SINNERS IN PARADISE

US, 1938, 63 minutes, black and white.
Madge Evans, John Boles, Bruce Cabot, Gene Lockhart, Nana Bryant.
Directed by James Whale.

Sinners in Paradise is a brief disaster film of 1938. It tells a story of passengers on a flying boat bound for China. We get to know the characters before a storm breaks out and the plane crashes. The survivors find a small island occupied by a mysterious doctor. They clash among themselves. The doctor does not want to take them to safety – he himself is wanted for murder. Eventually, the group gets to work together, despite the domination of an arrogant senator, played by Gene Lockhart.

The scenes at the airport and in the plane of the best, and the crash sequence is quite effective, especially for 1938. However, once the group lands, the film is less interesting. Two men who want arms’ contracts take the boat with the doctor’s Chinese servant. They’re also fight, wound the servant, and are lost at sea.

1. The career of the director, his horror films, his conventional films?

2. A disaster film of the 1930s? Flying boats in this decade? Lavish interiors? Select passengers? The ability to talk to one another and get to know each other? The crew? Reassurances?

3. The black and white photography, the musical score, the cast?

4. The range of characters? The criminal and his money? The platinum blonde type and her criminal connections? The wealthy heiress and her concern about strikers in the factory? The
presumptuous senator? The two men wanting arms’ contracts? The nurse and the unhappy marriage, going to work in China? The old lady going to see her son?

5. The crash, survival? The island?

6. Discovering the doctor, His suave manner, his unwillingness to save them with his boat, his rules about finding food, cooking, cleaning? His Chinese servant, his meals?

7. The group in themselves, squabbling, duties, democratic elections, the dumping of the senator? His continued interventions, being told to keep quiet? The heiress and her wanting to pay for the boat? Her not wanting to do kitchen duties? The criminal, genial personality, befriending the shady woman? Her not wanting to go back home? Two businessmen and the clashing? The taking the boat, the servant, unable to steer the boat, the tropical waters, the shooting, their deaths? The servant returning?

8. The truth about the doctor, the old lady and her son, his not telling her the truth after her being shot? the son being involved in betrayal and criminal activity? The doctor falling in love with the nurse? Their future?

9. Slight in comparison to later films, but effective in its context?