''I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island'' is a 1941 American

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

directed by

Lew Landers Lew Landers (born Louis Friedlander, January 2, 1901 – December 16, 1962) was an American independent film and television director. Biography Born as Louis Friedlander in New York City, Lew Landers began his movie career as an actor. In 1914, ...

and written by Karl Brown. The film stars

Sally Eilers Dorothea Sally Eilers (December 11, 1908 – January 5, 1978) was an American actress. Early life Eilers was born in New York City to a Jewish-American mother, Paula (or Pauline) Schoenberger, and a German-American father, Hio Peter Eilers ( ...

Donald Woods Donald James Woods (15 December 1933 – 19 August 2001) was a South African journalist and Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist. As editor of the ''Daily Dispatch'', he was known for befriending fellow activist Steve Bik ...

Eduardo Ciannelli Eduardo Ciannelli (30 August 1888 – 8 October 1969), was an Italian baritone and character actor with a long career in American films, mostly playing gangsters and criminals. He was sometimes credited as Edward Ciannelli. Early life Ciannelli ...

Victor Kilian Victor Arthur Kilian (March 6, 1891 – March 11, 1979) was an American actor who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses in the 1950s. Early life, career, and homicide Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Victor Kilian began his ...

Charles Halton Charles Halton (March 16, 1876 – April 16, 1959) was an American character actor who appeared in over 180 films. Life and career Halton trained at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts. He made his Broadway debut in 1901, after which he ...

and

Dick Curtis Richard Dye (May 11, 1902January 3, 1952), known professionally as Dick Curtis, was an American actor who made over 230 film and television appearances during his career. Early years Curtis was born in Newport, Kentucky, the son of Frank Dye ...

. The film was released on August 4, 1941, by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

Plot

Dr. Martel is the new physician at the notorious Devil's Island prison. He's in a loveless arranged marriage with Claire. Joel, sentenced to three years on Devil's Island for manslaughter, is in love with Claire. Joel is befriended by prison guard Guissart after the guard learns they both served in the French Foreign Legion. Joel's foot is almost amputated after he purposefully injures it in an attempt to get closer to Claire. The corrupt prison Commandant and Dr. Martel steal a shipment of critical "jungle fever" vaccine and sell it on the black market, only to have the disease strike the prison and sicken Claire. Joel escapes Devil's Island and sails to the mainland to get the vaccine back. Guissart sends a telegram to the Governor on the mainland, requesting Joel's pardon for saving everyone. The Governor agrees to visit the prison, and the Commandant realizes he must kill Guissart or have all his crimes exposed. When Joel, Claire, and Guissart try to flee, the prison guards begin shooting. Dr. Martel and the Commandant, realizing Guissart is free, also try to leave the prison, only to be gunned down. The Governor grants Joel a pardon, and he, Claire, and Guissart leave Devil's Island.

Cast

as Claire Martel *

as Joel Grant / Joseph Elmer *

as Dr. Victor Martel *

as Guissart *

as Commandant *

as Jules * John Tyrrell as Gerault *

Eddie Laughton Eddie Laughton (20 June 190321 March 1952) was an American film actor. Laughton appeared in more than 200 films between 1935 and 1952, and is best known for his work with The Three Stooges. Career Laughton's family immigrated to the United Stat ...

as Brisson *

Edmund Cobb Edmund Fessenden Cobb (June 23, 1892 – August 15, 1974) was an American actor who appeared in more than 620 films between 1912 and 1966. Biography Cobb was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the son of William Henry Cobb and Eddie (Edmundi ...

as Quarry Guard *

Robert Warwick Robert Warwick (born Robert Taylor Bien, October 9, 1878 – June 6, 1964) was an American stage, film and television actor with over 200 film appearances. A matinee idol during the silent film era, he also prospered after the introduction ...

as Governor

References

External links

* {{Lew Landers 1941 films American crime films 1941 crime films Columbia Pictures films Films directed by Lew Landers American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films