Gustav Doré's illustrations for Dante's poem provide the inspiration for some of the most startling artwork and special effects of any Thirties film in this oddity featuring the artwork of Ben Carre and Willy Pogany and photographed by Rudolph Mate. Spencer Tracy stars as a belligerent carny who takes charge of the “Dante's Inferno” exhibit and proceeds to convince the other carnies to consolidate into one grand Inferno and “put hell on a paying basis.” Highlights of the film include Tracy's wedding to Claire Trevor in a ceremony worthy of Todd Browning's Freaks in which the maid of honor is an organ-grinder's monkey; the brilliantly-conceived Inferno, in which live action and miniatures are effectively interwoven to portray the paying customers' visit to hell on earth; the fire-disaster sequence; Tracy's dream of hell, in which Doré's engravings are faithfully reproduced, writhing souls, naked bodies and all; and, finally, a devilish dance sequence featuring young Rita Cansino, whom you might recognize as Rita Hayworth.