Jet Aces On Short Rations


Hell's Horizon (1955) Takes To Low Columbia Ceiling

Slow build to a Korean air mission where bomber crew will sustain or crack-up according to character they've revealed in Acts One-Two. John Ireland is chief pilot, tip-off to modest cast otherwise aboard: Bill Williams, Hugh Beaumont, Jerry Paris, Bill Schallert. Love Is Splendor-ish girl interest is Marla English, borrowed from Paramount, striking Eurasian pose a la Jennifer Jones in the 20th Fox hit. Marla would be a cult chiller throb as The She-Creature, which she probably didn't find half so rewarding as this part, a better calling card for elevation out of B's (ME would instead quit biz altogether). Horizon saves its fuel for determining mission, which came excitingly at point where I'd almost lost hope for this Columbiarelease of a "Gravis Production," the independent set-up by producer Wray Davis and writer-director Tom Gries. Money man for Gravis was actually Jack Broder of Realart fame, who sold Hell's Horizon outright to Columbia once filming was completed, the film having been shot on rented space at Republic (latter's on-site badman Keene Duncan shows up as a commanding officer). Variety showed little mercy, calling Hell's Horizon outright "poor." It runs occasionally on Sony's HD channel, and at least looks good on high-def format.

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