I'm really at a loss to explain why some reviewers think of this film as anything worthwhile. While Ms. Bow struggles mightily to carry the day, and indeed is the only watchable element of this overwrought picture, ultimately I can recommend dozens of pre-code movies that are much, MUCH better than this, which ultimately comes off as little better than the level of "Reefer Madness" for sheer hysteria and unintentional hilarity.
First, the exposition in the film's first half-hour are remarkably clumsy and stiff. Second, the scenes with Native Americans are as racially nauseating as anything ever put on screen. Third, Ms. Bow's character gives birth one month after a scene in which she is clearly not showing any signs of pregnancy. These are just the jaw-dropping moments I can put into words; there are many in this little flick.
I know that many reviewers have written about the more shocking elements of this film, but if your only reason for seeing pre-code pictures is the revelation of what movies were like in that era, well, you'd be much better off sticking with the dozens of terrific pictures of that type such as "Flesh and the Devil" with Garbo, "The Passion of Joan of Arc," "Der Blaue Engel" with Marlene Dietrich, "Blonde Crazy" with Cagney, "A Free Soul" with Norma Shearer & Clark Gable, "Safe in Hell" with the forgotten Dorothy Mackaill, "Kept Husbands" with Joel McCrea & Ned Sparks, "Night Court" with Walter Huston, "Tarzan the Ape Man" and "Tarzan and his Mate" with Johnny Weissmuller & Maureen O'Sullivan, "Virtue" with Carole Lombard, "Baby Face" with Barbara Stanwyck, "Gold Diggers of 1933" with Dick Powell & Ruby Keeler, "Hold Your Man" with Jean Harlow & Clark Gable, "Queen Christina" with Garbo, and "Heat Lightning" with Aline McMahon, just to name a very few of my faves from that era.
I found "Call Her Savage" very disappointing when compared to these, or in fact when compared to almost anything I've seen. Laughably bad, and not in a pleasant way like some campfests.
First, the exposition in the film's first half-hour are remarkably clumsy and stiff. Second, the scenes with Native Americans are as racially nauseating as anything ever put on screen. Third, Ms. Bow's character gives birth one month after a scene in which she is clearly not showing any signs of pregnancy. These are just the jaw-dropping moments I can put into words; there are many in this little flick.
I know that many reviewers have written about the more shocking elements of this film, but if your only reason for seeing pre-code pictures is the revelation of what movies were like in that era, well, you'd be much better off sticking with the dozens of terrific pictures of that type such as "Flesh and the Devil" with Garbo, "The Passion of Joan of Arc," "Der Blaue Engel" with Marlene Dietrich, "Blonde Crazy" with Cagney, "A Free Soul" with Norma Shearer & Clark Gable, "Safe in Hell" with the forgotten Dorothy Mackaill, "Kept Husbands" with Joel McCrea & Ned Sparks, "Night Court" with Walter Huston, "Tarzan the Ape Man" and "Tarzan and his Mate" with Johnny Weissmuller & Maureen O'Sullivan, "Virtue" with Carole Lombard, "Baby Face" with Barbara Stanwyck, "Gold Diggers of 1933" with Dick Powell & Ruby Keeler, "Hold Your Man" with Jean Harlow & Clark Gable, "Queen Christina" with Garbo, and "Heat Lightning" with Aline McMahon, just to name a very few of my faves from that era.
I found "Call Her Savage" very disappointing when compared to these, or in fact when compared to almost anything I've seen. Laughably bad, and not in a pleasant way like some campfests.