The town bad girl ready to seduce the weakling for a price, the pious parson in reality easily led and the tough Blaze Tracey, redeemed by the faith and purity of the minister's sister - it's all there in "Hell's Hinges" one of William S. Hart's biggest hits. He originated "the good bad man" character and he came to films from the stage, determined to put poetry and vision back into the Western genre he loved so much. His titles were flowery and too sentimental ("a gun fighting, man killing, devil's den of iniquity that scorched the earth") but there was deep sincerity and power behind the sentiment. Hart grew up loving the West but was appalled at the low standard of movie westerns at that time. Apparently he once complained to a cinema owner who replied that that particular film was one of the best he had screened.
More full driven drama than straight forward Western, it tells of the arrival in town of a weak willed young minister, Rev. Robert Henley - a man who has no belief in his calling, only becoming one to keep his mother happy and his sister, Faith (Clara Williams) who hopes that the new town will make a man of him. In reality, the town, "Hell's Hinges" is one of the worst towns in the West and oily "Silk" Miller has already secured the services of Blaze Tracy (Hart), a tough gun man, to run the minister out of town before religion can take over.
Blaze is instantly won over by Faith who has a "different type of smile". (I know it's hard to believe - Williams being probably the homeliest actress ever)!! He warns the bad element of the town to keep away from the siblings but listening to the parson's sermon he remains unmoved and realises that all the power and conviction lies in Faith. Henley is being corrupted by "Silk" who convinces him to give a talk to the dancing girls but once in the saloon he is introduced to hard liquour and is then seduced by captivating Dolly (Louise Glaum). The next morning he is too drunk to give a sermon and, what is worse, he drunkenly incites the town's folk to burn down the newly erected church.
The action was reserved for the last 20 minutes and was powerful and realistic. Panoramic long shots and terrific control over the masses of extras used in scenes of mob violence and pandemonium, there was plenty of blazing guns as well.
Just a tremendous movie.
More full driven drama than straight forward Western, it tells of the arrival in town of a weak willed young minister, Rev. Robert Henley - a man who has no belief in his calling, only becoming one to keep his mother happy and his sister, Faith (Clara Williams) who hopes that the new town will make a man of him. In reality, the town, "Hell's Hinges" is one of the worst towns in the West and oily "Silk" Miller has already secured the services of Blaze Tracy (Hart), a tough gun man, to run the minister out of town before religion can take over.
Blaze is instantly won over by Faith who has a "different type of smile". (I know it's hard to believe - Williams being probably the homeliest actress ever)!! He warns the bad element of the town to keep away from the siblings but listening to the parson's sermon he remains unmoved and realises that all the power and conviction lies in Faith. Henley is being corrupted by "Silk" who convinces him to give a talk to the dancing girls but once in the saloon he is introduced to hard liquour and is then seduced by captivating Dolly (Louise Glaum). The next morning he is too drunk to give a sermon and, what is worse, he drunkenly incites the town's folk to burn down the newly erected church.
The action was reserved for the last 20 minutes and was powerful and realistic. Panoramic long shots and terrific control over the masses of extras used in scenes of mob violence and pandemonium, there was plenty of blazing guns as well.
Just a tremendous movie.