The Yellow Ticket is a 1931 pre-Code American drama film based on the 1914 play of the same name by Michael Morton, produced by the Fox Film Corporation, and directed by Raoul Walsh. The film stars Elissa Landi and Lionel Barrymore and features Boris Karloff. It is also a noteworthy example of productions from the pre-Code era in that it includes brief nudity. It also stars Laurence Olivier.
The original play, presented on Broadway, ran from January to June 1914 and starred Lionel's younger brother John Barrymore opposite Florence Reed. This film is the third American adaptation of the play. The first two are The Yellow Passport from 1916 and The Yellow Ticket from 1918. A German version, Der Gelbe Schein, was also filmed and released in 1918.
This film provides examples of:
- The Oldest Profession: Prostitutes are allowed to travel freely throughout Russia without restriction. They must always carry their yellow ticket. They can never get rid of their yellow ticket.
- Aristocrats Are Evil: Baron Igor Andreef promises Marya to free Julian from prison if she sleeps with him.
- Intrepid Reporter: Julian Rolfe who wants to find out what ordinary Russians think.
