Though the exploitation cinema reached its peak in the 1930s and '40s, its roots reach deep into the silent era. In fact, The Road to Ruin is a faithful, almost shot-for-shot remake of producer Willis Kent's 1928 film of the same title. Directed by Norton S. Parker, the silent Road to Ruin also starred Helen Foster as the wayward teen, with Virginia Roye in the role of Eve the enabler.

The silent film version of The Road to Ruin had been so widely circulated that critics frequently made reference to it in their reviews of the talkie. This casual familiarity with the original testifies to just how thoroughly exploitation films had managed to penetrate the mainstream marketplace.

Remaking silent films at the dawn of sound was a common practice of the major studios, which were always eager to capitalize on name recognition. In addition to The Road to Ruin, Kent also shot silent and talkie versions of The Pace That Kills (1928 and 1935). During the 1970s, the heyday of the midnight movie, the talkie version was revived under the title Cocaine Fiends. Though he wasn't associated with the original, Kent's 1931 anti-alcohol treatise Ten Nights in a Barroom (starring cowboy star William Farnum) had been filmed at least five times during the silent era.

Only a portion of Kent's career was devoted to exploitation films. He produced a steady stream of Westerns and B-grade crime pictures during the early 1930s but, by 1935, came to realize the smart money was on smut. He returned to the controversies of abortion (Race Suicide [1937]) and promiscuity (Mad Youth [1940]), while devoting three films to the all-encompassing topic of vice (Smashing the Vice Trust [1937], Souls in Pawn [1940], and Confessions of a Vice Baron [1943]). The 1950s brought somewhat relaxed standards of what defined screen indecency, so Kent plunged into the world of burlesque, with such pasties-and-g string titles as Love Moods (1952) and Lili's Wedding Night (1952). His last film was an almost documentary-like filming of a burlesque show: Dreamland Capers (1958). Kent died in Los Angeles in 1966, at the age of 87.

The Road to Ruin had its Los Angeles premiere at the Tally Theater (aka Tally's Criterion) on January 12, 1934, accompanied by a newsreel, the Ernest Truex comedy Mr. Adam (1934), and Robert Haines in Fast Fingers (1934).

The New York debut of The Road to Ruin occurred at the Cameo Theatre on February 17, 1934.

Because there was no ratings system during the 1930s, producer Willis Kent encouraged theatres to abide by the rules of the "Adults-Only" show. In its review, Variety reported, "It's up for general showing but with the self-imposed proviso that it is not to be shown to those under 18; following the one-time Chicago custom of voluntarily 'pinking' pictures the police did not restrict to adult showing to convey the suggestion that it's hot, hot stuff."

The Motion Picture Herald devoted a column to exhibitors' reactions to recent releases. If these are any indication of a film's nationwide success, then The Road to Ruin must have been extraordinarily profitable for Kent. C.H. Sartorius, of the Capitol Theatre in Hartley, Iowa, wrote, "Played to capacity shows and broke all midweek records in my theatre. People liked the picture and received many favorable comments. Enuf said." In Bricelyn, Minnesota, H.M. Johnson of the Unique Theatre boasted, "Broke all house records for Sunday and Monday. Advertised "No Children Under 16 Allowed" and it brought the S.R.O. sign, which hasn't been used for a long time."

Because exploitation films were circulated under the radar of the mainstream trade publications, it is impossible to know exactly how much money they earned, but the more successful releases grossed well into the six-figure range. A film like Kroger Babb's Mom and Dad (1945) grossed millions. Some clue to The Road to Ruin's success might be found in its silent predecessor. In his book Bold! Daring! Shocking! True!, Eric Schaefer reports that the 1928 version earned $14,000 during its run in Minneapolis's Strand Theater. "Compare this with an $18,500 take for Charlie Chaplin's The Circus (1928) at another local theatre during the same stretch."

by Bret Wood