More of a modern morality tale that references Dante's Inferno than an adaptation of the source material. The sequence where we see the imagined inferno is nicely shot and there are some great sets in the film. Sadly, there is a moment of black face which is done as a gag when the lead comes out of his stoker job (similar to the gas used when there are explosions in old cartoons). It's not enough to ruin the entire film but it is worth mentioning.

Blackface strikes again. Just awful. That aside, there some very nice visuals and the story was much better than I thought it was going to be. Thought Claire Trevor was fantastic. Definitely one of my favorite performances from her. Was also Rita’s very brief but lovely, supposed screen debut, even though there were two other films she was in that were released earlier. (Under The Pampas Moon and Charlie Chan in Egypt)

i really had to sit for a whole hour watching whatever this was just to see baby rita dance. the things i do for her…

Starts off on the wrong foot with some extended black face and spends most of its runtime on didactic morality drama. But the short-lived Hellscape sequence showcases some truly breathtaking composition and effects. I also didn’t expect any full on disaster sequences, but this delivers two that ultimately prove more horrifying than its supernatural fantasy segment. I can’t believe this passed Hays Code censorship.

Spencer Tracy stars as the carny shyster who screws people over en route to building and then maintaining a fairground with a Dante's Inferno-themed centerpiece, before navigating his own redemptive inferno during the final act. The film is heralded for a ten-minute depiction of hell, but for me the earlier section of the movie is the best part: in which Tracy flexes his naturalistic talents and opens his pet project with a wonderfully Melies-esque floor show complete with trick photography.

5 stars for the "genuine" vision of the Inferno as envisioned by the great Dante, lasting maybe 10 minutes, a spectacle & a wonder - spirits flying through the air were jaw-dropping. The gimcrack version of Dante's Inferno isn't too shabby either. They're attached to a pretty rote ambitious-heel-gets-comeuppance story, but it's punchy & pacy w/a brief (& quickly over) disaster sequence. Only other thing I've seen by director Harry Lachman was Dr. Renault's Secret, also better than anticipated. Cinematography is by Rudolph Mate - he shot Vampyr. This is his first American film & full of gorgeous textures, impressive back-screening & lush, carny atmosphere. Bonus for those familiar with the Divine Comedy is Pop's sententious exposition of Dante's lessons for humanity in what's apparently his lone masterpiece.

Fun as hell!!! I made a wise decision watching this alongside Nightmare Alley. This is like its silly cousin and more focused on the spectacle than the story. The hell sequence by Rudolph Maté is amazing and, from what I understand, not recycled from the 1924 film also titled Dante's Inferno. There are dozens and dozens of oiled-up bare asses! Flesh and fire everywhere!!!

What circle of hell do they reserve for blackface