User reviews

The best thing about Inferno is that, like the Aeneid, it jumps right into the middle of the action. Out in a southwestern desert, under the baking sun, lies Robert Ryan, with his leg broken and only a meager supply of food and water. He's been left to die by his wife (Rhonda Fleming) and her lover (William Lundigan). There's no backstory, no lead-up to the crucial events; what little we need to know gets doled out as the movie advances, but never in flashback.

Of course, anybody can be left to die in the desert by a philandering spouse, but it helps if you're a millionaire, like Ryan. We learn that he inherited his fortune and wonders whether he deserves it, and that he's a tough and private man who suffers no fools gladly (the part's basically a reworking of Ryan's Smith Ohlrig in Max Ophuls' Caught).

The rest of Inferno cross-cuts between Ryan's attempts to survive by his wits and Fleming's and Lundigan's to throw the local police and Ryan's business associates back in Los Angeles off track. After several days elapse, when it becomes apparent that Ryan may still be alive and on the move, Fleming and Lundigan decide that, in order to save themselves, they have to go back and finish the job....

Inferno was issued in 1953, the annus mirabilis of 3-D. Unlike most titles filmed in that short-lived gimmick, it stands pretty well on its own – even the hurtling rocks, striking rattlers and flaming rafters stay effective without knocking viewers over the head. But basically it's a story of a man born to wealth who, to stay alive, must negotiate a deadly wilderness where money proves worthless. Watching Ryan do so is worth giving Inferno a look.

Inferno is a small but excellent 1953 film about a beautiful woman (Rhonda Fleming) and her lover (William Lundigan) who leave the woman's husband (Robert Ryan) alone in the desert with a broken leg, assuming he'll croak. The story focuses on Ryan's character trying to survive in the desert and what he learns about himself.

With gorgeous Rhonda Fleming in the movie, it's done in color. A chimpanzee could have played her part - there's precious little acting involved - but she certainly adds tremendous beauty to the production. She and another spectacular redhead, Arlene Dahl, both were getting larger roles in films at the time the studio system was winding down. Ten years earlier, they might have ruled the world. William Lundigan is appropriately cold-blooded as her horny lover, and Larry Keating is an appropriately concerned business associate.

But this is Ryan's film, and he's top-notch. His thoughts come over as voice-over, and you're pulling for him every step of the way, despite everyone describing him as unpleasant.

Excellent film, quite a surprise.

"Inferno" is a film with a very simple plot. Despite this, it was given top treatment by improved sound AND 3D! And, as you watch, you can see in quite a few places that 3D gimmicks would abound...but it's still basically a good film.

When the film begins, a rich man is injured in the desert and his unfaithful wife and her lover decide to leave him there to die of exposure. The problem is that Donald (Robert Ryan) is a very tough guy and he's determined to not only survive but last long enough to exact revenge. Fortunately, where the movie goes next is a bit unusual and yet satisfying.

Much of the film consists of Donald talking to himself by having Ryan do voiceovers. This is risky but the director manages to make it work...and the film manages to take a very simple story yet make it worth your time.

Robert Ryan, Rhonda Fleming and Bill Lundigan give outstanding performances in this suspensive thriller that winds up in a struggle to survive in the desert. Originally introduced in 3D in 1953, it will keep you on the edge of your seat.

You only have to watch INFERNO for a few moments to realize it was filmed originally in 3-D, the popular fad that existed in the early '50s to draw people away from their TV sets.

But here, at least, it's used to great effect with many camera shots showing things tossed at the camera obviously designed for 3-D effect. But best of all, the story is a good one involving a man's survival on the desert after being dumped there by his greedy wife (RHONDA FLEMING) and her lover (WILLIAM LUNDIGAN). Fleming looks ravishing in Technicolor but she's a cold-hearted bitch.

Surprisingly, it's ROBERT RYAN who turns into a sympathetic character once his situation looks hopeless. Another twist in the casting is having Lundigan play a villain for a change.

The payoff (when it comes) is effective, as the plot moves toward an action-filled climax in the cabin where Ryan has been befriended by HENRY HULL. Lundigan returns with a shotgun aiming to make sure Ryan is dead when all hell breaks loose.

Tidy little thriller is worth watching, well directed for taut suspense by Roy Ward Baker. Good cinematography, even without the 3-D look, and the well choreographed fight between Lundigan and Ryan is a realistic one.

Robert Ryan could be difficult to root for since he played contentedly bitter types who didn't need or want rooting for...

But with INFERNO his rich-husband character gets so screwed over by his wife and her lover, left in the scorching desert -- without use of his legs -- to trudge through rocky terrain before he's a Hot Pocket for condors, there's no other option but to have complete sympathy, if anything else for the movie (and his dire situation) to conclude...

Yet the most intriguing scenes not only alleviate the halting, sometimes awkward tension but add a touch of Film Noir/Melodrama to the Adventure...

Particularly when trophy wife Rhonda Fleming and cold-blooded stud William Lundigan (usually cast as a one-dimensional hero) -- who'd stranded Ryan in the first place -- deal with investigating cops, and, when alone, bicker nervously: proving they'd be a horrible couple if their plot does work.

So for Survival buffs, these talky, dime-novel moments would be an intrusion. But for Rhonda Fleming fans, the Queen of Technicolor originally curved within 3 fine Dimensions works just fine.

In the history of motion pictures only two ideas (as far as I know) failed to catch on in improving the movies we see. One is the laughable "Aroma-vision" that was tried out in the late 1950s with a film that Peter Lorre and Desmond Elliot made called SCENT OF MYSTERY. People just don't like certain odors that can be on the screen in films. But the other was an 3-D, which should have succeeded. If you want to have a more realism in movies, then you should have a movie where depth adds some degree of reality. But 3-D was not used properly. The best recalled uses are in grade z films like ROBOT MONSTER. The best uses of the process were in Alfred Hitchcock's DIAL "M" FOR MURDER, in the Vincent Price horror classic HOUSE OF WAX, and in INFERNO. But while Hitchcock's and Price's films are well remembered (and seen frequently), INFERNO has been generally ignored.

It stars Robert Ryan, Rhonda Fleming, William Lundigan, Larry Keating, and Henry Hull. Ryan begins the film in one of his typically negative characterizations - a millionaire married to Fleming who treats everyone around him as a servant to do his bidding. Sort of like a follow up to his Smith Ohlrig in CAUGHT, only with a new bride. He is going on vacation, and he is accompanied by his wife and a guide played by Lundigan. But Fleming and Lundigan are having a love affair, and when Ryan is injured they realize that they can get rid of him, collect his fortune, and then marry. They leave the obnoxious millionaire in the desert with just a six shooter and a canteen with water. He also has a broken leg. They figure they can report he wandered off, they could not trace him, and in a week the police can find his corpse.

Ryan fools them. Always intelligent in his roles, he growls as soon as he is alone, "They think I'll drink up all my water!" He starts an enforced rationing. He also makes a crutch. Finally he shows his patience in becoming a careful hunter - carefully using his gun to kill game only when it is available. Soon he is able to start following the stars to get back to civilization. And his disappearance is not being casually dismissed by the discovery of his body by the authorities led by Carl Betz. And Fleming and Lundigan are beginning to get nervous - and a bit less lovey-dovey with each other.

But the best part of this film, aside from the careful script and performances, was director Roy Baker's brilliant use of 3-D. He wanted the size of that desert Ryan is marooned in to be really evident to the audience, and his shots of the miles of mesas and sand are deeply impressive. It adds to one's realization of just what Ryan is up against to survive. Actually it was the best use of the process in Hollywood movies, and it makes one regret that John Ford did not think of using the process in say THE SEARCHERS or TWO RODE TOGETHER. Ford's use of "Monument Valley" was always brilliant - imagine if it too had been in 3-D.

Acceptable film mainly set in an extremely sunny desert and with limited roles . It has little budget and a few actors , most budget goes to 3D Technicolor , stereophonic sound and other technical elements . It stars an alcoholic and egoistic millionaire well played by Robert Ryan who is left at the Mojave desert by his wife Rhonda Fleming and her lover William Lundigan . Meanwhile, the selfish Ryan attempts to save himself, as he carries out a dangerous descent into a canyon with just one rope and a fall of hundreds of feet.

This is a tight and suspenseful essay in intrigue with a basically simple and plain premise which works ingeniously thanks to magnificent interpretations and adequate exteriors . As Ryan gives a fine acting as the wealthy , unsympathetic man who breaks his leg falling off , as we are forced to change out attitude of contempt to one of sympathy and admiration for his sheer will to survive . Along with Ryan appears the gorgeous Rhonda Fleming who is very nice as the cheating wife and Willian Lundigan as the traitor as well as nasty lover . Decent support cast such as : Henry Hull , Larry Keating , Harry Carter . Well produced by 20th Century Fox that distributed on a double bill with the western "Rawhide" by Henry Hathaway . When the cast and crew arrived at the Mojave desert location they suffered several illness such as pneumonia and fevers , that is why the high temperatures and cold nights .

It packs a colorful and brilliant cinematography in technicolor , released in 3D by the prestigious Lucien Ballard , Sam Peckinpah regular . Thrilling and atmospheric musical score by Paul Sawtell . The motion picture was professionally directed by Roy Ward Baker who handles the suspense pretty well ; Inferno was one of the best and last movies to be made in 3D during the boom in the early 50s, here emphasising the dramatic possibilities , though this devise had largely been squandered in other films made at the time ; however , Roy Baker uses it appropriately . The British Roy Baker directed a great number of films as in US/Hollywood as "House in the square, Don't bother to knock , Night with sleep" as in England usually in terror movies for Hammer productions such as : "Masks of death, Legend of 7 golden golden vampires , Vault of horrors , The scars of Dracula , Dr Jekill Sister Hyde, The anniversary , And now the screaming starts , The monster club , The vampire lovers , and Asylum" , among others . Rating : 6/10 well worth seeing .

Pretty inventive script, Robert Ryan helps pull off quite a bit of voice over dialog, nice photography, (I did see it in 3D) well paced there are a number of clever script/plot elements that keep it going and a great fight scene(which features most of the 3D Fx in the movie).

Sort of a desert Film Noir really, well directed by the mostly always good Roy (Ward) Baker this holds up. There is constant cross cutting between Ryan's plight in the desert and the two villains swimming or eating and drinking that really builds your hatred of them and your siding with Ryan.

No mamsey pamsey character softening here, which keeps it tough, but reality based, throughout. It's not a cartoon at any moment which can happen with B films. Though also perhaps the limited character development keeps it slightly in the programmer category. Good music score by Paul Sawtell as well. This movie moves quickly doesn't have the soapy elements, or bloated running time, that killed off many color crime films in the 1950's.

Joseph (William Lundigan) and Geraldine (Rhonda Fleming) abandon Geraldine's husband, Donald (Robert Ryan) in the desert with a broken leg and inadequate provisions for survival. They have hatched a plot so that they can inherit Donald's money once he is found dead. The story follows Donald's struggle for survival, alone in the desert. Joseph and Geraldine worry that Donald's body hasn't been found and return to the scene of the crime to finish him off......

This film is shot in 3-D so I put on my 3-D glasses to watch it. At first, I thought I could see Rhonda Fleming's breasts poking out at me but I may have been imagining it. The whole 3-D thing doesn't really work until the end of the film when there is a fire. The flames look like a gas fire with blue bits appearing everywhere. It looks different but I'm not sure if it's really any better than seeing the raging flames in their natural orange colour. Other incidents like a snake leaping towards the screen and a lamp being hurled towards the screen just don't produce the required effect. That aside, the film keeps you watching. It's a different story that is well-acted and worth seeing again.

Lundigan and Fleming are the sneaky lovers who abandon broken legged millionaire Ryan (Fleming's husband) to his fate in the middle of the desert.

A bit different to the usual tale as its focus is on Ryan's challenges as he tries to survive what the desert throws at him. The survival scenes are nicely enough done, edited together with the lovers by the pool or enjoying iced drinks. However, Ryan narrates the whole story which is fine, but overdone, as he explains too much - less would have been more. The last twenty minutes is exciting and brings things nicely to a head including an impressive fight scene. An oddity well worth catching.

First, as a 3 D enthusiast, I cannot but congratulate Panamint for having issued this excellent restoration in wonderful Technicolor. The image quality is plainly excellent and the 3D effect stunning. For those who want to watch a fragment, go to their website. There's a region B edition for those not having a multi-region player.

There are various 3D specially made shots like throwing things to the camera, a burning wooden roof falling onto us and so on, they fit well into the story and are not overdone.

The extras are the original trailer and a short publicity one with Miss Fleming praising 3D, plus a later interview by Pat Boone. The booklet is also carefully prepared with the story of the making of the film, actors and director's commentaries and press notes and stills.

Second, the story is a simple one (a millionaire with a broken leg deliberately abandoned in the desert by his wife and lover), being the always interesting Robert Ryan one of the reasons that makes it better. Rhonda Fleming's beauty and flaming hair are impressive as much in the Mojave scenery as in her golden bathing suit (too short the swimming pool scene!), she and William Lundigan are correct players, but Ryan is better and the story is centered on him and the way he evolves from being an unsatisfied spoiled rich man through his fighting for survival. DON'T expect too much action as the trailer could have made believe. This is more a psychological movie, it's practically on three people and the desert that it's all about. But it's well directed by Roy Baker and well done, given its scarcity of means -and players.

I can only recommend it to anyone interested in 3D movies, while expecting new more issues like Bwana Devil, Sangaree, The Stranger Wore a Gun, Miss Saddie Thompson and so on. For the moment, don't miss Man in the Dark, and if you want a major 3D with no budget limitations try Kiss me Kate from MGM !

Pass me a canteen, quick. I'm all dried out after watching this desert pressure cooker. Seems Carson's wife and her lover have left spoiled millionaire Carson alone in the vast desert to die, and with a broken leg, no less. Plus, that Mojave Desert is some kind of long, empty oven. So now the poor guy has to figure out how to survive under next to impossible conditions. Worse, the god-forsaken landscape stretches out to what looks like infinity. I sure hope actor Ryan was well paid because he literally drags his butt across half the rocky landscape. But Carson's one determined guy, and by golly he's going to get even with those two traitors even if it kills him.

Only a powerhouse actor like Ryan could make Carson's grit, in the face of impossible odds, at all plausible. The screenplay does a pretty good job of showing how he improvises, still the ordeal itself remains something of a stretch. On the other hand, Lundigan makes a rather colorless "other man", while Fleming as the faithless wife looks unusually glum. I gather from IMDb that she caught a case of pneumonia on arrival at what was then a snowy Mojave location. Apparently, it carried over to her performance, which is without her usual sheen. Nonetheless, the flaming hair really looks good in Technicolor.

The movie's a grabber right up to the climax, where the fist-fight is unfortunately overdone, apparently to accommodate the 3-d technology. All in all, the survival plot may have been done a number of times, but none better than here, thanks mainly to that great gritty actor, Robert Ryan.

I really do wish that this excellent thriller was available on VHS or DVD. There is a tremendous amount of intensity and suspense to the entire film from start to finish. In fact, you really can't guess what the outcome will be. It is truly a game of "cat vs mouse". The casting is excellent! Robert Ryan, Rhonda Fleming and William Lundigan really do bring life to the characters that they play. The original is terrific and has a really good story line to it. It really surprises me that they haven't had a remake of it. I've only seen it once, but I'd have to say it is well worth seeing a second time. Believe me! You will positively be glued to the edge of your seat.

I was at a disadvantage in not seeing this film in it's original 3-D. But even as a 2-D character thriller, it's pretty effective in a B-movie way.

In its time, it wasn't seen as a B-movie, with the high end 3D process, and being one of the first films in stereo. But seeing it as a B-movie now gives a better feel for its strengths (which are considerable) and forgiveness for it's weaknesses.

A man with a broken leg has been left to die out in the Mojave desert by his wife and her younger lover. While this couple 's actions are clearly unforgivable, the man they abandon isn't particularly sympathetic himself. As played by Robert Ryan he's a wealthy, selfish spoiled brat, used to having things on his terms, not caring much for the feelings of others. I admired the film's bravery in having such a hard to like anti-hero, and still succeeding in getting us caught up in his struggle to survive. (If this were made today, Hollywood would never dare have a survival film hero this dark).

It's sort of desert film noir – bright and colorful instead of black and white and shadowy, but the feel is the same – a world of seedy characters and moral quagmires.

On first viewing, while always interesting, it lacked those deeper layers that make a classic noir. I enjoyed it, will re-watch it, but never felt deeply involved emotionally and started to forget it fairly quickly once it was done. Whereas, say, 'Double Indemnity', was permanently stamped on my brain from a first viewing. So this might not be a classic, but it's still well- worth catching.

Hard to find on DVD, but there is a decent Spanish release you can track down. And rumor has it that a long overdue US release if finally in the works.

This is one of the few movies where Robert Ryan, a hard-driving, rich, and arrogant businessman, actually has the audience's sympathy. The gorgeous Rhonda Fleming plays his conniving and faithless wife who ruthlessly strands him in the desert with a broken leg. And Ms. Fleming is all-too-convincing in the bad-girl role. The movie centers on Ryan's thoughts, feelings, and actions as he attempts to survive this nightmarish ordeal. For awhile, his revenge fantasies are the only things keeping him going, but things change. Carl Betz and Larry Keating are quite good in pithy supporting roles. And, the suspense keeps our interest throughout. The makers of Cast Away should have watched this a few times before making their exercise in ennui, also about finding the will to survive in almost impossible circumstances.

Only one negative comment: William Lundigan is much too old and too refined as Fleming's lover-conspirator who gets a nasty attack of conscience late in the game. Someone rugged such as Rock Hudson (who was in his pre-Doris-Day days) or Lloyd Bridges, or even Chuck Connors would have been a much better choice.

That said, Inferno is a well-made and memorable film.

Geraldine Carson (Rhonda Fleming) is unhappily married to tyrannical Donald Carson (Robert Ryan). She's also cheating on him with his friend Joseph Duncan (William Lundigan). They're all out in the desert one day when Donald breaks his foot. His wife and buddy leave him there telling him they'll send back help. They intend to leave him there to die. However he's determined NOT to die and get out.

Originally released in 3-D and stereophonic sound both of which are lost on TV...but it still holds up. It's quick (only 83 minutes) and well directed by Roy (Ward) Baker. Mostly it's a survival pic where we watch Ryan trying to live. It's all his show and he's great. Fleming and Lundigan are just so-so but they're both VERY good-looking and look great in bright brilliant Technicolor. There's also a brutal exciting fist fight here. Worth catching.

I was born the year this picture was made, 1953. I had no idea who Robert Ryan was until a few months ago. What a tremendous actor he was! and Inferno is one of his best! The man never got the recognition he deserved and today he's an unknown to most.

The 3D is exceptional on the DVD even when viewing in 2D which I tried. The Technicolor saturated colors which were a staple of 50's films is amazing. One scene with Ronda Fleming in a purple evening dress with her lover William Lundigan in a deep blue suit just pop out of the screen, they are so vibrant. These 2 characters were despicable adulterers who setup and planned a way to leave Ryan to die in the desert. He survives the hard elements of the desert, meeting many tough events. It moves fast, the cinematography, especially in the desert is outstanding. By all means see it! Highly Recommended!

"Inferno" is arguably the best live-action 3D movie ever made, the one you pull out to show just how great 3D can be. The sense of depth is startling; you actually feel you're standing outdoors.

Though virtually every 3D cliché is trotted out -- especially throwing things at the camera -- they're done so well they enhance the picture, rather than provoking an "Oh, brother" reaction.

Other technical aspects deserve praise. The fight between Carson and Duncan in Elby's shack has spectacularly realistic fire. Modern films use discrete fire cannons (I don't know the right name) that periodically belch flame in an annoyingly obvious way. Here the walls, floor, and roof actually appear to be on fire! Indeed, this night sequence is so well photographed that it shows Lucien Ballard's great talent as a cinematographer.

The problem with "Inferno" is its flabby story. It breaks the most-basic rule of storytelling -- "Show us, don't tell us". A mere five minutes at the beginning would have revealed what sort of a self-centered jerk Carson is, and provided some sympathy for his murderers. Instead, we are forced to hear Carson described by others, which slows things down. And Carson is given too much voice-over narrative, when we can plainly see what he's doing.

Roy Baker helmed a number of memorable films ("Don't Bother to Knock", "A Night to Remember", "Quatermass and the Pit"), but "Inferno" has all the tension of a broken violin string. Though the plodding story is mostly the fault of the script, Baker doesn't do anything to help it along. Nor does Paul Sawtell's hackneyed music.

If you have a 3D video system, you might want to search for "Inferno". (My copy appears to have been the last one in the US.) As a 3D demo disk, it is non-pareil.

I believe Film Noir at its best is a black and white screen, full of shadows, depth photography and the stark feeling in the audience that this can give. Arguably this exercise in 3-D is a bit of a gimmick, and the relentless Mojave desert takes the place of inner and outer claustrophobia that the genre of Film Noir is best in conveying. The plot is similar to many previous films of the genre; plans to kill a husband for a usually fickle lover, or a lover so obsessed he is willing to take deadly actions in the name of passion. Here we have Rhonda Fleming ( not given enough to do on the screen ) and William Lundigan, a minor actor of the period. The focus is left on Robert Ryan to get the maximum out of this scenario and he does. Left to die ( but eventually the two killers return to try to finish him off ) he attempts survival, and a lot of the film is taken up on Ryan devising ways of escaping the fate most Film Noir husbands have to face. But all does not go as planned. End of spoilers and most reviews have said more. Ryan who I consider to be a fine actor supposedly said it was him at his best, but I dispute that. Take a look at ' Caught ' and ' Bad Day at Black Rock, ' ' Beware, My Lovely ' and ' Clash by Night ' for in my opinion his best work. But that said this is a film of some suspense, a lot of cliche falling rocks and thrown objects for the obvious 3-D effects and the end certainly has a few surprises to offer. Sadly it is Rhonda Fleming who gets the least attention, and she is pivotal as the cause of the whole action. Claire Trevor would have bitten up the scenery and been a force to be reckoned with, whereas Fleming looks on as if to say, give me more to show and do, but strangely the director paid little attention to her. I certainly do not rate this film as highly as so many others have, but admit it must have given pleasure in a 1950's double bill.