Hellfire (1949)

William Elliott plays Zeb Smith, a crooked gambler, until a preacher steps into a bullet’s path and saves Zeb’s life by sacrificing his own.

Zeb promises to even the score by raising money to build the church that was the preacher’s dream.

Marie Windsor is Doll Brown, a female outlaw determined to find a way of life out West that doesn’t include singing in saloons and laughing as she’s mauled by men. Though she’ll do that too, if it suits her needs.

Her main goal: Finding her long-lost sister.

Forrest Tucker is Bucky McLean, a lawman on Doll’s path, and not just because he wants to bring her in for the crimes she’s committed.

He happens to be married to that long-lost sister, and wants to make sure she never finds out that her sibling “went bad.”

William Elliott as Zeb Smith, caught cheating at cards before he starts working on behalf of Father Joseph in Hellfire (1949)

Marie Windsor as Doll Brown, an outlaw with a $5,000 price on her head and a wannabe preacher under her gun in Hellfire (1949)

Review:

Full of snappy dialogue and different enough to merit a look, though the heavy-handed religious overtones and the ending might make you groan.

Most interesting is the relationship between Doll and Zeb. He initially thinks the reward money on her head will help him build his church, but he quickly grows fond of her, too fond of her to turn her over to the law.

She laughs at his faith, but eventually becomes reluctant to force him to do anything that would go against his religious beliefs. But, more than anything, she wants a reunion with her sister. And she’ll stop at nothing to accomplish that.

The film benefits from a splendid performance by Windsor, who considered this one of her favorite roles. It’s easy to see why. She gets to play an outlaw, saloon queen, seductress and female detective, and does it all very well.

Forrest Tucker as Bucky, growing suspicious that old friend Zeb Smith is hiding something from him in Hellfire (1949)

H.B. Warner as Father Joseph, trying to raise money for a church in Hellfire (1949)

Directed by:
R.G. Springsteen

Cast:
William Elliott … Zeb Smith
Marie Windsor … Doll Brown
Forrest Tucker … Bucky McLean
Jim Davis … Gyp Stoner
H.B. Warner … Brother Joseph
Paul Fix … Dusty Stoner
Grant Withers … Sheriff Martin
Emory Parnell … Sheriff Duffy
Esther Howard … Birdie
Jody Gilbert … Full Moon

Runtime: 90 min.

The Stoners — Lewis Faust as Red, Jim Davis as Gyp and Paul Fix as Dusty — on the trail of their brother’s killer in Hellfire (1949)

Esther Howard as saloon madam Birdie, trying to figure out if Doll Brown’s sister is among her girls in Hellfire (1949)

Memorable lines:

During the opening credits: “Man with his misdeeds, kindles his own HELLFIRE!”

Rex, a bar patron: “What do you want with a church in No Man’s Land?”
Father Brown: “To make it every man’s land, friend. Would you help by contributing something.”
Rex: “Sure, I’ll help put out the fire.” Then he pours a glass of whiskey into the hat in which the preacher is collecting donations.

Zeb Smith, to three men he’s holding a gun on: “You gents can get your hands a little higher. You’re not tired yet.”

Zeb Smith, ass Moll Brown is held at gunpoint: “If I can’t save the living, I can at least comfort them until they’re dead. You mind if I read something for her?”
Doll: “I don’t want him readin’ that book to me.”
Gyp Stoner: “You don’t huh?” Then to Zeb: “Go ahead, but make it short. I’ll shoot when you say amen.”

William Elliott as Zeb Smith, trying to convince Doll Brown she might find the answers to her problems in his Bible in Hellfire (1949)

Marie Windsor as Doll Brown, pretending to be a dance hall queen, quite convincingly it turns out, in Hellfire (1949)

Doll Brown, pretending to be saloon girl Julie Gaye: “You seemed to jump to conclusions about Zeb and me. We’re just friends.”
Bucky McLean: “Just friends, huh?”
Doll: “Yeah, that’s all. I like him because he’s so good and he likes me because I’m so bad.”

Doll, pretending to be saloon girl Julie Gaye: “You haven’t said a word about how you liked me out there.”
Bucky McLean: “You were better than a shot of whiskey after a hard day.”

Doll Brown, during her seduction of a married lawman: “I’ve known a lot of men who were in love with their wives.”

Doll Brown, making a joke about Rex Smith during her dance hall routine: “I don’t know where he got the idea that he thinks I need reforming. But he’s sure been chasing the devil out of me.”

Forrest Tucker as Bucky, trying to comprehend what he’s just found out about Doll Brown in Hellfire (1949)

Denver Pyle as Rex, running into a scrape with Zeb Smith for pouring his drink into a preacher’s collection hat in Hellfire (1949)

Marie Windsor as Doll Brown, trying to convince Zeb Smith (William Elliott) to give up religion for her in Hellfire (1949)

William Elliott as Zeb Smith and Forrest Tucker as Bucky, getting a surprise in Hellfire (1949)