Salvation Nell

Salvation Nell (1931) is an odd piece of work. This Tiffany production directed by James Cruze has a creaky plot about a woman seduced and abandoned who finds a life with the Salvation Army, but it offers three terrific performances. The always-ethereal Helen Chandler plays the tragic Nell, a rather simple soul who finds great strength and touches the lives of others. Ralph Graves plays the loutish Jim who eventually finds peace. Sally O'Neil is a major surprise in a fine performance as the sluttish Myrtle. Seems like a low-budget affair but it's suited to the milieu of bars, prisons, and dumpy apartments. Others in the cast include Charlotte Walker as Maggie, Jason Robards Sr. as Williams, Matthew Betz as Mooney, Rose Dione as the madam, and Wally Albright as the kid.

My copy is from an ancient TV broadcast on SPN in the 80s under the title of The Good Woman and starring Ralph Graves and runs about 80 minutes. The film was considered to be lost for decades but as titled, it would be hard to identify. Filmed previously in 1915 and 1921.