Der rote Herzog

"The Hellfire Club" is an amiable swashbuckler. It's not among the best of its genre, but it's quite agreeable. It has a very fine pace, a respectable amount of energy, an appreciably high level of humor, and an extremely engaging cast.

The setting is England in the 1770s. Young Jason (Martin Stephens) and his mother (Jean Lodge) flee for their lives, from the tyranny of their cruel father / husband (Andrew Faulds). 15 years later, Jason is now a hunky, strapping adult (Keith Michell) living with a circus troupe. He receives word that his father has died, and decides to return to the family home to reclaim his birthright. But to do so, he will have to battle his sleazy and corrupt cousin Thomas (Peter Arne).

The action and the sword fights may indeed not be the slickest that you'll ever see, but they're still entertaining enough to watch. Lavishly photographed in widescreen by Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman (who are also the producers and the directors), it's violent without ever being gory, and its sets and costumes are reasonably appealing. The music score by Clifton Parker is appropriate all the way through. As said before, the sense of humor helps a lot, especially during the sequence where Jason masquerades as a French Marquis (Bernard Hunter); Michell is hysterical in these scenes.

There are solid contributions from much of the cast: lovely Adrienne Corri as the grasping but honest Lady Isobel, ever delightful Peter Cushing as the lawyer Mr. Merryweather, David Lodge as Timothy, Miles Malleson as a judge, Francis Matthews as Sir Hugh Manning, and Skip Martin as Joey. Michell is a worthy hero, and Arne is an effectively slimy villain.

"The Hellfire Club" remains consistently diverting for its entire 93 minute run time.

Seven out of 10.

Being an 18thc fan, when a movie takes place in that era, I kind of like it already, though sometimes it falls below expectations. That wasn't the case with this film. Though it's a bit misleading from the title, as very little of it has to do with that infamous club, but nonetheless, I enjoyed the story of the hero fighting to reclaim his estate and title from his evil cousin, who inherited everything due to his supposed death, and intends to make that happen!

There was some comedy here, too, when our leading man waylays the Frenchman on route to the family mansion, steals his close and takes his place, going way over the top with his phony accent and effeminate style.

There's also some romance, as he's torn between two women. I'm happy to state that he makes the right choice!

Worth watching!

THE HELLFIRE CLUB is often wrongly sighted as a Hammer Films production probably because the film was written by Jimmy Sangster and features Peter Cushing in the cast. (I found this film on the Hammer Films shelf at my local video store.) In this adventure set in 1700's, Jason (Keith Mitchell) is driven out of his family estate after his mother is killed and raised by a band of circus performers. When Jason returns to claim his birthright as Lord of Netherden Castle, he discovers it has been taken over by his evil cousin Thomas (Peter Arne) who is a member of the nefarious 18th century secret society The Hellfire Club. With much Errol Flynn style derring do and a capture and an escape, Jason is able to rightfully claim his birthright and expose an evil conspiracy against the crown by the French and the wicked noblemen of The Hellfire Club.

Despite The Hellfire Clubs reputation (the real life secret society, not the film) for depravity and debauchery, mostly what we see of it in the film is pretty tame, even by 1960 standards. The orgy sequence that includes several scantly clad buxom babes in harem outfits is done tongue in cheek and looks as if the films makers were spoofing a harem sequence from some Maria Montez Arabian knights epic. Keith Mitchell as Jason is a bit stiff at times but he performs the sometimes cartoonish heroics convincingly. Peter Cushing is fine as usual in a rather small role as Merryweather. The film has nice production values and moves at a good pace, but overall THE HELLFIRE CLUB is just another movie.

1961's "The Hellfire Club" is really nothing more than a typical swashbuckler that promises more than it delivers. Co-scripted by Hammer's Jimmy Sangster, Keith Michell stars as Jason Caldwell, rightful heir to the Earl of Netherden, which has been claimed by wicked cousin Thomas (Peter Arne) as his own in Jason's absence. The actual Hellfire Club barely figures in the plot, merely a device carefully avoided by the filmmakers, making Jason's father and cousin Thomas members to justify its inclusion (and the title). In deference to its subject matter, both leading ladies are seen in compromising bathing situations, with Adrienne Corri and Kai Fischer supplying equal parts pulchritude and love interest. It's certainly quite watchable, action aplenty, and bolstered by a good cast, Keith Michell acquitting himself well in his athleticism. Best of all, Peter Cushing guest stars as wily attorney Mr. Merryweather, who agrees to take on Jason's case yet behaves in a rather untrustworthy manner, allowing his client to be convicted of murder and sentenced to hang (he's introduced watching the execution of one of his 'less fortunate clients'). A hint of necessary corruption indeed manifests itself in that first scene, as a dismissive Merryweather suggests a way to obtain the document that would prove Jason's inheritance: "if one was dishonest, which of course one is not, one could steal the letter!" His masterful use of props involve spectacles, snuff, and handy handkerchief, a memorable five minute cameo worth the price of admission.

The early sixties was the period, the era for swashbucklers from Europe; mainly France with the adaptations of instance from Alexandre Dumas' novesl, and directed by the likes of Andre Hunnebelle and Bernard Borderie. And from Italia, there were hundreds of them. But from England, well, not that many of them and this one is one of the exceptions. It is inspired not from a novel, but from actual facts related to some kind of a sect which existed in eighteenth century Britain: the HELL FIRE CLUB, a topic also evoked in one season of THE AVENGERS series, starring Diana Rigg and Patrick McNee. Several years later, you also had another historical adventure, costume movie called WITCHFINDER GENERAL, not the same topic but the same kind of settings, period; though more disturbing. This movie is colorful, fun, never boring and the production design perfectly adequate for this kind of adventure film.