Hell's House (1932)
Directed by Howard Higgin

Film Review

This clunky Prohibition Era drama would no doubt have long past into obscurity were it not for the presence of two actors who, not long after appearing in this film, became major stars in Hollywood: Bette Davis and Pat O'Brien.  A low budget independent production (shot apparently in just thirteen days), Hell's House has its heart in the right place but, mawkish and laughably didactic, it struggles to take its audience with it and, after a while, it just seems like a gratuitous and rather empty whinge fest.  America's reform schools of the late 1920s and early 1930s certainly had their failings, with young teenage boys routinely subjected to punishments that were demeaning and counterproductive, so the film did have some value in raising the public awareness of this.  The problem is that Howard Higgin's film fails to take an objective, adult view of the matter and ends up as a rather limp and painfully over-earnest melodrama.  Surprisingly, Davis and O'Brien are both relegated to stock supporting roles, the burden of carrying the film falling on the slender shoulders of 18-year old Junior Durkin.  As engaging as the latter's performance is as the archetypal wide-eyed innocent, he alone cannot salvage a film that is poorly scripted and directed with a distinct lack of talent and enthusiasm.  Junior Durkin is a likeable enough individual who would most probably have gone on to enjoy a long and successful acting career, had he not died in a car accident within a year of making this film.

Film Synopsis

After his mother is killed in a road accident, Jimmy Mason moves to the city to live with his Aunt Emma and Uncle Henry.  A boarder in the latter's house, Matt Kelly, takes an instant shine to Jimmy and offers him employment with what looks like a respectable business but is in fact a bootleg outfit.  Jimmy is not worried when the cops call and arrest him - he is convinced that Kelly will come to his aid.  Kelly's instincts for self-preservation ensure this will never happen.  In no time, Jimmy is convicted and sent to a brutal reform school for three years.  It is here that Jimmy strikes up a friendship with fellow inmate Shorty.  When Shorty falls ill after a period in solitary confinment, Jimmy escapes and returns to Kelly, hoping that he will save his friend before it is too late...