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The Hellbenders

Play trailer Poster for The Hellbenders 1967 1h 32m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 3 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
The Civil War is over and the South has fallen, but Col. Jonas (Joseph Cotten) has a plan to revive the Confederacy. He raids a Union Army detail and walks away with valuable treasure that he intends to put to use raising another rebel army. Jonas needs to keep the treasure safe during shipment, so he places it in a coffin and forces saloon girl Claire (Norma Bengell) to play widow. Claire is unwilling to do her part, however, and puts herself in danger by opposing the dangerous Jonas.

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The Hellbenders

Critics Reviews

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Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Feb 18
2.5/4
A moderately entertaining oater. Go to Full Review Terry Staunton Radio Times Feb 11
3/5
Cotten displays steely charisma in the role of a borderline madman with a dubious political agenda, his cruelty evident in the film's often shocking violence, and Bengell does well as the ruthless opportunist ultimately facing a moral conundrum. Go to Full Review Nathanael Hood Unseen Films 04/24/2020
9/10
Though ostensibly just a piece of violent Western pulp, Corbucci inadvertently revealed the rot at the heart of Confederate revisionism: they really were that twisted and evil. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Allan C Mar 31 Disappointing Sergio Corbucci spaghetti western is a mixed bag. Where the film excels is an above-average story for an Italian western (co-written by Albert Band, father of B-movie icon Charles Band), telling the tale of defeated Confederate officer Joseph Cotten traveling back home with stolen gold that he has plans to use to reconstitute the Confederate Army. The set-up is basically a western road movie, where Cotton and his small group of rebel confederates have various encounters with Union soldiers, posses, outlaws, and others. The fun kicker is the gold is hidden in a coffin, and they have kidnapped Norma Bengell (looking very much like Claudia Cardinale) to pose as the widow of the supposed deadman in the coffin. Unfortunately for the film, Cotton seems to sleepwalk through the picture, never really digging his teeth into the part of his bitter defeated Southern Colonel, and Corbucci delivers mostly standard western action and nothing as savage or shockingly original as his best films (that would be THE GREAT SILENCE, THE MERCENCY, or CAMPENEROS). Overall, it’s an entertaining film, but I can’t help but feel like it was a huge missed opportunity for something that could have been a classic. See more david f 02/10/2023 This spaghetti Western has all the stereotypes and plot twists appropriate to the genre, from the ex-Confederate soldier family trying to steal a coach full of money to restart the Confederate States of America, to barroom gamblers and Mexican bandits. Entertaining if generic. See more 03/11/2021 lousy with cringe-worthy tropes that plague the genre See more 06/09/2020 Joseph Cotton is awesomely menacing in this grim portrayal of the post-Confederate frontier. It fearlessly depicts the utter cruelty of former Confederate soldiers in what is certainly one of the harshest, albeit less graphic, spaghetti westerns about the subject. See more 06/02/2019 good little spaghetti Western from 1967. Not an all time classic, but any fan of the Western genre should like it. See more 11/29/2016 Another great lesser known Corbucci spaghetti, Joseph Cotten played one mean guy! See more Read all reviews
The Hellbenders

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Cast & Crew

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Sergio Corbucci

Director

Joseph Cotten

Col. Jonas

Norma Bengell

Claire

Julian Mateos

Ben

Gino Pernice

Jeff

Ángel Aranda

Nat
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The Hellbenders

The Hellbenders (1967) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The Civil War is over and the South has fallen, but Col. Jonas (Joseph Cotten) has a plan to revive the Confederacy. He raids a Union Army detail and walks away with valuable treasure that he intends to put to use raising another rebel army. Jonas needs to keep the treasure safe during shipment, so he places it in a coffin and forces saloon girl Claire (Norma Bengell) to play widow. Claire is unwilling to do her part, however, and puts herself in danger by opposing the dangerous Jonas.
Director
Sergio Corbucci
Screenwriter
Albert Band
Production Co
Tecisa, Alba Cinematografica
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 10, 2017
Runtime
1h 32m
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