Straight to Hell

Straight to Hell

Year: 1987

Runtime: 86 mins

Language: English

Budget: $1M

ActionComedyCrimeWesternCrude humor and satire

A gritty tale of blood, money, guns, coffee, and sexual tension follows a gang of bank robbers who flee the city with a suitcase of cash and seek refuge in the desert. After burying their loot, they stumble upon a surreal, caffeine‑obsessed frontier town where eccentric cowboys drink copious amounts of coffee, setting the stage for odd encounters and dangerous confrontations.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Straight to Hell yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Straight to Hell (1987)

Trace every key event in Straight to Hell (1987) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Failed job forces escape from LA

Willy, Norwood, and Simms fail a job in Los Angeles and decide to flee with Velma, Norwood's pregnant wife. They head for Mexico to escape their boss, Amos Dade, taking a car and a hurried plan. The escape marks the start of their ill-fated attempt to outrun trouble and find a safer life.

Evening Los Angeles (hotel)
2

Bank robbery en route to Mexico

To fund their escape, the trio robs a bank along the road. They steal a stash of money and continue toward Mexico, trying to stay ahead of Dade's enforcers. The plan is to stash the cash and vanish.

Night On the road to Mexico
3

Desert breakdown and money burial

While driving through the desert, the car runs on diesel accidentally, causing a breakdown. They decide to bury the suitcase of money and begin walking to find help. The harsh desert environment isolates them from any help.

Night Desert road
4

Desert town at night and arrival of townsfolk

Night falls as they reach a nearly deserted town on the edge of the desert. They enter an empty bar and get drunk while Velma urges them to leave quietly. In the morning, caravans with espresso machines flood the town and the locals begin to gather.

Night to morning Desert town edge / empty bar
5

Stand-off with Bruno/Angel-Eyes and Zimmerman intervention

Bruno and Angel-Eyes confront the hitmen in the bar and a tense stand-off ensues. Suddenly Rusty Zimmerman and his crew arrive to arrest the McMahon brothers’ enemies. The hitmen kill Zimmerman and his cadre, and the town suddenly greets them as unexpected allies.

Day McMahon town
6

Party invitation and funeral aftermath

Frank McMahon invites the trio to a party that evening. The next day, Frank's elderly father is pushed from a building by Sabrina; the town holds a funeral procession. Whitey, another Dade associate, arrives at the funeral and is hanged before he can reveal the bounty.

Next day McMahon town
7

I.G. Farben arrives with weapons

A man named I.G. Farben and his wife Sonia enter town and leave behind a suitcase of machine guns for Norwood, Simms, and Willy. Farben disappears soon after, leaving the arms in the hands of the hitmen. The arsenal escalates the town's volatile power balance.

Soon after Town
8

Mr. Dade's car arrives; attempt to leave

Mr. Dade's car drives into town, signaling that the hitmen should consider leaving with Velma. Simms tries to persuade drunken Willy and Norwood to depart with Velma, further complicating loyalties. The tension among the factions mounts as everyone weighs their next move.

Morning Town
9

Angel-Eyes killed; chaos erupts

George kills Angel-Eyes, turning the town against the hitmen. A wave of shootouts erupts between the townspeople, Dade's crew, and the hitmen. Frank aligns with Dade's side as the town descends into chaos.

Day Town
10

Willy wounded by Louise

Willy pursues Louise, hoping she will join his side, but she shoots him instead. He manages to crawl away badly wounded, changing the dynamics of loyalties within the town. The balance of power continues to shift as gunfire echoes through the streets.

Day Town
11

Desert retrieval and murder sequence

The trio escapes to the desert and uncovers the buried money. In a brutal turn, Simms shoots the wounded Willy, and Velma retaliates by shooting Simms. Velma and Frank seize the money and prepare for a final exit.

Morning Desert
12

Chaos in town; Dade is defeated

Back in town, chaos intensifies as the store is set on fire and Norwood with Fabienne survive long enough to shoot Mr. Dade and his cronies. The town seems to erupt with violence as old scores are settled. The fate of the money remains uncertain as the dust settles.

Chaos Town
13

Final escape and cliff fall

Frank and Velma depart the town in a truck carrying the money, but their brakes fail and they fall off a cliff. The attempt to flee ends in tragedy for them. The immediate future of the fortune hangs in the air as the town reels from the catastrophe.

Evening Town outskirts
14

Norwood departs with the women; Farben moves in

With the town in disarray, Norwood leaves the town with Fabienne and the other women. Farben Oil Company trucks roll in to drill, signaling a new, harsher order taking hold over the area. The narrative closes on Norwood driving away, fortune uncertain and the landscape transformed.

Post-cliff Town outskirts

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:37

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Straight to Hell Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Straight to Hell, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Straight to Hell Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Straight to Hell

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Straight to Hell

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