It's obvious the filmmakers had seen and loved the expressionist masterpiece The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920). The influence of the German movie can be seen all over The Bells (1926) with its oppressive ambiance and the way the feelings of the central character are projected into the environment. There's even a pre-stardom Boris Karloff running around in what is essentially a Dr. Caligari cosplay, playing a hypnotist who can see into people's hearts.
For all the style the film has, the substance is lacking. The script is based off a Victorian stage melodrama about an innkeeper in debt whose conscience torments him after he murders and robs a wealthy merchant. Lionel Barrymore does great in the lead, making the innkeeper believable in his ambitions and desperation. The build-up of his growing insanity is amazing, but then the rushed ending kills it all. I didn't buy the innkeeper's "redemption" for one moment. This cop-out devolves the picture into mediocrity, worth viewing once or twice only.
For all the style the film has, the substance is lacking. The script is based off a Victorian stage melodrama about an innkeeper in debt whose conscience torments him after he murders and robs a wealthy merchant. Lionel Barrymore does great in the lead, making the innkeeper believable in his ambitions and desperation. The build-up of his growing insanity is amazing, but then the rushed ending kills it all. I didn't buy the innkeeper's "redemption" for one moment. This cop-out devolves the picture into mediocrity, worth viewing once or twice only.