We're No Angels

"A strangler... A swindler... A safecracker... Yet you'll love them!"

1955 1h 46m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

7.4

IMDB

★7.2TMDB · 216●51Metacritic★7.4IMDB · 12,000

ComedyCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Three convicts escape from prison on Devil's Island just before Christmas and arrive at a nearby French colonial town. They go to the store of the Ducotels, the only store that gives supplies on credit. They initially intend to take advantage of them but have a change of heart after they find the family is in financial troubles.

“A strangler... A swindler... A safecracker... Yet you'll love them!”

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Cast

Humphrey Bogart
Joseph
Aldo Ray
Albert
Peter Ustinov
Jules
Joan Bennett
Amelie Ducotel
Basil Rathbone
Andre Trochard
Leo G. Carroll
Felix Ducotel
John Baer
Paul Trochard
Gloria Talbott
Isabelle Ducotel

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Michael Curtiz
Writers: Ranald MacDougall
Languages: French, English, Italian
Countries: 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

ERA

Did you know

71 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, English, Italian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Michael Curtiz, shot by Loyal Griggs. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Humphrey Bogart and Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "A strangler... A swindler... A safecracker... Yet you'll love them!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0048801 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Michael Curtiz directs. Loyal Griggs behind the camera. Friedrich Hollaender scores. Arthur P. Schmidt cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in French, English, Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

171 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, English, Italian.
3Directed by Michael Curtiz, shot by Loyal Griggs. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Friedrich Hollaender. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Arthur P. Schmidt shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Humphrey Bogart and Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "A strangler... A swindler... A safecracker... Yet you'll love them!".
8IMDB entry: tt0048801 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Released under 27 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Loyal Griggs
Original score: Friedrich Hollaender
Editing: Arthur P. Schmidt
Costume design: Mary Grant
Makeup / hair: Wally Westmore
Runtime: 106 min · 1h 46m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $3,000,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: We're No Angels (1955)
Metacritic: 51/100
IMDB rating: 7.4/10 · 12,000 votes
MPAA: Not Rated

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Michael Curtiz

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2018-12-23
★ 7/10
Who says Bogart couldn't do comedy? Joseph, Julius and Albert have escaped from Devil's island, whilst waiting for a ship to take them away, they plot to steal from the amiable Ducotel family. They bluff store owner Felix into letting them repair his roof, from here they plan to execute their robbery, but the more that the escapees observe this family, the more they find humane personas coming from within. Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov take up the task of playing our villains who find hearts, where backed up with witty dialogue amongst the very tidily scripted piece, the result is a hugely enjoyable picture for all the family to enjoy. The film mostly works because of the interplay between Ustinov & Bogart, Ustinov's Jules is a softly spoken gentile sort of man and this oddly works well against Bogart's Joseph who is gruff and oozing toughness, this of course sets us up for some delightful scenes that leave a lasting impression. Witness Bogart in a pink apron! Aldo Ray, perhaps not unsurprisingly, seems a touch out of place and looks swamped by the acting talent either side of him, but he does what is needed and his characters' pet snake, Adolphe, is the crucial meat in this films sandwich. Sadly Basil Rathbone is wasted by being reduced to what amounts to little more than a walk on villain part, but a great bonus is Leo G. Carroll as the hapless Felix Ducotel, charmingly oblivious to what is around him, Carroll gets the audience on board with a smashingly effective turn. Perhaps viewed as a Christmas movie by many, it is however a film that can be watched at anytime of the year, a testament to what a good script can do for comedy. We're No Angels is never less than fun, and of course its backed up by a few highly watchable performances. 7/10

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