Beat the Devil Rating: Release Date: 30 November, 1999 Retail Price: $14.98 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Humphrey Bogart Peter Lorre Bernard Lee Jennifer Jones Complete Cast (8 total)

Beat the Devil Reviews

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Harmless Drivel
I like John Huston and Humphrey Bogart both very well. I guess that is why I am disappointed with this film. There is nothing particularly wrong with it but neither is there anything right. It is mindless, mildly amusing entertainment.

Bogart plays one of several men on his way to Africa to swindle the locals out of Uranium concessions. He is the nicest of his bunch which is not saying much. They are to travel by ship and, on the same ship, is a young English couple. She falls for Bogey and Bogey's wife seems to have an interest in the husband but things start to fall apart when the husband learns of the uranium plot. The other bad guys realize that they are going to have to get him out of the way. This involves abandoned ships, being help prisoner by Arabs and a host of other inconveniences. Eventually, things work out.

As I said, there is nothing really wrong with this film. Its just not as great as I expected. It is completely ordinary.


What? You don't get it?
Yes, John Huston is known for "The Maltese Falcon," but that may or may not prepare you for this film. You see, "The Treasure of Sierra Madre" and "Key Largo" as well as "The Maltese Falcon" are a basis for this film. A complete rehash of formula? Absolutely not. Huston took "Across the Pacific" serious. "Beat The Devil" he did not. The capacity to understand this film lies in the many bent paradigms and scewed cliches that cause you to blink while watching it. I have seen it twice now. I have also shown it to my father and my step-father. Both love it, but not on a satire-level. They recognized it as a great film. You may not catch wind of the tongue-in-cheek quirks here, but this is a worthwhile movie. So buy it. Besides, look at the price.

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