Bette Davis

Pat O’Brien

Junior Durkin

Frank Coghlan Jr.

Emma Dunn

Charley Grapewin

Morgan Wallace

Hooper Atchley

Wallis Clark

James A. Marcus

Mary Alden

Howard Higgin

Paul Gangelin

B. Harrison Orkow

Allen G. Siegler

Edward C. Jewell

B.F. Zeidman

Harvey C. Leavitt

Edward Schroeder

Drama

Hell's House

Capitol Film Exchange

B.F. Zeidman Productions Ltd.

United States of America

CinemaSerf

Despite the fact that Bette Davis takes top billing here, she rarely features in this rather effective tale of a young boy "Jimmy" (Junior Durkin), who does the right thing and ends up taking the rap for bootlegger "Kelly" (Pat O'Brien). His integrity now sees him in Reform School for three years. There he befriends "Shorty" (Frank Coghlan Jr.) and together we experience the hardships faced by these young men as they are essentially incarcerated, used and forgotten about. Meantime, newspaper man "Gebhardt" (Morgan Wallace) is set on exposing the truth about this place and improving the standards for the boys. Can he do it before tragedy ensues? The film belongs to the charming and decent "Jimmy", and Durkin turns in an engaging performance in the role as the young, naive and optimistic young man ill-equipped for his new life in city where he is ripe for exploitation. It builds slowly, but well until a denouement that is maybe a bit late in the day, but fitting nonetheless. The production is all a bit basic, but I still quite enjoyed this.

English