Wellman is not too flashy, but he handles this story in an even-handed manner which allows it to flourish. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and a welcome selection of special features. If you are a Pre-Code fan, don’t miss this one. Recommended

Safe In Hell can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.