Beat the Devil

"They’re Out To Beat the Devil At His Own Game!"

1953 1h 35m EN

😐

6.1

MID

★6.1TMDB · 180

AdventureComedyCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A group of con artists stake their claim on a bogus uranium mine.

“They’re Out To Beat the Devil At His Own Game!”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon Prime VideoSubscription

fuboTVSubscription

MGM+ Amazon ChannelSubscription

PhiloSubscription

BrewSubscription

YouTube TVSubscription

MGM PlusSubscription

Pure FlixSubscription

FlixFlingSubscription

Amazon Prime Video with AdsSubscription

Great American Pure Flix Amazon ChannelSubscription

Cast

Humphrey Bogart
Billy Dannreuther
Jennifer Jones
Gwendolen Chelm
Gina Lollobrigida
Maria Dannreuther
Robert Morley
Peterson
Peter Lorre
Julius O'Hara
Edward Underdown
Harry Chelm
Ivor Barnard
Maj. Jack Ross
Marco Tulli
Ravello

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Huston
Writers: Truman Capote, John Huston
Languages: English, Arabic, Italian
Countries: Italy, United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $1.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

73 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Arabic, Italian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Italy, United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Huston, shot by Oswald Morris. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Franco Mannino. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ralph Kemplen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Humphrey Bogart and Jennifer Jones and Gina Lollobrigida carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Huston directs. Oswald Morris behind the camera. Franco Mannino scores. Ralph Kemplen cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Italy, United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English, Arabic, Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $1.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
273 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Arabic, Italian.
4International production across 3 countries: Italy, United Kingdom, United States of America.
5Directed by John Huston, shot by Oswald Morris. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Franco Mannino. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Ralph Kemplen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Humphrey Bogart and Jennifer Jones and Gina Lollobrigida carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "They’re Out To Beat the Devil At His Own Game!".
10IMDB entry: tt0046414 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 21 themes, including "beach", "husband wife relationship", "italy", "narration".
12Released under 13 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Oswald Morris
Original score: Franco Mannino
Editing: Ralph Kemplen
Makeup / hair: Betty Lee
Runtime: 95 min · 1h 35m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $1,000,000
Original language: EN
IMDB: Beat the Devil (1953)

Awards

National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

John Huston

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

write2topcat2017-04-27
The plot of Beat The Devil involves a band of four motley characters intent on stealing uranium from British East Africa for a quick profit, in a land deal brokered by the Bogart character,(named Billy Dannreuther). The story begins in an Italian seaport as Bogie and his wife Maria, played by Gina Lollobrigida, wait on the arrival of the four criminals played by Philip Morley (Peterson), Peter Lorre (Julius O'Hara), Ivor Barnard (Maj. Jack Ross), and Marco Tulli (Ravello). From there they plan to sail to Africa. While waiting they meet a British couple going on the same ship, Edward Underdown and Jennifer Jones (who play Harry and Gwendolyn Chelm). The plot is an afterthought though. The film is about eccentric behavior. Philip Morley's character Peterson is a nervous, greedy, bumbling fellow. The two wives develop crushes on each other's husbands. Jennifer Jones as Gwen Chelm is a flighty, happy, imaginative creature of fancy who falls in love with Bogart. The sea captain is a drunkard, and the ship is a rust bucket with a failing oil pump. The steward tells the passengers to return to the lounge. "We're heading to the nearest port, and there seems to be some chance of our making it" he says smiling. If you enjoy relaxed, amusing entertainment, you might like the witty company of this cast of seasoned actors and beautiful actresses.
CinemaSerf2024-12-01
★ 7/10
An unlikely group of would-be swindlers find themselves stuck in Italy when their boat (to Africa) breaks down. Theoretically, the four are on their way to sell vacuum cleaners (but really to pick up some ostensibly worthless land - that only they know is a rich source of uranium). Whilst they wait, they meet a British couple and soon the six, somewhat distrustingly, continue their journey. The story isn't really up to very much. It's the characterisations that work well. Humphrey Bogart is great as the seedy but clever foil to the excellent Robert Morley - both make good use of the witty script from Truman Capote and direction from John Huston. Peter Lorre, likewise, always manages to make less look like more - his eyes, shrugs and smiles add much that do not need accompanying words. Gina Lollobrigida rarely made a good film, I think, though. Glamorous, sexy - sure, but talented? I think not - and here she adds very little, unlike Jennifer Jones ("Mrs. Chelm") whose ability to spin a yarn or two would stretch the imagination of Enid Blyton. It runs out of steam a little towards the quite quirky end, but is still a well structured and engaging adventure with just a hint of romance.

Production companies