by Hal Erickson
synopsis
The German-Russian co-production Escaped from Hell contained elements common to such previous tales of injustice as Les Miserables and Count of Monte Cristo. Unjustly sentenced to a brutal French penal colony, young socialite Jean Murat tries to make the best of a bad situation. But when things become too horrible to bear, he escapes, making his way back to his homeland in hopes of regaining his former position in society. This he accomplishes through his courageous actions during a mine disaster (a particularly well-directed and photographed sequence). Despite his conspicuous bravery, the protagonist continues to be pursued by the merciless "law is the law" authorities -- until the long overdue happy-ending plot twist.
