Slaves in Bondage (1937)

Slaves in Bondage is one of the many ultra-low budget exploitation movies cranked out by independent producers in the US during the 1930s, 40s and 50. Since they were not destined for exhibition in major mainstream movie theatres and were not distributed by the major studios they were able to circumvent the Production Code and deal with otherwise forbidden topics such as prostitution.

This one deals with the dreaded white slave racket - innocent young country girls lured to the wicked big city with promises of jobs as manicurists only to find themselves forced into working at the Berrywood Roadhouse, a notorious (and apparently rather expensive and high-class) brothel. I must say that these poor unfortunates seem to be thoroughly enjoying themselves and don’t seem to be terribly worried about their lost virtue.

An ambitious young reporter (now where would a crime film be without an ambitious young reporter) and his girlfriend find themselves unwittingly caught up in this racket and set out to bring the evil racketeers to justice, with some help from an idealistic crusading newspaper editor. Although the editor does seem to be more interested in this moral crusade as a way of selling newspapers. The reporter’s girlfriend is a real manicurist, working in a beauty salon that serves as a front for the white slave racket.

The subject matter is lurid enough, and while the treatment of the material is actually pretty tame (the most daring scenes feature ladies of easy virtue in their underwear) you have to consider that mainstream Hollywood movies were more or less entirely prevented by the Code from dealing with such topics at all. Audiences in 1937 undoubtedly found this hot stuff. And there are at least hints of genuine kinkiness.

Even at a mere 70 minutes this movie is a tad on the slow side. On the other hand it does have some truly bizarre touches - the two acrobats in the boarding house constantly practising a routine in which they kind of entwine themselves around one another just has to be seen to be believed. I still have no idea if it’s supposed to be vaguely kinky. The fact that it’s totally irrelevant adds to the weirdness factor. The night club acts are a little on the odd side as well.

I can’t honestly say that Slaves in Bondage offers great entertainment, but it’s different and it does have curiosity value (and some campy appeal as well). It’s in the public domain so it can be found on DVD very cheaply, or even legally downloaded. If you can download it or pick it up for a couple of dollars it’s worth a look. This was my first glimpse into the world of the low-budget exploitation flicks of the 30s and 40s, and it was interesting enough to inspire me to try to hunt down more examples of this genre.