This film features a huge cast of well-known character actors playing a group of people at a hotel near a race track awaiting the outcome of a particular race. They include Jack Oakie, Carole Lombard, Adrienne Ames, Sidney Blackmer, David Manners, Cecil Cunningham, Nydia Westman, Shirley Grey and Bradley Page. There's the comical pair, the criminal pair out to fleece someone, a woman estranged from her husband, and the various gamblers, jockeys and horse owners with lots of cash on the line. Carole Lombard, the biggest name in the cast, is probably the least interesting of the cast. Cecil Cunningham, a tall, gangly character actress stands out to me out from everybody. There's a little something for everybody to do here, so it ends up pretty much as a mixed bag. Definitely "B" scale, however. Interesting note: the villain's name is Jack Ruby!
7 Reviews
Good effort to keep viewer's interest with multiple story-lines.
elginbrod20001 September 2009
This film started out slowly and I was expecting a real stinker. However, each and every story-line as it developed caught my interest and sympathy. Carole Lombard's part here is very small and she is perhaps the least interesting character of them all. I must admit, there may be something I'm missing because the excellent print that I viewed was 51 minutes long and the documentation says it should be 70 minutes in length. Jack Oakie's part as the announcer at the track was very smooth and entertaining. He brings a little comic relief. It was nice to see Sidney Blackmer from the Cary Grant movie "People will Talk" and an episode of "The Outer Limits" as Lombard's love interest. Each couple bets on a different horse in the race and I really was on edge to see who of the many likable characters would win. The innovative scene at the track where the camera is placed on a long boom which swings in and out at different locations in the stands and focuses on one couple at a time is interesting if not dizzying.
One for Jack Oakie's legion of fans!
JohnHowardReid31 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Even in its short, 53-minutes, TV cutdown (NOT 67 minutes as stated on the otherwise very acceptable VintageFilmBuff DVD) version, this is an interesting movie. True, the title is way, way misleading. The movie has absolutely nothing to do with either hell or heaven. It's actually a horse-racing picture in earnest, or a portmanteau movie in thin disguise, distinguished both by its large cast and its remarkably inventive direction by Sidney Salkow of all people, here making his movie debut. Salkow was one of the first of Hollywood's directors to dessert the film industry for TV. Until I saw this movie with Salkow's truly astonishing crowd scenes, I never thought much of his work. I would describe him as a competent but uninspired journeyman director. This movie, however, gives the lie to that description. Even the dialogue episodes, directed by our old, almost always competent (but usually with next-to-no pizazz) friend, Erle C. Kenton, are not bad either.As for the players, even Jack Oakie is reasonably amusing in this one. Alas, David Manners comes across as a bore as usual, but Carole Lombard is lively enough and she has some good scenes with Sidney Blackmer of all people. And although he is billed way way way way way way way down near the bottom of the cast list, Thomas Jackson also has some great scenes; while Clarence Muse, I'm very happy to say, also benefits from a disproportionate amount of footage in the cutdown even though he is billed next to last! But, as I said above, what the script has in common with either "hell" or "heaven" is a total mystery. If ever a movie toted an inappropriate title, From Hell To Heaven leaves other contenders at the starting post!
Saddle Sores
GManfred19 August 2013
If a lot of people, from vastly different backgrounds, bet on different horses in the same race, most will be disappointed. All seem to have worthwhile motives and causes, and this makes it tough for the moviegoer watching "From Hell To Heaven" to pick a rooting interest throughout the film. They all come to the same hotel awaiting for the big race, hence the "Grand Hotel" type milieu.
Paramount assembled an impressive cast for this horse racing drama, most of whom are forgotten nowadays. Carole Lombard may be the most recognizable name, but she was still playing straight dramatic parts and not doing 'screwball' comedies yet. Jack Oakie is along for comic relief and brings his considerable energy as the track announcer. Also in the cast - and worthy of mention - are some long-ago stars, like Cecil Cunningham, who played parts later taken by Helen Broderick and Alice Brady, and Sidney Blackmer, who later played heavies. This is an old-fashioned track flick and fashionistas will get a kick out of the 30's outfits, while history buffs will take note of a time when bookmakers were legal and jockeys apparently could be switched overnight, before a big race.
"From Hell To Heaven" is an interesting and absorbing story which holds the viewers interest and keeps moving for its 70 minute length. There is some genuine suspense regarding the outcome of the big race, and the viewer can build up sympathy for several of the principals. This played at Capitolfest, Rome, NY, 8/13, and was shown in 35mm.
Paramount assembled an impressive cast for this horse racing drama, most of whom are forgotten nowadays. Carole Lombard may be the most recognizable name, but she was still playing straight dramatic parts and not doing 'screwball' comedies yet. Jack Oakie is along for comic relief and brings his considerable energy as the track announcer. Also in the cast - and worthy of mention - are some long-ago stars, like Cecil Cunningham, who played parts later taken by Helen Broderick and Alice Brady, and Sidney Blackmer, who later played heavies. This is an old-fashioned track flick and fashionistas will get a kick out of the 30's outfits, while history buffs will take note of a time when bookmakers were legal and jockeys apparently could be switched overnight, before a big race.
"From Hell To Heaven" is an interesting and absorbing story which holds the viewers interest and keeps moving for its 70 minute length. There is some genuine suspense regarding the outcome of the big race, and the viewer can build up sympathy for several of the principals. This played at Capitolfest, Rome, NY, 8/13, and was shown in 35mm.
Pick Your Horse, Pick Your Story
boblipton15 January 2019
At the Lurie Spring Hotel, people come and go, but nothing ever happens. Sounds familiar? This movie came out four months after MGM's GRAND HOTEL and was Paramount's response to it. Originally it clocked in at an less-than-grand 67 minutes. I saw a 52-minute version and, while the names may sparkle in recollection, they were not quite so distinguished then. Carole Lombard and Jack Oakie were the two top-billed stars, and further down were ... well, it doesn't matter too much. Because the multi-plotted movie is too brief for more than vignettes. Everyone is waiting for the big race, the broke ex-wife and the embezzler who need the money; the horse owner who has everything riding on this race, and the jockey whom he fired for redemption.
And so forth. It's directed by Erle C. Kenton, one of many directors to emerge from Mack Sennett's studio. It's a pleasant enough effort, but it definitely was not an A picture by the time it hit the screen. Even so, it's a fine example of the professional polish that even the cheapest of Paramount's programmers could achieve.
And so forth. It's directed by Erle C. Kenton, one of many directors to emerge from Mack Sennett's studio. It's a pleasant enough effort, but it definitely was not an A picture by the time it hit the screen. Even so, it's a fine example of the professional polish that even the cheapest of Paramount's programmers could achieve.
A less than Grand Hotel
bkoganbing17 June 2019
A year after MGM released Grand Hotel and got a Best Picture Oscar for it Paramount decided to do a cut down version of the classic. From Hell To Heaven
doesn't any marquee names with the exception of Carole Lombard and Jack Oakie. But the structure is the same, a group disparate stories about people
gathered at a resort hotel spa that sounds like Saratoga.
The big Capitol Handicap is being run and all there intend to bet and they have a lot of hopes and dreams. Lombard runs into her ex-husband Sidney Blackmer. The current husband left her high and dry and Blackmer who is a bookie offers her a proposition bet that she takes. Won't reveal what it is.
Jack Oakie is his usual obnoxious self as the track announcer who wants to break into show business the way Lucy Ricardo wants to. He's the comic relief in this film.
From Hell To Heaven will never be a Carole Lombard top ten. But it's a competently made drama with a cast perfect in their parts.
The big Capitol Handicap is being run and all there intend to bet and they have a lot of hopes and dreams. Lombard runs into her ex-husband Sidney Blackmer. The current husband left her high and dry and Blackmer who is a bookie offers her a proposition bet that she takes. Won't reveal what it is.
Jack Oakie is his usual obnoxious self as the track announcer who wants to break into show business the way Lucy Ricardo wants to. He's the comic relief in this film.
From Hell To Heaven will never be a Carole Lombard top ten. But it's a competently made drama with a cast perfect in their parts.
Grand Hotel with Horse Racing
view_and_review19 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This movie might've been good if they hadn't done it already in "Grand Hotel" and "Manhattan Tower." The bulk of the movie takes place in the Luray Springs Hotel and to recognize that this movie was very much like "Grand Hotel" one of the main characters said, "The Luray Springs Hotel. People come and go, but nothing ever happens," which of course was a direct line from "Grand Hotel" in which one of the characters famously said, "The Grand Hotel. People come and go, but nothing ever happens."
The Luray Springs Hotel was bustling with people and just about every one of them was there for the upcoming horse race, commonly called a "handicap." There are several different characters and just about all of them have something tremendous to lose or gain from betting on the upcoming horse race. Some of the people are criminals while others are not. What is patently clear is who the sympathetic characters are because they have such heartstrings tugging stories. Something I could do without.
One of the sympathetic characters is a man named Wesley Burt (David Manners). He was at the Luray Springs Hotel to make a wager to try to win $5000. He needed it because he was a thief.
That's what I'm calling him.
The film would have you believe that he stole only out of necessity, and they never used the term thief to describe him. What was his need you ask? To provide his wife with a lavish lifestyle. He was no more than a man in love who wanted to give his wife the best. To do that he "embezzled" (not stole) $5000 from his firm.
Where I'm from that's theft. And where I'm from, providing your wife with fineries isn't a good reason for stealing.
His role as a character we should pity and feel for was only cemented by his nice, kind, understanding wife (Adrienne Ames) who never needed riches to be happy, she only needed him.
Awwwwww.
If he could only win then he could return the money to his firm and avoid prison. Because it's not stealing... excuse me... embezzling if you return the money.
While he was at the track a detective named Lynch (Thomas E. Jackson) approached him and said he was "wanted in the city" (not that he was under arrest perchance he embarrass the nice man). Burt and his wife appealed to the cop's kind nature that he allow them to hang around until the end of the race because if they won he'd have the money.
Lynch obliged. They were a nice looking couple after all. Lynch even earnestly wanted Burt to win so he didn't have to arrest him as though his arrest orders hinged upon Burt having the money.
Burt lost. And then he won.
Burt's horse, New Hope, lost. Lynch was all set to take Burt downtown when he heard over the loudspeaker that Winnie Lloyd (Shirley Grey) had been killed. Lynch knew that the murderer had to be an ex-con named Jack Ruby--Yeah, I know right!--(Bradley Page) who was at the horse track as well. Lynch told Burt to come along with him while he made this arrest (I barely understood any of Det. Lynch's behavior). As Lynch attempted to apprehend Ruby, Ruby pulled a gun. Burt, trying to be as Mary Sue as he possibly could, attempted to grab the gun from Ruby and was shot in the process.
Yes, you read that right. Burt, who's not a cop and had nothing to do with the arrest, decided to play hero by attempting to grab a gun from a criminal's hand. Who does that except someone with a death wish or someone with a hero complex.
So anyway, Burt gets shot in the shoulder and Lynch shot Ruby. As a result, Lynch, the cop, took the money Ruby made ($5000 no less) and gave it to Burt to clear his name. A sickeningly serendipitous occurrence if there ever was one.
Don't think Burt was the only good guy who won. Every good guy and gal won. Even if they happened to bet on the loser they won. It was all so neat and I wasn't looking for neat.
Free on YouTube.
The Luray Springs Hotel was bustling with people and just about every one of them was there for the upcoming horse race, commonly called a "handicap." There are several different characters and just about all of them have something tremendous to lose or gain from betting on the upcoming horse race. Some of the people are criminals while others are not. What is patently clear is who the sympathetic characters are because they have such heartstrings tugging stories. Something I could do without.
One of the sympathetic characters is a man named Wesley Burt (David Manners). He was at the Luray Springs Hotel to make a wager to try to win $5000. He needed it because he was a thief.
That's what I'm calling him.
The film would have you believe that he stole only out of necessity, and they never used the term thief to describe him. What was his need you ask? To provide his wife with a lavish lifestyle. He was no more than a man in love who wanted to give his wife the best. To do that he "embezzled" (not stole) $5000 from his firm.
Where I'm from that's theft. And where I'm from, providing your wife with fineries isn't a good reason for stealing.
His role as a character we should pity and feel for was only cemented by his nice, kind, understanding wife (Adrienne Ames) who never needed riches to be happy, she only needed him.
Awwwwww.
If he could only win then he could return the money to his firm and avoid prison. Because it's not stealing... excuse me... embezzling if you return the money.
While he was at the track a detective named Lynch (Thomas E. Jackson) approached him and said he was "wanted in the city" (not that he was under arrest perchance he embarrass the nice man). Burt and his wife appealed to the cop's kind nature that he allow them to hang around until the end of the race because if they won he'd have the money.
Lynch obliged. They were a nice looking couple after all. Lynch even earnestly wanted Burt to win so he didn't have to arrest him as though his arrest orders hinged upon Burt having the money.
Burt lost. And then he won.
Burt's horse, New Hope, lost. Lynch was all set to take Burt downtown when he heard over the loudspeaker that Winnie Lloyd (Shirley Grey) had been killed. Lynch knew that the murderer had to be an ex-con named Jack Ruby--Yeah, I know right!--(Bradley Page) who was at the horse track as well. Lynch told Burt to come along with him while he made this arrest (I barely understood any of Det. Lynch's behavior). As Lynch attempted to apprehend Ruby, Ruby pulled a gun. Burt, trying to be as Mary Sue as he possibly could, attempted to grab the gun from Ruby and was shot in the process.
Yes, you read that right. Burt, who's not a cop and had nothing to do with the arrest, decided to play hero by attempting to grab a gun from a criminal's hand. Who does that except someone with a death wish or someone with a hero complex.
So anyway, Burt gets shot in the shoulder and Lynch shot Ruby. As a result, Lynch, the cop, took the money Ruby made ($5000 no less) and gave it to Burt to clear his name. A sickeningly serendipitous occurrence if there ever was one.
Don't think Burt was the only good guy who won. Every good guy and gal won. Even if they happened to bet on the loser they won. It was all so neat and I wasn't looking for neat.
Free on YouTube.
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