Hell Bound

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

After World War II, a Los Angeles crime ring uses a complex scheme, involving a freight ship, a junkie, and a corrupt health officer, to smuggle drugs into the USA.After World War II, a Los Angeles crime ring uses a complex scheme, involving a freight ship, a junkie, and a corrupt health officer, to smuggle drugs into the USA.After World War II, a Los Angeles crime ring uses a complex scheme, involving a freight ship, a junkie, and a corrupt health officer, to smuggle drugs into the USA.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

756

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Top cast37

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John Russell

Jordan

June Blair

Paula

Stuart Whitman

Eddie Mason

Margo Woode

George E. Mather

Stanley Thomas
(as George Mather)

Stanley Adams

Herbert Fay Jr.

Gene O'Donnell

Purser

Frank Fenton

Harry Quantro

Virginia De Lee

Stripteaser
(as Virginia DeLee)

Gordon Armitage

Seaman
(uncredited)

Dehl Berti

Daddy
(uncredited)

Chet Brandenburg

Seaman
(uncredited)

George Bruggeman

Seaman
(uncredited)

Ann Daro

Accomplice C
(uncredited)

Edward DeRoo

Squad Officer
(uncredited)

Marge Evans

Nurse
(uncredited)

William Flaherty

Purser
(uncredited)

Gerald Frank

Police Officer
(uncredited)

User reviews21

Featured review

5/10

Should have stuck with the actors

As a previous reviewer remarked elements of The Asphalt Jungle and The Killing are present in Hell Bound. I would my favorite noir film Kansas City Confidential to that list. It's the story of a perfect caper at least on paper and on film it is. John Russell in selling the idea to smuggle a fortune in narcotics actually films a dry run of it with actors and sells it to his money guy Dehl Berti.

Unfortunately he should have stuck with the actors for the real deal. Russell is a brutal man and he browbeats a pair to assist in the heist. Their roles don't quite go according to script.

Also unplanned is the money man's moll who plays the part of a nurse falls for the ambulance driver who was to be their patsy. June Blair later to join the Nelson household marrying David is the moll and Stuart Whitman is the ambulance driver. That's Russell's doing as well.

However Russell himself is a fascinating portrait in evil. Even with big plot holes he makes you want to watch this film. The end he comes to is also quite original.

Watch this one for John Russell.

bkoganbing
Feb 11, 2017
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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The final scenes were shot at the Red Car trolley graveyard, on Terminal Island, near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. They were in the process of being recycled by National Metal and Steel. The company also scrapped many decommissioned U.S. Navy ships there after WWII and also steam locomotives as they were being replaced by diesel-electric ones. The scrapyard closed at the end of 1985.

Goofs
(at around 20 mins) A seaman is headed to make the key swap. As he heads toward the loading dock (distance shot), there is no shadow on the dock. A minute later, when he is on the loading dock making the swap with Jan, the loading dock is completely in the shade. Another moment later, the seaman leaves and re-crosses the railroad tracks. Again, there is no shadow on the loading dock. Obviously, the distance and closeup shots were done at two different times of the day.

Quotes
[first lines]
Narrator: Three days ago, at exactly 0600 - because that is really not the time - on February 5 - because that is really not the date - this freighter, which shall be nameless, sailed from a certain Far Eastern port. Its destination: The Port of Los Angeles, Wilmington, California. This is fact.