bkoganbing The Hellions according to some might well be considered Great Britain's first western although I think The Sheriff Of Fractured Jaw has a better claim. Ken Annakin better known for such Disney films with star Richard Todd like Robin Hood, The Sword And The Rose, and Rob Roy the Highland Rogue team together again for this film set in and shot in South Africa. It's the post Boer War era in the Union Of South Africa and the place still has a frontier feel to it. A family of real bottom feeders, the Billings clan headed by Lionel Jeffries is coming to town to settle a score with the local constable Richard Todd. They're a lot like the Clantons from My Darling Clementine and the Cleggs from Wagonmaster from those John Ford classics.In any event Todd who patrols the place unarmed gets his gun and wants some backup, but the town hesitates. Now he knows how Gary Cooper felt with those citizens of Hadleyville.In the end however Todd gets some help from a most unlikely source a man just sick and tired of kowtowing to these killers who collectively are known as The Hellions.Lionel Jeffries who usually plays comic village shows a savage side to him in The Hellions. Not something normally associated with him, but very good. Plaudits should also go to James Usys and Anne Aubrey as a husband and wife pair of storekeepers The Hellions intimidate.Note the harmonica parts of the music score are from the blacklisted Larry Adler who was probably the only American associated with The Hellions. They were a nice touch.As for the ending, think about the Frank Sinatra western Johnny Concho.

lombards004 I saw this movie once over 45 years ago and I've never been able to forget it. Nor do I want to forget it. Lionel Jeffries and Richard Todd were never better. Apparently it has never been released on video and I think that's a bitter shame. This South African Western is superb and deserves to be seen by everyone. The story has been compared to "High Noon", but I believe "The Hellions" packed more punch. One is used to Lionel Jeffries' portrayals of befuddled old men. But here, he is as evil as anyone I've ever seen. James Booth deserves, I believe, more credit for his role. This film is bulging with talent and should be accessible to today's audience. I definitely will keep searching.

agabus1 I recall seeing The Hellions on TV some 30 years ago (I think). It was like most of our Westerns, Hign Noon or My Darling Clementine best comes to mind. Yet it is different for it reminded me that there were other countries outside of the US that shared similar themes as our westerns. Richard Todd is good but a little wooden and unemotional. The brothers are weird but terrifying and so is Lionel Jefferies. The thing I recall with the greatest fondness are the opening lines of the theme song. "Here they come and may they soon be gone: Matthew, Jubal, Mark and Luke and John." Too bad the movie has not been shown for so long. Should be on DVD.

dadjohnfj I first saw it just over forty years ago. All told I have seen it either two or, perhaps, three times at the cinema. I have never known of it having been on television. I enjoyed it so much I can still remember a vast amount of it. R.Todd, as ever, a controlled and sensitive performace and Zena Walker was a gem. Several of the others were very good but, not to be critical of any of the other actors in the film, by far the best was Lionel Jeffries. For an actor so famous for his comedy roles this performance is by far his best. As the father of the hardened band of outlaws he knew how to keep control of his sons. He should have, at the very least, have been nominated for an award. An excellant comedy drama with first class music to keep the pace of the film going. I cannot think of any other film that I would like to see again as much as this one. Why can it not appear on DVD, video or television?Thank-youTake Care.dadjohnfj