Hell's Hinges (1916) rates as not only a masterpiece but, so far as its main story is concerned, as a unique offering with few if any imitators. Preachers in Hollywood movies are invariably sturdily pretentious, like the self-ordained church-builder in Hart's own The Silent Man. The preacher villain, the preacher cad, the preacher down-and-out, the preacher who'd sell his soul, betray his trust, desert his flock, indulge himself in sex and booze is a definite Hollywood no-no. Yet here he is - and most ably portrayed by Jack Standing, while Louise Glaum does the sex bit.
Another writing innovation by scriptwriter C. Gardner Sullivan lies in the film's extremely pessimistic mood. It wasn't until Clint Eastwood rode the range in High Plains Drifter (1973) and The Unforgiven (1992) that Hollywood re-introduced the downbeat mood of damnation with which this film concludes.
Although the direction is credited to Joseph Swickard, Hart himself directed the movie from early September to late October 1915. As it's a five-reeler running only 64 minutes, my guess is that Swickard's scenes were limited to the ten-minute introductory episode with heroine Clara Williams, clergyman Robert McKim and turncoat Standing. When Hart himself finally enters the action in cahoots with smooth heavy, Alfred Hollingsworth, he presumably took over the direction as well.
Joseph August's appropriately bleak photography is seen to advantage in the superb, richly red-tinted print available
Another writing innovation by scriptwriter C. Gardner Sullivan lies in the film's extremely pessimistic mood. It wasn't until Clint Eastwood rode the range in High Plains Drifter (1973) and The Unforgiven (1992) that Hollywood re-introduced the downbeat mood of damnation with which this film concludes.
Although the direction is credited to Joseph Swickard, Hart himself directed the movie from early September to late October 1915. As it's a five-reeler running only 64 minutes, my guess is that Swickard's scenes were limited to the ten-minute introductory episode with heroine Clara Williams, clergyman Robert McKim and turncoat Standing. When Hart himself finally enters the action in cahoots with smooth heavy, Alfred Hollingsworth, he presumably took over the direction as well.
Joseph August's appropriately bleak photography is seen to advantage in the superb, richly red-tinted print available