The Man from Hell

Willis Kent, a producer of exploitation movies and B westerns, offers Reb Russell in his first starring role. Reb is a man who has spent four years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He is paroled to his home town, where he finds that his girl friend Ann Darcy, in her first and next-to-last substantial role, is engaged to perennial western heavy Fred Kohler Senior. Unfortunately, neither lead can manage a decent line reading.

This is a pity, because there were people involved in this production interested in doing a good job. Cameraman William Nobles produces some fine moving compositions and most of the actors know how to act. Mr. Russell, however, cannot speak without embarrassing himself. He looks fine and in silent days might have made a good silent cowboy star. He has a habit off jumping on his white horse, Rebel, in a manner that must have caused the animal some complaint, but Rebel takes it well enough and apparently offers Mr. Russell both his loyalty and some good advice. In return, he gets the last shot in the movie.

The poor acting of the leads and the bad prints available these days makes this a rather unhappy work. Even for those of us who enjoy B westerns, our time could be better spent than watching this one.