Inferno (1953)

A tough, hard-driving business tycoon suffers a broken leg and is left to die in the desert by his scheming wife and her greedy lover.

Director:

Roy Ward Baker (as Roy Baker)

Writer:

Francis M. Cockrell (as Francis Cockrell)

Stars:

Robert Ryan, Rhonda Fleming, William Lundigan

Cast

Cast overview:
Robert Ryan	...	Donald Whitley Carson III
Rhonda Fleming	...	Geraldine Carson
William Lundigan	...	Joseph Duncan
Larry Keating	...	Dave Emory
Henry Hull	...	Sam Elby
Carl Betz	...	Lt. Mike Platt
Robert Burton	...	Sheriff

Storyline

20th Century-Fox put a lot of eggs in this 1953 film---3-D and stereophonic sound on prints for the few theatres equipped for that sound system in 1953, and the result was possibly the best 3-D film made during the craze. The basically-simple plot, in theory but more than that in execution, concerns a spoiled and alcoholic millionaire, Robert Ryan, who breaks his leg falling off of a horse, and is left to die in the desert by his cheating wife, Rhonda Fleming (born for Technicolor and 3-D), and her lover, William Lundigan.

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Plot Keywords:

one word title | missing person | desert | police | search party | 

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Taglines:

The most breath-taking man hunt that ever criss-crossed out of the screen!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 July 1954 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Verhängnisvolle Spuren

Filming Locations:

Apple Valley, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,055,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the cast and crew arrived at the Mojave Desert location it was covered in snow and Rhonda Fleming subsequently developed pneumonia.

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Goofs

Right after Carson first sees Duncan's car drive by (after Duncan has spotted him in the plane), there are two cars on the side of the dirt road in the background. Since Carson is supposed to be in the middle of the deserted desert, and would presumably ask the people in the cars for help or wait until they got back, it's safe to assume that these are crew vehicles.

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Quotes

Donald Whitley Carson III: [after finding water in a cactus] This stuff's a great discovery. Just sit there and work on it all day and you can get enough juice to sit there and work on it all day.

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Alternate Versions

Also shown in a 3D version.

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Connections

Referenced in Experiments in Love (1977)

User Reviews

Terrific suspense

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.