Beat the Devil

Customer Reviews:

Misadventures at Sea.......2007-08-20

The film opens on a band playing in a town square. Four men are on a search for a valuable mineral in Africa (each a different nationality). A hardware failure prevents the scheduled departure of the ship. There is a trip to a country inn. This fills in spots. Billy says the wealth of Africa is still there for the taking. Harry's wife boasts, and reveals her husband's secret plans to Billy. There is a comic scene when they push an old car down the road.

The ship finally departs with all aboard. We learn the truth about the Chelms and his false front. Chelms has learned what the group is planning. Will he talk? There are events to fill out the time of this film. There is an assault that turns comic after they believe a person is crazy. Then there is an unplanned lifeboat drill at night. Armed men on horseback show up on the beach to arrest them. Ahmed questions them, and Billy figures out a way to get them released. "Will you take a check?" Clayton of Scotland Yard catches up to them. There is a funny surprise at the end.

Some say this was created as a parody of "The Maltese Falcon". I didn't find it that funny. Could it have been made to create a paper loss to offset income from a successful film?

Bizarre, febrile, wacky and genial film!.......2007-08-02

John Huston and Truman Capote concocted this offbeat and funny satire around the Maltese Flacon. Since its release, became a cult movie and still remains.

One of the Greats.......2007-02-12

This movie has a an excellent line-up, Humphrey Bogart, and the great Peter Lorre. This is not a very well known film, but I personally enjoyed every minute of it.
Billy Dannreuther (Bogart) is part of a motley group planning to go to Africa, where a friend can help them illegally claim uranium. But trouble arrives: stuffy Harry Chelm (Edward Underdown) and his very imaginative wife Gwen (Jennifer Jones) arrive, and soon they're flirting with Billy and his sensual wife Maria (Gina Lollabrigida).

Even worse, Gwen's "exaggeration" habit is making the gang distrust Billy, thinking that he's withholding information from them. He isn't, of course. But all the personal plots and distrust come to a boil when everyone boards the ship, and Harry reveals that he knows everything about their uranium plot. Now Billy has to save himself and his friends, without Harry being bumped off...

"Beat the Devil" is an all-around satire -- it mocks grabby criminals, pathological liars, stodgy Brits, romance movies, crime capers, and even second-rate boats ("Of course, the captain is drunk!"). In fact, there's very little about this movie that doesn't poke fun at itself, or at the movies of the time.

And since it was adapted by John Huston and Truman Capote, you know that it's being witty as it makes fun. It languidly builds up in a sunny, ruined city where people plot and flirt, and then starts to boil when they get on board the boat. But even engine failures manage to be entertaining when Harry wrecks the oil pump while trying to fix it.

The cast is skilled in that under-the-radar way: Bogart plays a slightly more offbeat version of his noir characters, and Jennifer Jones is hilarious as the ditzy, chattery English girl. Peter Lorre and Robert Morley are also quite good as Bogie's pals, and Underdown plays the insensitive, straight-arrow dunce perfectly. You'll constantly want to smack him.

Bogart himself called it a "mess.".......2006-12-18

The plot, if you can call it that, concerned a group of six stranded adventurers in an Italian port whose plan is to buy up some East African land that supposed1y contains uranium... Double-crossing quickly becomes the name of the game as Bogart and his fellow conspirators (including Robert Morley, Peter Lorre, Gina Lollobrigida, and a seemingly endless parade of bizarre characters) outdo each other in inspired crazy way...

Bogart, trying desperately to maintain his composure, delivered such priceless lines as: 'I'm only in on this because the doctor told me I needed plenty of money. Without money I become dull, listless, and have trouble with my complexion." But his lines weren't the only offbeat ones... In a room where he's being questioned after being captured, while a firing squad goes about its routine work outside, he is asked straight-faced, "Now tell me, do you really know Rita Hayworth?"

The film is one of those rare items that viewers either seem to love or hate, no middle ground accepted... and declared that only the "phonies" thought it was really funny... Many reviewers thought the whole thing was a tasteless joke and decried the waste of time, talent, and money...

In any case, Bogart gave an immensely satisfying performance in his tongue-in-cheek role and the film itself has now become a regular attraction in Bogart film retrospectives... It is also an excellent example of how much Bogart had matured as an actor, since it is not easy to overcome apparently inept material and still give a performance with some meaning and substance...

Time is a crook.......2006-07-05

You'd think that "Beat the Devil" would be far better known than it is, since it was one of the last movies that Humphrey Bogart did before his untimely death. Maybe that's because Bacall wasn't in it, or maybe it was just too quirky for the masses -- a funny, wry noir-satire, with a gang of rather inept criminals.

Billy Dannreuther (Bogart) is part of a motley group planning to go to Africa, where a friend can help them illegally claim uranium. But trouble arrives: stuffy Harry Chelm (Edward Underdown) and his very imaginative wife Gwen (Jennifer Jones) arrive, and soon they're flirting with Billy and his sensual wife Maria (Gina Lollabrigida).

Even worse, Gwen's "exaggeration" habit is making the gang distrust Billy, thinking that he's withholding information from them. He isn't, of course. But all the personal plots and distrust come to a boil when everyone boards the ship, and Harry reveals that he knows everything about their uranium plot. Now Billy has to save himself and his friends, without Harry being bumped off...

"Beat the Devil" is an all-around satire -- it mocks grabby criminals, pathological liars, stodgy Brits, romance movies, crime capers, and even second-rate boats ("Of course, the captain is drunk!"). In fact, there's very little about this movie that doesn't poke fun at itself, or at the movies of the time.

And since it was adapted by John Huston and Truman Capote, you know that it's being witty as it makes fun. It languidly builds up in a sunny, ruined city where people plot and flirt, and then starts to boil when they get on board the boat. But even engine failures manage to be entertaining when Harry wrecks the oil pump while trying to fix it.

The cast is skilled in that under-the-radar way: Bogart plays a slightly more offbeat version of his noir characters, and Jennifer Jones is hilarious as the ditzy, chattery English girl. Peter Lorre and Robert Morley are also quite good as Bogie's pals, and Underdown plays the insensitive, straight-arrow dunce perfectly. You'll constantly want to smack him.

As for editions, pretty much none of them are "good" per se. They havne't been cleaned up or restored. But the best one I've seen is Diamond Entertainment's, which has a steady picture and soundtrack, and no splices, crackling, or so on. It's slightly fuzzy as for details, but not so that it isn't watchable or enjoyable.

Though not as respected as it deserves, "Beat the Devil" is a little gem of a Bogart movie, with a witty, satirical script and lots of wild twists. Definitely a keeper.

Average customer rating:

My Favorite Cult Classic!
The Bogart film you never heard of!
i bet they all had fun making this one
Good Movie, Terrible DVD Production
Beat him, thrash him

Humphrey Bogart: Beat The Devil
Starring: Ivor Barnard , Humphrey Bogart , Juan de Landa , Jennifer Jones , and Bernard Lee
Director: John Huston
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00008G8OY
Release Date: 2002-12-17

Description

A wacky comedy that's played straight as any film noir and is even funnier as a result. Five men are out to garner control over East African land which they believe contains a rich uranium ore lode.

Includes "Bogart On Film" - a documentary, an introduction by Tony Curtis, and the trailer for The Big Sleep.

Menus: English • Spanish • Chinese
Subtitles: Spanish • Chinese

B&W Running Time: 100 min.

Customer Reviews:

My Favorite Cult Classic!.......2007-08-08

WARNING! Numerous dirt cheap, inferior quality transfers are available since this film has slipped into public domain. Order the Front Row Entertainment (Canada) edition for a few extra bucks and really enjoy the superior picture and sound quality of this cult favorite. If you don't find it on Amazon, you may have to search the Web for this edition.

1953 critics and audiences alike, anticipating a serious drama, missed the point of this noir-satire that delightfully lampooned the genre. While bombing at the box office, it eventually became a cult classic when audiences realized they were supposed to have as much fun viewing it as the actors had in making it. Knowing about the stormy frustrations and dysfunctions that went on behind-the-scenes makes viewing even more enjoyable.

The principle stars seem to delight in portraying the on-screen personas and stereotypes for which they were already famous. Tough guy Humphrey Bogart spits out wisecracks with the nonchalance we have come to expect. Gina Lollobrigida brings her predictable fiery Latin-tempered performance to the screen, along with her paparazzi-hounded cleavage. Despite his bizarre bleach-blond buzz cut, Peter Lorre remains true to the character spoofed by so many impersonators on the Ed Sullivan Show. Instead of "Did you get the information?" his most memorable line for this outing becomes, "Time is a thief." The portly Robert Morely fits comfortably into his role as the foppish English con man. The lovely Jennifer Jones, however, stepped outside of her better-known characterizations to display her rarely seen comedic talent as an intelligent but seemingly ditsy neurotic with an overactive imagination.

I watch Beat the Devil periodically whenever I need relief from media reporting on the rather dismal state of global affairs. I suspect I'll be returning to it for some time to come.

The Bogart film you never heard of!.......2007-06-12

That's what my brother said when I popped it into the DVD player -- he couldn't understand how he could possibly have missed it, being a big Bogart fan. It was only in the last two years that I saw it for the first time myself -- I don't know where in the heck it's been but it's a very fun shot-on-location film (Mediterranean) with just a shade of Indiana Jones-ness to it. And I have always loved Peter Lorre, who adds a lot to this particular movie. And rotten scoundrels are rampant, (wonderful acting and casting all-around), all trying to cash in on treasure! The only somewhat negative comments (2) I have are regarding a number of weird camera angles and, the fact that the film seems grainy sometimes. My guess is, the director found himself on vacation with a pack of good actors in a great southern European location, pulled a script out of his briefcase and said, "Let's make a quick film!" I'm just guessing on that but when you see this flick, you'll understand what I mean. In the end, if you like Bogey, Lorre and, a VERY young and voluptuous Gina Lollobrigida, you can't beat, Beat the Devil!

i bet they all had fun making this one.......2007-04-22

john huston and humphrey bogart team up yet again for this noir spoof about smugglers caught in a place they cant escape from, with robert morley in the sydney greenstreet role, and peter lorre in the peter lorre role. probably more fun if youre a bigger fan of the genre than i am, and sadly the print is not in the best of shape, so ive taken away one * as a penalty.

Good Movie, Terrible DVD Production.......2007-02-07

The movie itself is great. It's funny with some great performances from brilliant actors. The producers of the DVD however have ruined the picture with very poor image quality, the worst I have seen in any reproduction of movies from that era. In addition, the "delta" insignia flashes on and off the screen intermittantly, distracting you from the show. The introduction and end comments from Tony Curtis are poorly edited in to the movie itself taking from the movie experience. Get the movie but not this version!

Beat him, thrash him.......2006-08-28

You'd think that "Beat the Devil" would be far better known than it is, since it was one of the last movies that Humphrey Bogart did before his untimely death. Maybe that's because Bacall wasn't in it, or maybe it was just too quirky for the masses -- a funny, wry noir-satire, with a gang of rather inept criminals.

Billy Dannreuther (Bogart) is part of a motley group planning to go to Africa, where a friend can help them illegally claim uranium. But trouble arrives: stuffy Harry Chelm (Edward Underdown) and his very imaginative wife Gwen (Jennifer Jones) arrive, and soon they're flirting with Billy and his sensual wife Maria (Gina Lollabrigida).

Even worse, Gwen's "exaggeration" habit is making the gang distrust Billy, thinking that he's withholding information from them. He isn't, of course. But all the personal plots and distrust come to a boil when everyone boards the ship, and Harry reveals that he knows everything about their uranium plot. Now Billy has to save himself and his friends, without Harry being bumped off...

"Beat the Devil" is an all-around satire -- it mocks grabby criminals, pathological liars, stodgy Brits, romance movies, crime capers, and even second-rate boats ("Of course, the captain is drunk!"). In fact, there's very little about this movie that doesn't poke fun at itself, or at the movies of the time.

And since it was adapted by John Huston and Truman Capote, you know that it's being witty as it makes fun. It languidly builds up in a sunny, ruined city where people plot and flirt, and then starts to boil when they get on board the boat. But even engine failures manage to be entertaining when Harry wrecks the oil pump while trying to fix it.

The cast is skilled in that under-the-radar way: Bogart plays a slightly more offbeat version of his noir characters, and Jennifer Jones is hilarious as the ditzy, chattery English girl. Peter Lorre and Robert Morley are also quite good as Bogie's pals, and Underdown plays the insensitive, straight-arrow dunce perfectly. You'll constantly want to smack him.

Though not as respected as it deserves, "Beat the Devil" is a little gem of a Bogart movie, with a witty, satirical script and lots of wild twists. Definitely a keeper.

Average customer rating:

A must-have film
weak performance by Bogart

Beat the Devil
Starring: Ivor Barnard , Humphrey Bogart , Juan de Landa , Jennifer Jones , and Bernard Lee
Director: John Huston
Manufacturer: Westlake Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000Z6N9C
Release Date: 2003-11-01

Customer Reviews:

A must-have film.......2007-06-13

One of the most dryly amusing films you will ever have the pleasure to relish. Robert Morley is amazing, Peter Lorre is sublime, Jennifer Jones is stunning and Bogey is Bogey.

weak performance by Bogart.......2007-01-10

Bogart seems tired and ill in this film. Black and white shooting is very poor also, looks as if the director and crew just wanted a vacation in Italy and decided to make a film to accomplish it. But, Jennifer Jones gives an acceptable rookie performance and it is a required addition to any "Bogy" collection.

Average customer rating:

Not Spain's finest
great gothic chiller
"Panic Beats"...more like "Lame Beats"

Panic Beats
Starring: Charly Bravo , Lola Gaos , Carole Kirkham , Silvia Miró , and Paquita Ondiviela
Manufacturer: Mondo Macabra
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ASIN: B0007ZSHWG
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Description

Panic Beats delivers the goods so far as horror fans are concerned. The film is extremely gory (be warned) and has some very effective shock scenes as you would expect in a film that is about someone being scared to death. All things that Euro horror fans demand are here, blood and gore, weird nightmare sequences, sex and nudity, exotic settings and a bizarre historical background. The film is also extremely well shot with some beautiful cinematography - now fully evident in this remastered version and some great special make up effects. Finally, the film is unusual in that it mixes a very classic thriller plot with it's full blooded horror elements, making the horror even more shocking.

Extras
A 30 minute interview with the Director.
A 20 minute featurette on the history of the Spansh horror movie.
Newly Remastered Anamorphic from original negative.
Large Photo Gallery.
Mondo Macabro preview reel.

Customer Reviews:

Not Spain's finest .......2005-06-28

Mondo Macabro continues it's uneven track record of high quality transfers of great and not so great horror movies from around the world. This one represents Spain, but it's not the finest example of the Spanish horror genre. Often the plot and acting of Spanish horror is juvenile, but stylish photography, gorgeous euro-babes, cheesy gore and creepy atmosphere are usually more than adequate compensation. Sadly, Panic Beats is lacking on most of these counts. The babes are sparse, photography uninspired, and what's the deal with the theme music?!? Also, for some reason, every actor and actress in this thing has really bad- distractingly bad- teeth!

Better Naschy films are Hunchback of the Morgue and Werewolf's Shadow. Even the dull Dracula's Great Love has sexy Rosanna Yanni to wake you up. Some of Spain's best in general are Tombs of the Blind Dead, Night of the Sorcerers, The Blood-Spattered Bride, The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein, Horror Express and The Lorely's Grasp.

As for the DVD, the image and sound are top notch. There's also and interview with Naschy/Molina and a little overview of Spanish horror, that does include a (too) brief visit with the late Amando de Ossorio. Sadly, nothing very indepth is discussed.

If Macabro could do better with some of the films they acquire, I would be much more enthusiastic about their product, because I like the concept of what they're trying to do. Their Mystics in Bali DVD is a good example of them getting it right. I just wish this was a Night of the Sorcerers edition instead, with interviews galore and a fully restored, totally pristine image/sound transfer (hint,hint).

great gothic chiller.......2005-05-15

Well-to-do married couple Paul Marnac (Naschy) and Genevieve (Saly) aren't quite
as happy as they appear; Paul's business is in trouble and he's having a fling on
the side with Julie (Ondiviela), a sexy young schemer who's more than happy to
help Paul bump off his frail wife. Fortunately Paul happens to be a descendant
of Alaric de Marnac (the medieval fiend played by Naschy in the earlier Horror
Rises from the Tomb), and legend has it that Alaric returns in knight gear once
every century to clean house of anyone making life miserable for the family.
Other players in the household include Paul's secretary and occasional mistress
Mirielle (MirO) and the creepy housekeeper Mabile (Gaos), who has a habit of
popping up in Julie's nightmares with a bleeding slit throat. Soon death
strikes in this cursed household as the knighted terror returns, but all is
not as it seems...

Having thoroughly explored the possibilities of transposing the classic Universal
monsters to Spain with his series of Waldemar Daninsky werewolf films and one-offs
like Count Dracula's Great Love, here horror icon Naschy takes a stab at William
Castle territory with this fast-paced, nasty, and thoroughly enjoyable fusion of
The Tingler and House on Haunted Hill. With its scheming lovers, trippy dream
sequences, and even a woman terrorized by a ghoul rising from a bathtub and
other horrors lying in wait outside, this ode to the master of screen gimmickry
features enough knots in its plot to keep viewers guessing. Even the over-the-top
finale is pure Castle, with supernatural horror and murder mystery shenanigans
finally swirling together to produce a hefty body count that ends on a suitably
delirious note. The film features an enjoyable turn from Naschy in a less
sympathetic role than usual and benefits from some heaping dollops of sex
including a lengthy topless bedroom scene, while Naschy-as-director piles
on the gothic visuals with plenty of stylized lighting and quirky camera
tricks. Add to that a typically pulsating score yanked from the CAM library
and you've got one of the stronger early '80s Euro horror titles, which was
strangely never circulated much outside of its native country except in wretched
bootleg editions... until now, that is.

In typically devoted fashion, Mondo Macabro delivers an immacualte, visually
stunning presentation of this rarity in a condition that literally looks like
a completely different film compared to past video editions. Colors are
beautifully saturated, and detail is pin-perfect throughout; this easily earns
its spot as one of their most satisfying visual presentations to date. The mono
Spanish soundtrack features optional English subtitles and sounds fine, with every
booming musical cue and piercing shriek coming through loud and clear. As for
extras, you get a new interview with Naschy in which he warmly talks about his
career, a retro-fitted episode of Eurotika! devoted to Spanish horror, a hefty
still and artwork gallery, and the usual party-worthy Mondo Macabro promo reel

"Panic Beats"...more like "Lame Beats".......2005-05-13

I expected this film to be an exciting, atmospheric bloodbath, but that didn't happen. Panic Beats is full of cheap thrills along the lines of many snake in the bed bits with drawn out scenes, boring dialogue (not even funny dialogue), and an unfolding double cross between Naschy and his wife, mistress, and new love interest, and two good gore scenes (the only gore scenes) towards the end.

I was disappointed in this one...there's nothing better from Mondo Macabro than "Lady Terminator."

Skip this one.

Hollywood Classics Double Feature: Beat the Devil/Call It Murder

Average customer rating:

Horrible quality
You're very wise to get out of it, escape, while you can.
A terrible example of DVD technology.
What a shame and a waste. . .
More Madacy trash...

Hollywood Classics Double Feature: Beat the Devil/Call It Murder
Starring: Sidney Fox , O.P. Heggie , Henry Hull , Margaret Wycherly , and Lynne Overman
Director: Chester Erskine , and John Huston
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00000IC8J
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Customer Reviews:

Horrible quality.......2006-01-16

I can't compare this to any other versions, or to a different, longer, and better "cut" as mentioned in other reviews of other editions, but I'll say this -- the sound quality is positively abysmal. Left channel sound comes and goes as it pleases, and actors' voices are so muddy it's difficult to understand plain English. I haven't watched it long enough to find any of the video flaws that others mention, and the way it's going, I may not need to.

Fortunately I didn't waste any money on this. Got it from the library.

Move along folks, move along. Nothing to see here.

You're very wise to get out of it, escape, while you can........2004-09-25

What happened in this film? I couldn't tell you. One of the major downfalls of these films were the lack of quality that was used to transfer this film to DVD. I felt at times that I was watching a very old VHS version of these films. There is even a moment where you get squiggle lines at the top of the screen as if you are watching this film on a rackety VHS player. The fade in's and fade out's were horribly miscalculated. I am always a believer that you should let your character finish his/her line or action before you go to a fade, that way you don't have audience members straining to hear or to catch a final glimpse of what is happening. I am trying really hard to watch some of these older films. They are the backbone to modern cinema ... but can't they be any better. I am still waiting for me to discover that gem. I think that is my mission now. I want to see an older film that is virtually unheard of, but is movie making at its best. Beat the Devil gets one star, while Call it Murder also gets one. That is why this entire pack gets two stars. Addition. Blach! Watch out for these ... they're doozies!!

Grade: ** out of *****

A terrible example of DVD technology........2001-11-01

The manufacturer of this DVD did not make any effort to digitally re-master the source material. Imagine an old vacuum-tube TV set with just a piece of aluminum foil for an antenna, then try to imagine viewing this movie via on-air broadcast from a TV station 100 miles away. Can you immagine that? Good! You'd have better picture quality in that scenario than you have from this DVD. Sound on "Call It Murder" is delayed by a second or so, making you wonder just who in the picture is doing the talking. Add to that the loud background hiss coming from your speakers the whole time. This DVD is trash. Even if you were given this DVD for free, you'd want to throw it away. Don't waste your money!

What a shame and a waste. . ........2001-01-04

As valuable as many of our "heritage films" have proven themselves to be, it's a real crime to allow a second (or in this case, THIRD) rate video producer to get their hands on them.

Both "Midnight" (later released as "Call it Murder") and "Beat the Devil" as decent films in their own right, but this compilation DVD just needs to be burned, or at least banned. Compilations like this one are just another reason our appreciation of older films is in decay. I wouldn't drive a 58 Corvette if it were in this condition, I'm certainly not going to recommend such poor quality DVD reproductions of great movies.

The video is aweful. The audio lags. Practically no special features.

I STRONGLY URGE YOU NOT TO BUY THIS DVD OR ANY BY THE SAME COMPANY-

More Madacy trash..........2000-03-03

Madacy has done it again...taken what could have been decent DVD's and turned them into trash. The video transfer from film is very poor, but the worst is the audio. Madacy has a history of producing low-cost low-quality legacy DVD's, just look at other reviews of Madacy titles (check out Charlie Chaplin DVD's).

Average customer rating:

Misadventures at Sea
Bizarre, febrile, wacky and genial film!
One of the Greats
Bogart himself called it a "mess."
Time is a crook

Beat the Devil
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Jennifer Jones , Gina Lollobrigida , Robert Morley , and Peter Lorre
Director: John Huston
Manufacturer: Diamond Ent. Corp.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005BI9D
Release Date: 2003-01-01

Customer Reviews:

Misadventures at Sea.......2007-08-20

Bizarre, febrile, wacky and genial film!.......2007-08-02

John Huston and Truman Capote concocted this offbeat and funny satire around the Maltese Flacon. Since its release, became a cult movie and still remains.

One of the Greats.......2007-02-12

Bogart himself called it a "mess.".......2006-12-18

Time is a crook.......2006-07-05

Average customer rating:

Beat the Devil/My Favorite Brunette
Starring: DVD Cult 2 Movies Classics
Manufacturer: DVD Cult Classics
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002Q9VBQ
Release Date: 2004-07-27

AMC'S Hollywood Tough Guys - BEAT THE DEVIL (1953), THUNDER IN THE CITY (1937), OUTPOST IN MOROCCO (1949), THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL (1939)

Average customer rating:

AMC'S Hollywood Tough Guys - BEAT THE DEVIL (1953), THUNDER IN THE CITY (1937), OUTPOST IN MOROCCO (1949), THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL (1939)
Starring: Luli Deste , and Claude Rains
Director: John Huston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video
Product Features:

4 movies on 2 DVDs
Over 6 hours running time.
Digitally remastered and sound enhanced.
BEAT THE DEVIL (1953) / THUNDER IN THE CITY (1937)
OUTPOST IN MOROCCO (1949) / THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL (1939)

ASIN: B000MKP418

Product Description

Hollywood Tough Guys Swing Into Action! Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, George Raft and John Garfield Exciting escapades of Hollywood's infamous good guys/bad guys offer devoted fans thrills galore. It's all here: movies jam-packed with adventure, deception, intrigue, drama and occasionally a bit of satirical humor. Disc 1 BEAT THE DEVIL (1953) - This sophisticated and whimsical parody, written by Truman Capote and director John Huston, involves roguish travelers (Humphrey Bogart, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lorre, Robert Morley, and Jennifer Jones) on a steamboat, each hoping to carry off a huge swindle in the uranium fields of Northern Africa. THUNDER IN THE CITY (1937) - A failed American publicist (Edward G. Robinson) retreats to England to learn more about business and becomes embroiled in a crooked scheme while competing with an Englishman (Ralph Richardson) for a woman (Luli Deste). Disc 2 OUTPOST IN MOROCCO (1949) - A Foreign Legionnaire (George Raft) romances an emir's daughter (Marie Windsor) in order to learn more about the enemies' plans. THEY MADE ME A CRIMINAL (1939) - While hiding out on an Arizona farm, a hard-drinking boxer suspected of murder (John Garfield) befriends the juvenile delinquents (the Dead End Kids) working there. Unfortunately, a persistent detective (Claude Rains) closes in on him.

Average customer rating:

"Hollywood's Golden Age of Classic Comedies (2006) ... Passport Video"
WELL WORTH THE MONEY
A lesser Lubitsch comedy -- still quite nice!!
On eof the best films!
Routine, adventure and humor

Beat the Devil/That Uncertain Feeling
Starring: Merle Oberon , Melvyn Douglas , Burgess Meredith , Alan Mowbray , and Olive Blakeney
Director: Ernst Lubitsch , and John Huston
Manufacturer: Sling Shot
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00003ETNA
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Customer Reviews:

"Hollywood's Golden Age of Classic Comedies (2006) ... Passport Video".......2006-10-21

Passport Video and Koch Entertainment Distribution present "CLASSIC COMEDIES FROM HOLLYWOOD'S GOLDEN AGE" (Dolby digitally remastered) --- relive the laughter from Hollywood's Golden Age...spanning the early years of comedy ('20s--'40s) --- this collection features signature films from comedy's greatest names...besides that you just discovered the essential collection of classic comedy performances --- this compilation features more hours of the best routines in comedy history than you could shake a stick at...laugh along with your favorite film, scene and actors that keep you coming back for more.

15 Fabulously Funny Feature Films (in alphabetical order in which they appear)

1. FATHER'S LITTLE DIVIDEND (1951) Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth Taylor & Joan Bennett
2. GENERAL, THE (1927 Buster Keaton
3. GOLD RUSH, THE (1925) Charlie Chaplin
4. HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940) Cary Grant & Rosalind Russell
5. INSPECTOR GENERAL,THE (1949) Danny Kaye & Elsa Lanchester
6. JUDGE PRIEST (1934) Will Rogers & Hattie McDaniel
7. LIFE WITH FATHER (1947) William Powell, Elizabeth Taylor & Irene Dunne
8. MILKY WAY,THE (1936) Harold Lloyd & Adolphe Menjou
9. MR. ROBINSON CRUSOE (1932) Douglas Fairbanks Sr.
10. MY MAN GODFREY (1936) William Powell & Carole Lombard
11. NOTHING SACRED (1937) Fredric March & Carole Lombard
12. PALOOKA (1934) Stu Erwin & Jimmy Durante
13. SPEAK EASILY (1932) Buster Keaton & Jimmy Durante
14. THAT UNCERTAIN FEELING (1941) Merle Oberon & Melvyn Douglas
15. TOPPER RETURNS (1941) Joan Blondell & Roland Young

Great job by Passport Video for releasing "Classic Comedies From Hollywood's Golden Age", the digital transfere with a somewhat clean and clear print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage era of the '20s, '30s & '40s ... order your copy now from Amazon or Passport Video where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch performances mixed with laughter ... they're funny, they're sad, but most of all they're passionate ... here's a side-splitting collectioin of classic comedies that appeal to every sense of humor from slapstick to sophisticated --- they say that laughter is always the best medicine, try some you just might like it..

Total Time: 1315 mins on 5-DVD's ~ Passport Video DVD #5870 ~ (7/11/2006)

WELL WORTH THE MONEY.......2004-06-08

The studio that puts this out is a little confusing. This double feature is from Triton/E-Realbiz.com. Also Slingshot is mentioned on the cover. I've been gobbling up these releases where I find them. For some reason Amazon is not stocking this.
Most of the reviews are a little old, but I'm still confused about their issues of quality. For the money it's pretty good. On "That Uncertain Feeling," I'd give the image a B- and the sound a B-. On Beat the Devil I'd give the image a B+ and the sound a B. Overall you get two intriuging, rewatchable and entertaining movies for a budget price.

A lesser Lubitsch comedy -- still quite nice!!.......2003-12-27

A blithe screwball comedy from director Ernst Lubitsch about an "ideal" modern couple (known to their friends as "the Happy Bakers") whose marriage is on the rocks... Merle Oberon has a six-year itch; her husband (Melvyn Douglas) is a bit of a boob, an all right guy, but a bit obsessed with his work and at times inattentive. When Merle bumps into a free-thinking, artsy malcontent (a young Burgess Meredith, in a choice, juicy role), she falls in his arms and throws her marriage away. The story was originally filmed by Lubitsch in the silent era, but whether it's 1925 or 1941, the plot is still startlingly frank and modern: Douglas takes the affair and divorce in his stride, and even does a bit of fooling around on his own in a bid to get his wife back... The film features brisk, witty dialogue and a zippy start, and though it kind of loses a little steam midway through, it's still pretty fun. Several great character actors are in the cast, including Eve Arden and Sig Rumann... Maybe not the greatest Lubitsch film ever, but it's still a gas. Recommended!

On eof the best films!.......2003-02-19

This is a very entertaining film. A rich an married socialite, with a devoted, but buisness minded husband, works selling insurance. The wife, Jill is neglected and wants some excitement and attention, as well as more romance. She turns to a self-centered man who plays the piano, and is said to be great in art. He says "Phooey," about practically everything. Husband and wife reconcile and all is forgiven. It's a really must see movie and is one of the best in my opinion.

Merle Oberon Melyvn Douglas are brilliant in it. They make a romantic, and comical couple at times. It deserves many many stars.

Routine, adventure and humor.......2002-05-04

This love story is original by the level of humor it contains. A wife can get bored in her married life by the lack of unforeseen events, by the routine of her husband's money-earning lifestyle. She might get attracted by some marginal artist or personality that seems to shine and glow with an unforeseeable life. But this attraction is only superficial and it gets boring in its turn by the total unpredictability of the new man and the film implies woman wants some stability and regularity. So the love affair comes to an end because of this conflict of psychological interests in the woman. Well done and very funny in many ways, though rather anti-artistic and anti-modern art.

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