Hell Bent (film)
1918 film
title: "Hell Bent (film)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1918-films", "1918-western-(genre)-films", "american-black-and-white-films", "articles-containing-video-clips", "films-directed-by-john-ford", "american-silent-western-(genre)-films", "1918-american-films", "1910s-english-language-films", "english-language-western-(genre)-films"] description: "1918 film" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell_Bent_(film)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 1918 film ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox film"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Hell Bent |
| image | Hell Bent.png |
| caption | Scene from the film |
| director | John Ford |
| writer | John Ford |
| Harry Carey | |
| Eugene B. Lewis | |
| starring | Harry Carey |
| cinematography | Ben F. Reynolds |
| distributor | Universal Film Manufacturing Company |
| released | |
| runtime | 50 minutes |
| country | United States |
| language | Silent (English intertitles) |
| :: |
| name = Hell Bent | image = Hell Bent.png | caption = Scene from the film | director = John Ford | producer = | writer = John Ford Harry Carey Eugene B. Lewis | starring = Harry Carey | cinematography = Ben F. Reynolds | distributor = Universal Film Manufacturing Company | released = | runtime = 50 minutes | country = United States | language = Silent (English intertitles) Hell Bent is a 1918 American Western film directed by John Ford and featuring Harry Carey. A print of the film exists in the Czechoslovak Film Archive. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Hell_Bent_(1918).webm" caption="Full film"] ::
Plot
As described in a film magazine, Bess Thurston (Gerber), whose no-account brother Jack (Pegg) is unable to support her, obtains employment in a dance hall. This shatters the illusions of Cheyenne Harry (Carey), who has fallen in love with her. When he rescues her from the advances of Beau Ross (Harris), Cheyenne's confidence in her is restored. Her brother then aids Beau in an attempted robbery and Harry allows them to escape. Beau takes Bess with him into the desert. Harry follows and a duel ensues in which they are both wounded. Bess rides the only horse left out of the desert, while Beau and Harry struggle along on foot. A sandstorm results in the death of Beau, but Harry lives to find happiness with Bess.
Cast
- Harry Carey as Harry "Cheyenne Harry" Henderson
- Duke R. Lee as Bill "Cimmaron Bill" (credited as Duke Lee)
- Neva Gerber as Bess Thurston
- Vester Pegg as Jack Thurston
- Joe Harris as Beau Ross (credited as Joseph Harris)
- Steve Clemente as Undetermined Role
- Millard K. Wilson as Undetermined Role
- Molly Malone as Undetermined Role
Reception
Like many American films of the time, Hell Bent was subject to restrictions and cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors cut, in Reel 1, all scenes of the stage holdup, Reel 4, two scenes of men working at safe, all scenes of holdup on coach, Reel 5, binding man to horse, and three scenes of bandits in cabin shooting.
Restoration and home video
In 2019, the film was digitally restored by Universal Pictures and released the following year on Blu-ray and DVD by Kino Lorber.
References
References
- "Progressive Silent Film List: ''Hell Bent''". silentera.com.
- (July 20, 1918). "Reviews: ''Hell Bent''". Exhibitors Herald Company.
- (August 3, 1918). "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald Company.
- "Universal Pictures Restores John Ford's Hell Bent Premiering at San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2019".
- "Hell Bent Blu-ray and DVD".
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