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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Hell-Bent for Frisco remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you are searching for a lost masterpiece of early cinema, keep walking. Hell-Bent for Frisco is strictly for the late-night weirdos who love dusty, fast-talking 1930s B-movies. 🕵️♂️
Anyone else will probably find it incredibly creaky and turn it off after ten minutes.
Jimmy Gray is a reporter who instantly becomes a detective because his sweetheart's brother gets murdered. There is no real transition here; he just decides he is the police now.
It moves fast, which is its saving grace, but the logic is absolutely out the window.
The absolute wildest part of this movie is the climax where the editor holds the presses. He decides the best person to put on the rewrite desk phone is a guy with a severe stutter.
This scene goes on for way too long. You can feel the actors sweating, trying to make the gag land while the clock ticks.
It is painful but honestly, it is the only part of the movie I will remember next week.
If you liked other obscure talkies from this era like The Peacock Fan or maybe The Whipping Boss, this might scratch that itch. Otherwise, it is just a funny little relic of a time when Hollywood was still figuring out how microphones worked.