Republic Pictures was known as the poverty row studio that made great westerns...both of the "A" and "B" variety. "Hellfire" was an ambitious effort to turn out an "adult western".
The story has gambler Jeb Smith (William Elliot) trying to fulfill a promise to a dying derelict old preacher (H.B. Warner) to build his church as the result of the old man having taken a bullet meant for Zeb. Zeb takes the preacher's bible or "Rule Book" as he calls it, and sets out to raise the necessary funds. He happens upon a gunfight between the female gunfighter Doll Brown (Marie Windsor) and Lew Stoner (Harry Woods) and decides to pursue her with the intention of using the reward on her to build his church.
Also in pursuit of Doll are the Stoner Brothers (Jim Davis, Paul Fix and Louis Faust) and Marshal Bucky McLean (Forrest Tucker) who has reasons of his own for chasing Doll. The various parties meet here and there and Windsor even gets to sing a couple of forgettable tunes in her guise as a saloon singer. Does Zeb make Doll see the light? Does good triumph over evil?
"Hellfire" is short on action and long on preaching. Director R.G. Spingsteen drags out the unlikely story over a long 90 minutes. There are none of the traditional Republic fight scenes and gunplay is kept to a minimum. Elliott sleepwalks through his role but Windsor is charming as the "femme fatale" of the piece (she was after all the Queen of noir). Tucker adds what little color there is as the third member of the triangle. The rest of the cast do what they can in limiting roles.
Elliott, formerly known as "Wild Bill" in his "B" picture days had begun appearing in the studio's "A" features in 1946. This one was near the end of his tenure with Republic. But Republic always populated their features with great supporting casts of recognizable faces.
In addition to those already mentioned, roles of varying sizes went to Emory Parnell, Grant Withers, Denver Pyle, Trevor Bardette, Dewey Robinson (as a bartender, natch), Richard Alexander, Hank Worden, Stanley Price, Fred Kohler Jr. and Kenneth MacDonald. Devout western fans will recognize most if not all of these names.
It's a shame the director Springsteen couldn't find more to do for veterans H.B. Warner, Harry Woods and Grant Withers who appear only briefly.
"Hellfire" has its moments but to me was an overall disappointment.
The story has gambler Jeb Smith (William Elliot) trying to fulfill a promise to a dying derelict old preacher (H.B. Warner) to build his church as the result of the old man having taken a bullet meant for Zeb. Zeb takes the preacher's bible or "Rule Book" as he calls it, and sets out to raise the necessary funds. He happens upon a gunfight between the female gunfighter Doll Brown (Marie Windsor) and Lew Stoner (Harry Woods) and decides to pursue her with the intention of using the reward on her to build his church.
Also in pursuit of Doll are the Stoner Brothers (Jim Davis, Paul Fix and Louis Faust) and Marshal Bucky McLean (Forrest Tucker) who has reasons of his own for chasing Doll. The various parties meet here and there and Windsor even gets to sing a couple of forgettable tunes in her guise as a saloon singer. Does Zeb make Doll see the light? Does good triumph over evil?
"Hellfire" is short on action and long on preaching. Director R.G. Spingsteen drags out the unlikely story over a long 90 minutes. There are none of the traditional Republic fight scenes and gunplay is kept to a minimum. Elliott sleepwalks through his role but Windsor is charming as the "femme fatale" of the piece (she was after all the Queen of noir). Tucker adds what little color there is as the third member of the triangle. The rest of the cast do what they can in limiting roles.
Elliott, formerly known as "Wild Bill" in his "B" picture days had begun appearing in the studio's "A" features in 1946. This one was near the end of his tenure with Republic. But Republic always populated their features with great supporting casts of recognizable faces.
In addition to those already mentioned, roles of varying sizes went to Emory Parnell, Grant Withers, Denver Pyle, Trevor Bardette, Dewey Robinson (as a bartender, natch), Richard Alexander, Hank Worden, Stanley Price, Fred Kohler Jr. and Kenneth MacDonald. Devout western fans will recognize most if not all of these names.
It's a shame the director Springsteen couldn't find more to do for veterans H.B. Warner, Harry Woods and Grant Withers who appear only briefly.
"Hellfire" has its moments but to me was an overall disappointment.