The Hellions (1961)

Lionel Jeffries is Luke Billings, dad of four rowdy and law-breaking sons — John, Mark, Matthew and Jubal in 19th century South Africa.

His stolen stallion spooks when gun-happy Jubal fires off a shot at an empty whiskey bottle. The horse winds up tangled in barbed wire and has to be put to death.

During Luke’s subsequent confrontations with the landowner who strung the barbed wire, he learns that Sam Hargis (Richard Todd) represents the law in the nearby town of Saunders Post.

That would be the same Sam Hargis who ran Billings out of another town, an affront he’s never forgotten.

So Luke Billings and his sons head to Saunders Post to even the score.

They find a young town whose occupants are well aware of the Billings’ reputation and cower behind locked doors while the father and his four sons do as they please.

Hargis? He asks the residents for assistance in standing up to the Billings. All the gun-toting men in Saunders Post find one reason or another to turn him down.

And the situation is bound to get worse. Because meek storekeeper Ernie Dobbs (Jamie Uys) has accidentally killed Mark Billings while showing him how a new model six-gun works.

Richard Todd as Sgt. Sam Hargis, looking for someone to stand with him against the Billings clan in The Hellions (1961)

Lionel Jeffries as Luke Billings, searching the general store for his son Mark in The Hellions (1961)

Review:

The film might be set in Transvaal, South Africa, but it plays out like a Western and is going to remind genre fans of “High Noon” (1952) and, perhaps even more so, “The Plunderers” (1960).

Like Gary Cooper and Jeff Chandler, Richard Todd as Sgt. Sam Hargis faces pressure to stand up against a band of outlaws, knowing he’ll be badly outnumbered and knowing he can’t count on assistant from his fellow townsmen.

Jamie Uys and Anne Aubry are particularly effective as store owners Priscilla and Ernie Dobbs. The latter is more inclined to leave town than risk his life, especially since he doesn’t even know how to load a gun.

Among the Billings clan, James Booth is a standout. Film fans might recognize him as the actor who plays Private Henry Hook in a better known film set in Africa — 1964’s “Zulu.”

Booth is at the center of two of the film’s best scenes — the tormenting of a poker player he’s accused of cheating and the climatic showdown with Hargis.

Marty Wilde, who plays another Hellion, sings the title tune. Unfortunately, it gives away the villains’ fate as the opening credits roll.

Jamie Uys as Ernie Dobbs, a storekeeper more inclined to flee than stand up to the Billings clan in The Hellions (1961)

Anne Aubry as Priss Dobbs, ready to leave Saunders Post with her husband for safety’s sake in The Hellions (1961)

Directed by:
Ken Annakin

Cast:
Richard Todd … Sam Hargis
Anne Aubry … Priss Dobbs
Jamie Uys … Ernie Dobbs
Marty Wilde … John Billings
Lionel Jeffries .. Luke Billings
James Booth … Jubal Billings
Al Mulock … Mark Billings
aka Al Murdock
Colin Blakeley … Matthew Billings
Ronald Fraser … Frank
Zena Walker … Julie Hargis
George Moore … Malachi
Bill Brewer … Mike the barman
Jan Bruyns … Jan Pretorius
Lorna Cowell … Martha Pretorius
Ricky Arden … Bert
Freddie Prozesky … Billy Dobbs

Runtime: 86 min.

Theme song:
“The Hellions” sung by Marty Wilde

James Booth as Jubal BIllings, threatening a fellow card player he’s accused of cheating in The Hellions (1961)

Marty Wilde as John Billings, waiting for his dad to decide when it’s time for a showdown with Sam Hargis in The Hellions (1961)

Memorable lines:

Jubal of his father: “I told him that stallion was bad luck. He should never have stole it.”

One of the Billings brothers, coming across barbed wire for the first time: “As if there weren’t enough thorns in Africa.”

Priss Dobbs, of a new revolver: “How can anything so pretty do so much harm?”
Salesman: “A fella once asked me that about women.”

Julie Hargis: “Look, why don’t you stay at home as well? Just til they’ve gone.”
Sgt. Sam Hargis: “I’m not paid for staying a home, Julie.”
Julie: “Well, you’re not paid when you’re dead.”

Al Mulock as Mark Billings, the brother who visits the general store looking for a six-gun in The Hellions (1961)

Colin Blakeley as Matthew Billings, eager for his father to get on with his game of vengeance in The Hellions (1961)

Luke Billings to Sam Hargis, meeting him unarmed in the street: “In case you don’t know, I’ve just messed up a couple of your peaceful citizens. Now when you come to charge me, I’ll be at the hotel. But do bring your gun. Won’t you?”
Jubal Billings, chiming in: “Da does hate killing people in cold blood.”

Ernie Dobbs to residents of Saunders Post: “Two hours ago, you were all sitting around a table, celebrating the birth of a new town. Looks like it was stillborn.”

Ernie Dobbs, as a friend loads a rifle for him: “How many does it hold?”
Malachai: “It holds four. But don’t let that worry you. You won’t ever get beyond the first one.”

Zena Walker as Julie Hargis, pregnant and pleading with her husband not to put himself in danger in The Hellions (1961)

Freddie Prozesky as Billy Dobbs, the young boy whose dad accidentally kills one of the Billings boys in The Hellions (1961)

Ronald Fraser as Frank, the saloon owner and town mayor who orders Sam Hargis to rid his town of the Billings family in The Hellions (1961)

Ricky Arden as Bert, the card player Jubal Billings accuses of cheating in The Hellions (1961)

Lionel Jeffries as Luke Billings, his molestation of Priss Dobbs (Anne Aubry) interrupted by gunfire in The Hellions (1961)

Richard Todd as Sgt. Sam Hargis, embracing his wife before a showdown with the Billings clan in The Hellions (1961)