Devil's Island (1940)

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Veteran movie heavy Boris Karloff plays a sympathetic role in Devil's Island. Karloff portrays a humanitarian physician, arrested for treating the wounds of a treasonous fugitive. Sent to the Devil's Island penal colony, Dr. Karloff runs afoul of sadistic commandant James Stephenson, who seems… More Veteran movie heavy Boris Karloff plays a sympathetic role in Devil's Island. Karloff portrays a humanitarian physician, arrested for treating the wounds of a treasonous fugitive. Sent to the Devil's Island penal colony, Dr. Karloff runs afoul of sadistic commandant James Stephenson, who seems obsessed by the guillotine (an execution sequence is one of the film's longest scenes). Stephenson's wife Nedda Harrigan, fed up with her husband's cruelties, aids Karloff in turning the tables on the commandant. Participating in an escape, Karloff makes his way to freedom and clears his name. Devil's Island runs a scant 60 minutes, due to editing demands made by the French consulate in Washington, who felt that the film was detrimental to Franco-American relations. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 2 min.
Directed By: William Clemens
Genres: Drama

Critic Reviews

Bosley Crowther, New York Times
While the camera probes the brutalities inflicted on the prisoners, the drama is savagely realistic.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Socially relevant drama about abusive conditions in France's Devil's Island penal colony.

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Cast

            Boris Karloff as Dr. Charles Gaudet

            Nedda Harrigan as Mme. Lucien

            James Stephenson as Col. Armand

            Adia Kuznetzoff as Pierre

            Rolla Gourvitch as Colette

            Robert Warwick as Demontre

            Will Stanton as Bobo

            Edward Keane as Dr. Duval

            Pedro de Cordoba as Marcel

            Tom Wilson as Emil

            John Harmon as Andre

            Egon Brecher as Debriac

            Richard Bond as Georges

            Sidney Bracey as Soupy

            Al Bridge
            
            Harry Cording
            
            Earl Dwire
            
            Earl Gunn as Leon

            John Hamilton as Ship's Captain

            Stuart Holmes as Gustav Le Brun

            George Lloyd as Dogface

            Leonard Mudie as Advocate General

            Frank Reicher as President of Assize Court

            Dick Rich as Guard

            Charles Richman as Gov. Beaufort
See full cast

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