| Hell Is Empty | |
| Director: | John Ainsworth Bernard Knowles |
| Producer: | Michael Eland |
| Screenplay: | John Ainsworth |
| Based On: | a screenplay by Bernard Knowles & George Fowler; and the novel Hell Is Empty by J.F. Straker (1958) |
| Starring: | Anthony Steel Shirley Anne Field James Robertson Justice Jess Conrad Martine Carol |
| Music: | Georges Garvarentz |
| Cinematography: | Sasa Hunka Jan Stallich |
| Editing: | Jim Connock |
| Studio: | Dominion Films |
| Runtime: | 109 minutes |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
Hell is Empty is a 1967 British crime film directed by Bernard Knowles and John Ainsworth, and starring Martine Carol, Anthony Steel, Shirley Anne Field and James Robertson Justice.[1] [2]
Filming began in 1965 under the direction of Bernard Knowles, but was suspended on the death of Martine Carol. Production was later resumed with John Ainsworth as director.[3]
On the run from the police, thieves stumble upon an abandoned mansion on a deserted island.[4]
The film was made by Absorbing Films, which had been set up by Michael Eaton-Eland, a prominent London figure, who wanted to move into filmmaking. Filming started in December 1965 on the isle of Capri. It was Martine Carol's first movie in three years[5] and one of a number of films Steel made in Europe.[6]
The film was shot in Italy and Yugoslavia. However several of the actors and technicians claimed they had not been paid. Filming came to a halt. Carole married Eaton-Eland in June 1966, at which stage the film had not been completed.[7]
Carol died of a heart attack in February 1967.[8] Production resumed under director John Ainsworth.
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The nonsensical story, which ten years ago might at least have had an overtone of reality within a small budget black-and-white framework, has here exploded into sumptuous colour, extravagant locations and a gimcrack way with camera zooms. But beneath the reconditioned exterior, the old-fashioned gears set up an awful grinding: the crooks are a coarse lot, their robbery is by modern standards very rudimentary, and their hostages make a determined English parlour setting out of their indeterminate foreign locale. James Robertson Justice's Shakespearian authority is as tedious as his usual blustery impersonations; but no one could be expected to perform any miracles with the dilapidated dialogue, and no one does. "[9]