The Hellfire Club (1961)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This cheap 'n' cheesy British swashbuckler is very much like the costume adventure films that Hammer were making during the same period, albeit on a much lower budget. There's a wobbly, fake look to the whole production; the costumes are anything but authentic, and nothing looks very believable when it comes down to it. It has the same authenticity as an episode of DOCTOR WHO around the time of Jon Pertwee, but that's not to say it isn't fun.The plot is completely predictable, involving a guy who comes home to claim his inheritance, only to discover that a bad guy (his cousin) has taken his place. It's rather amusing to see Keith Michell (THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII) as the straight-laced lead, but the prevalence of familiar faces in the supporting cast helps to even things out a bit. Watch out for a small, fussy turn from Peter Cushing, Peter Arne and Francis Matthews as the suave villains, Adrienne Corri (VAMPIRE CIRCUS) as a potential love interest, Miles Malleson as a judge and Bill Owen (LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE's Compo!) as a circus performer (!).The production is quite poorly staged and the fight choreography is all over the place, with punches thrown so badly that you can clearly see they never connect. There's a half-rousing sword fight at the climax but it still pales in comparison to other fare from the era. There's lots of titillation though, thrown in as if to make up for the other deficiencies. Nevertheless I love period films from this era, so I still enjoyed THE HELLFIRE CLUB despite the obvious shortcomings.

Historically speaking, the Hellfire Club was the name given to a number of secret sects and societies in the 18th and 19th century. Often the members consisted of aristocrats and politicians. The most notorious Hellfire Club of all – and the one people think of immediately at mention of the name - was run by Francis Dashwood in the mid-18th century. This sect practised devil worshipping, animal sacrifices, sorcery, wife-swapping, orgies and other such infamies. This 1961 movie draws its inspiration from Dashwood's club, but the promise of sensationalism and titillation is quickly ditched in favour of a more wholesome approach. There's little that is gruesome or sexual here; this is a brisk, clean family swashbuckler, totally enjoyable whilst on and totally forgettable once finished.Young aristocratic cousins Jason and Thomas discover their parents are involved in a depraved secret society. Thomas is perversely thrilled by the discovery; Jason utterly horrified by it. Jason is spirited away by his mother and ends up on the continent working as part of a travelling circus troupe. Thomas stays behind in England, and seizes titles, estates and land that rightfully should have belonged to Jason. Many years later, adult Jason (Keith Michell) returns to England to claim his birthright. By now, adult Thomas (Peter Arne) has become a wicked and powerful senior figure who runs a depraved secret society of his own, safe from prosecution because half the lawmen and politicians in the land are already members of his clandestine sect. Jason is persuaded by wily lawyer Merryweather (Peter Cushing) that he will need evidence if he is to depose Thomas and claim back his title. He goes undercover as a stable boy, intending to find and steal documents which will prove his identity. But the quest is fraught with danger, and Jason knows that if Thomas ever learns his true identity he will be killed for sure....In his first leading role, Keith Michell makes a rather attractive hero – smooth, spirited and righteous. Arne as the villain wears his best villainous sneer and generates plenty of boos and hisses. The rest of the cast are essentially there for window dressing, although guest star Cushing creates a memorable characterisation as the cunning lawyer Merryweather (it would be nice if he had a little more screen time). Technically there's nothing wrong with the film – it is brightly shot, judiciously edited and solidly staged. Some of the dialogue is rather laughable, and the plot is littered with improbable coincidences and unlikelihoods. But overall, this is a fun and disposable swashbuckler that passes 90 minutes of time easily enough.

Everyone has covered this but it is a good swashbuckler and it does look like the Hammer Films costume dramas from the same period, so rather than it just been that Cushing and Sangster were involved, it also resembles a Hammer Film in everything except name. Also of interest is that this is the film that Kolliatis was watching in bed before he dies in the 'The Man Who Got A New Face' episode of the series 'Department S' Which Robert S. Baker produced between 1969 and 1970. An interesting film for everyone who likes a period piece or a costume drama and unlike Kolliatis you will not die after watching this. Great! Search the TV Guide or get it on DVD it's a good timewaster.

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.