Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    EmmysSuperheroes GuideSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideBest Of 2025 So FarDisability Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Hell Is a City

  • 1960
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Hell Is a City (1960)
In Britain, a Manchester police inspector becomes obsessed with capturing a criminal who escapes from prison.
Play trailer2:24
1 Video
20 Photos
CrimeThriller

In Britain, a Manchester police inspector becomes obsessed with capturing a criminal who escapes from prison.In Britain, a Manchester police inspector becomes obsessed with capturing a criminal who escapes from prison.In Britain, a Manchester police inspector becomes obsessed with capturing a criminal who escapes from prison.

  • Director
    • Val Guest
  • Writers
    • Val Guest
    • Maurice Procter
  • Stars
    • Stanley Baker
    • John Crawford
    • Donald Pleasence
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Val Guest
    • Writers
      • Val Guest
      • Maurice Procter
    • Stars
      • Stanley Baker
      • John Crawford
      • Donald Pleasence
    • 39User reviews
    • 30Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
      • 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:24
    Trailer

    Photos20

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 16
    View Poster

    Top cast33

    Edit
    Stanley Baker
    Stanley Baker
    • Det. Inspector Harry Martineau
    John Crawford
    John Crawford
    • Don Starling
    Donald Pleasence
    Donald Pleasence
    • Gus Hawkins
    Maxine Audley
    Maxine Audley
    • Julia Martineau
    Billie Whitelaw
    Billie Whitelaw
    • Chloe Hawkins
    Joseph Tomelty
    Joseph Tomelty
    • Furnisher Steele
    George A. Cooper
    George A. Cooper
    • Doug Savage
    Geoffrey Frederick
    • Det. Devery
    Vanda Godsell
    Vanda Godsell
    • Lucretia 'Lucky' Lusk
    Charles Houston
    Charles Houston
    • Clogger Roach
    Joby Blanshard
    Joby Blanshard
    • Tawny Jakes
    Charles Morgan
    Charles Morgan
    • Laurie Lovett
    Peter Madden
    Peter Madden
    • Bert Darwin
    Dickie Owen
    Dickie Owen
    • Bragg
    Lois Daine
    Lois Daine
    • Cecily
    Warren Mitchell
    Warren Mitchell
    • Commercial Traveller
    Sarah Branch
    • Silver Steele
    Alister Williamson
    Alister Williamson
    • Sam
    • (as Alastair Williamson)
    • Director
      • Val Guest
    • Writers
      • Val Guest
      • Maurice Procter
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews39

    7.01.6K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7torrascotia

    Lets See What You've Got.

    In 2024 you can take a chance with a brand new film release with augmented visuals and made by a woke committee, or you can instead choose a safe bet of a film that is still highly rated more than sixty years past its release date.

    While on the face of it this may seem like yet another UK police procedural, this one was directed by Val Guest who also directed Jigsaw, The Day The Earth Caught Fire and Quatermass. That tells you all you need to know, or maybe what you should know about his output. This is also a Hammer movie, albeit without the monsters.

    The story concerns a criminal on the run who carries out a robbery resulting in the murder of a girl and the detective who is on his tail. Unlike the majority of these films this one takes place in Manchester for a change, probably the only time you will see Donald Pleasance with a Manc accent. The pacing of the film is such that a minute isn't wasted and it entertains throughout. There is a surprising level of violence throughout and the final third is exciting, however the film does not end on a triumphalist note unlike most American police procedurals. The only negative is the depiction of the detectives unhappy family life, with a wife who doesn't want kids when he does and constantly complains about his absence at work. This may give the character some depth but it doesn't add anything to the story of the pursuit. The major plus of this film however is that I caught it for free on Channel 4's streaming service which seems to have a few hidden gems for fans of real cinema. Recommended.
    7Bunuel1976

    HELL IS A CITY (Val Guest, 1960) ***

    I had been postponing my purchase of this and another Stanley Baker crime drama, Joseph Losey's THE CRIMINAL (1960; see below), ever since their DVD release back in 2002; ironically, what eventually pushed me into ordering them was the recent death of this film's director Val Guest - at the venerable age of 94! Well, all I can say is that I was foolish to have deprived myself of it for so long; this is surely one of the best British crime films ever and, being an atypical release for Hammer, is also one of their finest non-horror efforts!

    During the excellent Audio Commentary included on the splendid Anchor Bay DVD edition, Guest admitted that one of his major influences (and not only on this particular film) had been Jules Dassin's innovative THE NAKED CITY (1948) and, curiously enough, one has to go back to Dassin's own NIGHT AND THE CITY (1950) to find an equally hard-hitting British noir!; then again, the film was ahead of its time since it would be years before a similarly truthful depiction of a policeman's domestic life would emerge in the U.S. (THE DETECTIVE and MADIGAN {both 1968}, for instance). The film is a veritable class act in every department: Guest's direction never puts a foot wrong and his screenplay (adapted from a novel by Maurice Proctor and deservedly nominated for a BAFTA award) is truly exceptional; Arthur Grant's chiaroscuro camera-work (mostly shot in real Manchester locations) is stunning; while Stanley Black's jazzy score lends the fast-paced if rather involved proceedings the requisite urgency.

    Stanley Baker has one of his best leading roles as the tough cop who tries to make several ends meet - catch a dangerous criminal (American actor John Crawford, very effective) who's basically his alter ego, save his childless marriage with selfish Maxine Audley, and escape the daily temptation of a fling with the carnal (despite being middle-aged) but genuinely concerned barmaid Vanda Godsell (who also happens to be Crawford's old flame). Donald Pleasence has an important, scene-stealing supporting role as a bookmaker marked for robbery by Crawford - who had also been intimate with Pleasence's sluttish young wife (Billie Whitelaw who, despite this being her 12th feature film, was impressive enough to be up for the "Most Promising Newcomer" BAFTA award - and is even featured in a brief but startling nude scene which was promptly snipped for the U.S. version!). The rest of the cast is filled with familiar character actors, many of them members of Guest's own stock company.

    Among the film's best scenes are the swift alleyway heist towards the beginning (which ends in murder), the wonderful "tossing school" (an illegal form of gambling) scene which takes place on the moors, several grueling interrogation scenes (with Baker often reduced to blackmailing his hard-as-nails 'customers') and the remarkably violent rooftop climax. By the way, I wasn't as displeased as Guest was with the alternate ending included as an extra (and which he had never seen before!) - inverting a couple of scenes and adding a brief hopeful coda (not filmed by Guest) with Baker and Audley - but I totally respect the director's decision to stick with his uncompromising original vision.
    8The_Void

    Suitably dark British noir

    Hammer studios are, of course, best known for their horror films; but early on in the studio's history, there were a number of noir style films produced; and while this is one of the later efforts, it's surely one of the best! The film is clearly intended to mimic the American film noir being produced en mass during the fifties; although the film does retain an aura of Britishness which is achieved through the locations and strong accents of most of the lead characters. The film is suitably dark, though not as dark as many of its American counterparts. The plot focuses on a criminal that has escaped from jail after committing a robbery that went wrong. Inspector Harry Martineau, who happened to have gone to school with the criminal, guesses that he will return home to Manchester in order to pick up his share from the job. The criminal does return to Manchester and ends up with the inspector on his tail as he moves through the underworld, trying to find a place to hide.

    Writer-director Val Guest (who previously directed a handful of Hammer's earliest horror films) spins an interesting story that remains intriguing throughout. The dialogue is surprisingly witty at times, and the characters are 'cool' enough to rival the films that this one is trying to imitate. There's more to the plot than just what is immediately going on, and the inspector's personal life is one of the main sub-plots. This thread is somewhat well expanded; although it has to be said that some other areas of the plot do not go as far as they could; although at only ninety minutes, there was obviously only so much that could be squeezed in. The film moves forward well, although at times it is a little silly; a plot that hinges on the idea of nobody looking at their hands is somewhat far fetched. The cast is strong, with Stanley Baker and John Crawford taking the lead roles and doing well with them; there's also a small appearance for the great Donald Pleasance. Overall, Hell is a City is an excellent British noir, and well worth a look.
    9mb014f2908

    excellent ahead of its time Brit-noir

    I watched Hell is a City on DVD again the other day and was struck by how fresh and undated the story and acting still appears. It was a breakout Brit film for 1959/60- with its semi-documentary approach to police procedure,meshed with a tough on women approach and attempt to show relationships that don't have happy endings. On the DVD there is an alternate ending shown, which the director Val Guest claims to have no knowledge of at all! It's much weaker i think than Guest's own choice of ending. Stanley Baker is excellent; successfully showing all dimensions to an Inspector's working/personal life; Billie Whitelaw got nominated that year with the BAA for in the Newcomer category and deservedly so. All the support cast flesh out their characters' quirks very well. Actual location shooting (in this case-Manchester) was still quite unusual and there is a world of difference between this and a studio based crime thriller of maybe 10 years before.
    9hitchcockthelegend

    I don't play cards. I don't even touch coins.

    Out of Hammer Films, Hell is a City is directed by Val Guest, who also adapts the screenplay from Maurice Proctor's novel of the same name. It stars Stanley Baker, John Crawford, Billie Whitelaw, Maxine Audley, Donald Pleasence, Vanda Godsell, Joseph Tomelty and George A. Cooper. Music is by Stanley Black and cinematography in HammerScope is by Arthur Grant.

    When violent criminal Don Starling (Crawford) escapes from prison, Manchester cop Inspector Harry Martineau (Baker) correctly assumes he is on his way back to the area to collect some hidden loot from a previous job. Sure enough a serious crime rocks the city and all roads lead to Starling, but what price will Martineau pay to nail a man whose mere name strikes fear into the locals?

    Has some bastard been passing me snide money?

    British crime drama at its best, absorbing as a suspense tale, clinically unflinching in its characterisations and directed with a deft hand by the multi talented Val Guest. Hell is a City is without question a very British movie, but in the same way that greats like Brighton Rock and They made Me A Fugitive were Britannia Rule Grimarannia, so it be here where Guest makes the most of Manchester's gloomy locales to pump bad blood into the edgy narrative. It's a Manchester of creaky terraced houses, working class bars, soiled streets and the unforgiving Moors. The latter of which a visual beauty to the eye, but home of misery both in fact and fiction.

    A Starling in the Attic.

    Tale unfolds as a sort of warts and all semi-documentary police procedural. Harry Martineau is the lead man, but this is no cliché addled copper, he is a tough bastard who is not adverse to using strong arm and dishonest tactics to get results. He's a hero, of sorts, but the happiness he craves outside of his work, at home, is moving further away from him. He's not alone, either, for many of the vivid characters on show here are either life's losers, illicit gamblers, unfaithful wives, lonely hearts, or cheaters and beaters, and that's before we get to Crawford's villain. Don Starling infects everyone with his evil stink, a robber, a rapist and a murderer, he may not look much physically in Crawford's shoes, but his name, voice and mere appearance has all but Martineau in a cold sweat.

    If a man ain't got kids he's still fair game!

    The script is devoid of pointless filler and no scene is wasted, there's an air of realism throughout. Sure there's a little leap of faith to be taken at times, but nothing that remotely could hurt the movie. The performances are from the better end of the scale, with Baker excelling as a stoic, but lonely man of the force, and Whitelaw and Godsell impressively force themselves up above the parapet to be rightly noticed in a movie predominantly beefed by machismo. Could Don Starling have been played by a better actor? Yes of course. Or just have been played by someone more menacing in appearance (like Baker in his villain roles for instance)? Again, yes of course. But the more you watch the more you will see that it's a frightening portrayal because it's very human, just like that given to Harry Martineau.

    Some scenes shock and distress, others hold you and enthral, Hell is a City is one hell of a film and highly recommended to crime and noir fans. 9/10

    More like this

    Payroll
    6.9
    Payroll
    Yesterday's Enemy
    7.1
    Yesterday's Enemy
    Pool of London
    7.1
    Pool of London
    Jigsaw
    7.2
    Jigsaw
    The Man Between
    7.0
    The Man Between
    Against the Wind
    6.3
    Against the Wind
    The Blue Lamp
    6.8
    The Blue Lamp
    Cash on Demand
    7.5
    Cash on Demand
    The Clouded Yellow
    6.9
    The Clouded Yellow
    The Third Key
    7.0
    The Third Key
    San Demetrio London
    6.7
    San Demetrio London
    Life Is a Circus
    7.8
    Life Is a Circus

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The coin-tossing game (known as "two-up") was notorious for deceiving naive players. Such people assume the three outcomes, two heads, two tails, and a head-and-a-tail, to have equal likelihood, 33%. In fact a head-and-a-tail has 50% probability, and the others have 25%.
    • Goofs
      The dead girl on the moors appears to blink but in fact she doesn't and it is her hair blowing in front of her eyes which causes this illusion.
    • Quotes

      Inspector Martineau: You on or off duty?

      Devery: I'm just going off.

      Inspector Martineau: Come on, I'll buy you a drink.

      Devery: Well it's very nice of you, but I'm afraid...

      Inspector Martineau: Teach her to wait. That's one thing a policeman's girl must always learn.

    • Crazy credits
      "The production of this film was greatly assisted by the full cooperation of the Chief Constable and the members of the Manchester City Police Force, for which the producers wish to express their thanks." (opening credit)
    • Connections
      Featured in Charters & Caldicott: Not Cricket (1985)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ

    • How long is Hell Is a City?
      Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 13, 1960 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Hetzjagd
    • Filming locations
      • Refuge Assurance Building, Oxford Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, UK(roof top chase)
    • Production companies
      • Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)
      • CEA Studios
      • Hammer Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • £115,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Hell Is a City (1960)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Hell Is a City (1960) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.