Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 12:33pm

We’re No Angels

What would Christmas be without Devil’s Island and escaped convicts?  This is probably a Christmas movie to avoid unless, like me, you are blessed\cursed with a quirky sense of humor.  On Christmas Eve 1895, three escaped convicts from Devil’s Island, portrayed by Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray, fall in with a family who run a store.  Initially planning on robbing and murdering them, the convicts instead end up helping the family and by the conclusion of the film decide to return to prison to serve out their sentences.  Hearing the plot, I am sure you are aware that a fair amount of suspension of disbelief is required while watching the film.

The dialogue is witty and the performances are superb, especially that of Basil Rathbone who portrays the greedy and villainous Uncle of the family.  His greed proves his undoing as this scene relates:

This film would certainly never make my top ten list of Christmas films, but it is fun to watch as long as none of it is taken at all seriously.

 

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Donald Link
Saturday, December 17, AD 2022 10:57am

Quite correct. The film is rather quirky, especially considering the roles the actors traditionally played in films. Still, a worthwhile piece of entertainment if only to consider the nature of films made at that time.

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