Hell Bent is a silent film directed by John Ford. Released on July 6th, 1918 it stars Harry Carey as Cheyenne Harry, a wandering cowpoke who falls in love with a dance hall girl named Bess Thurston (Neva Gerber), who's brother is involved with a hold-up gang.
The film opens in a rather inspired way as we seen a writer who, trying to come up with a story for his next novel, contemplates a Frederick Remington picture which Ford brings to life, kicking off the story. It begins with Harry fleeing a poker game in which he was accused of cheating. In the town of Rawhide he comes upon and immediately falls for Bess, only to be deterred when he finds her working in the dance hall. Unbeknownst to Harry, Bess was forced to take this job because her layabout brother, Jack (Vester Pegg) was fired from his. Overcoming his inhibitions, Harry rescues Bess from the overeager patrons of the saloon only to lose her affections when he himself is too forward with her (likely owing to his intoxicated state). He later apologizes for his behavior and they begin seeing each other more regularly.
Meanwhile, Bess' no-good brother has hooked up with Beau Ross (Joe Harris) and his gang of criminals. Harry thwarts their attempted bank robbery only to let them escape when he recognizes Jack. Beau kidnaps Bess to lure Harry into a trap and get his revenge and its up to Harry's pal Cimmaron Bill (Duke Lee), to rescue him.
The story is economically put together and does a good job setting up all the characters and establishing their relationships. Ford's painterly compositions are already becoming apparent here. The shot recreating the Remington painting is certainly a highlight but there are many other stand out moments as well: the subtle lighting of Bess' face coming through the window when she is kidnapped by Ross and discovers her brothers treachery, the shots of Harry and Beau struggling through the desert landscape which anticipate the directors work on The Three Godfathers (1949), or the high angle of Bess waiting for Harry at the river with the framing anticipating a similar shot of Claire Trevor in Stagecoach (1939).
Overall, Hell Bent is a fairly solid western and well worth watching for fans of silent cinema or of John Ford.
Score: 7/10
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