Directed by John Huston
1953/UK/USA/Italy
Rizzoli/Haggiag; Romulus Films; Santana Pictures Corporation
First viewing
#268 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Purser: Do you know that your associates are all in hoosegow? Oh, not that I’m a bit surprised. I put them down as thoroughly bad characters, right off the bat. But then there are so many bad characters nowadays. Take mine, for instance.
A group of scoundrels plans to smuggle uranium out of British East Africa in this noirish farce. The plot is scant and convoluted at the same time, but ultimately does not matter much. With Humprey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Gina Lollabrigida, Robert Morley and Peter Lorre.
I enjoyed this film. The story is but an excuse for some charming actors to trade bon mots penned by director Huston and Truman Capote. Jennifer Jones, in particular, is delightful as an imaginative Englishwoman who gets accidentally caught up in the plot, along with her very square husband, and falls for Bogart. I have never seen her like this and she manages one of the most believable English accents I have yet heard from an American. Bogie is Bogie but he looks somehow worn out here.
Promotional teaser
It’s very simple. BEAT THE DEVIL either grows on you, or it doesn’t.
Right, Joanne, It is an acquired taste. It has a cast to die for, some of them obviously past their prime and that is the appeal, I think. The story is not much but somehow you don’t care. I don’t think it was a success but I might be wrong.
It lost a lot of money for Bogart who bankrolled it.