Hell's Passion

Oscar Bonsetter (C. Thomas Howell) is a punk sent to prison for a shootout in a convenient store. He promises dying elderly prisoner Mac to avenge his death against the sadistic guard Gully (Marshall Bell). In return, he tells Oscar of a hidden stash of cash. Both Gully and Oscar are after the cash but neither has the complete picture. Gully tortures Oscar but he never submits. Oscar is released and finds Gully now blind. Oscar is also attracted to Gully's waitress wife Rose (Joan Severance).

This has the basics of a good Hitchcockian thriller. It's three characters with their own agenda and secrets in a seacliff diner. The style is too much exploitation B-movie. The writing is not necessarily well done but it's certainly better than most lower-rate erotic thrillers.

Saw this movie and thought it was a decent story line (it's been done before many times over). But, Joan Severance makes it a 10, boy is she sexy. That face, those eyes, those sexy long legs...

She is considered a B-Movie and scream queen actress, but you will become a fan after seeing her in this movie !

Oscar Bonsetter (C. Thomas Howell) is a punk and during a robbery to a liquor store, he is arrested. He spends many years in prison, where he becomes friend of the old prisoner Mac (R.G. Armstrong). There is a legend in the prison that Mac has a great fortune, fruit of a robbery, hidden somewhere. Trying to get information about the location of this amount, Mac is badly treated by the guard Gully (Marshall Bell). Mac becomes very ill, and a few minutes before he dies, he tells Bonsetter where the money is hidden, under the promise that he would kill Gully first. However, Bonsetter depends on a drawing exposed in Mac's jail to get the precise spot, but Gully takes all Mac possessions with him. Gully starts pressing Bonsetter, believing Mac told him the place where the money is hidden, but suddenly he suffers a car accident, becomes blind and is not able to work in prison anymore. Three years later, Bonsetter finishes his sentence, gets his freedom and looks for Gully, who owns a small bar on a road. Bonsetter meets Gully's wife Rose (the delicious Joan Severance), is hired for working there and becomes his lover, while trying to recover the map from Gully. Many plot points twist this story, until a surprising end, full of betrayals.

I have bought this B film about six years ago and only yesterday I decided to watch it. I was surprised, since it is an excellent film noir, with touches of the 1981 version of 'The Postman Rings Twice'. C. Thomas Howell and Joan Severance have a great performance and one of the hottest sex scenes in the cinema history, comparable, for example, with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange in the foregoing mentioned movie, or Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin in 'Sea of Love'. The story has many plot points and hooks the attention of the viewer until the last scene. Further, it is very well directed. This is the proof that a low budget movie can be a good film, when having a tight screenplay and a good director, actor and actress. Joan Severance is very gorgeous and sexy, besides the great performance. It is highly indicated for viewers who likes films noir and amoral. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Preço do Desejo" ("The Price of the Desire")

Note: On 23 Sep 2018 I saw this film again.

Before Mad Mel, came in blazing some payback of his own, four years, prior, this exciting B gradie fun pic, teased us with some nice push the envelope sex scenes, dome to a nice tune, and blood spilling violence and HOWELL. He's one of my favorite actors who never lacks, a good actor who like others, was dealt a bad blow, such as his loser ex con character, Oscar Bonsetta, out to settle some scores, and carry out a old dying prisoner's wish, to collect this hidden loot, with the aid of a treasure map. When released he tracks down an old enemy warden, now blind and shacked up with hottie, Severance (the super charged sex scenes with her and Howell are unforgettable). Parading as someone else, so his blinded arch enemy warden doesn't catch on, Howell settles into this seaside hotel, run by the couple, quite nicely. Howell really plays the loser well, and I must say, it's bad hand of fate, was a nice, admirable, shock point, and yes there are a few thrills and twists, that makes Payback, a nice little orchestrated B grade with style, not to mention, a cool shootout opening, wonderfully done, by a director I admire, who like Mark L Lester, makes addictive bubble gum pics. It's not just Howell, that's good, but honestly, his performance was one of the best. There's a real nasty moment too, in a hate fueled scene, between Howell and Richard Burgi (Hostel 2, Friday 13th remake) who plays the warden's cowboy, cop brother, that for me was the standout scene. And yes, Severance here, is her pretty hottest. This whole movie runs so nicely, and is definitely worth it's weight in view, where the sex scenes, may seem overlong, but man are they hot.

Take this one home on your next visit to the Video Store. If you are offended by "hot sex", you may reconsider, but the drama is excellent, and unlike a lot of films, the ending does not drag on. It is exciting, and appropriately concise.

After seeing this, I'm looking out for more Joan Severance flicks!