dougdoepke
It's Hollywood's version of The Three Wise Men in this droll, slightly morbid comedy. Of course, the three escapees from Devil's Island prison don't start out as do-gooders. But once they encounter the struggling Ducotel family, their heartstrings are tugged. The chuckles come from how the three use their criminal skills to help the family's failing business, which is also about to be foreclosed by a hard-hearted cousin Andre (Rathbone) and his grasping son Paul (Baer).Now when thinking laughs, Bogart, Ray, and Ustinov don't come to mind. Wisely, each underplays his comedic role letting the unlikely situation they're in dominate; that way, none risk a broader type comedy that might burlesque their established personas. So Bogart's Joseph uses his shady leadership skills to benefit the family. Thus Bogart is still Bogart despite the droll format. At the same time, Ustinov's Jules cracks open about every lock in town, while Ray angles toward the fetching family daughter Isabelle (Talbot). All in all, It's a clever format for the three.Anyway, Talbott's charming, getting to wear about every colorful outfit in Paramount's wardrobe department. Carroll, on the other hand, looks unwell and too old to believably husband the lovely, much younger Bennett. On the other hand, I especially like the scenes where a fast-talking Bogart uses salesmanship on a reluctant over-weight woman (Penman), and an ill-fitting jacket on a paunchy man. As I recall, the movie got a lot of ballyhoo at the time, probably because of Bogart and this slight change of pace.Anyway, the 106-minutes may be a little overstretched for the material. But the results amount to an entertaining X-mas parable that was unfortunately Bogie's last film. But all in all, it's a pretty good one to go out on. One other thing, if someone offers you a little metal box with holes in it, don't take it. I repeat, don't take it.
Zonieboy
The setting for this movie is 1895, Devil's Island. The story unfolds around Christmas time and what a delightful tale it is to be seen. Michael Curtiz directs a cast that makes you feel like the characters in the story are family. I know a bit offbeat and with a bit of dark humor at times. The movie shines with real heartfelt emotion. It truly is one of my favorite movies, not just at Christmas time but anytime. If you are a Bogart or Ustinov fan you deserve to treat yourself to this little gem.Aldo Ray is simply wonderful as the muscular backup to our three angels. Basil Rathbone is perfect in his character. If you see the movie you will know what I mean. The song "Sentimental Moments" is such a sweet little song. I wish it this were in circulation on TCM or other channels.It is a Christmas classic in our house, maybe it will be yours too!
idgie57
A delightful, silly, innocent little 1950's Christmas-season comedy starring some of cinema's greatest talent... This is not a critical masterpiece - it never was meant to be - just a fun little flick with sassy one-liners that will make you laugh out loud..."Oh, look - it's that delicious fat woman!" (Peter Ustinov)Basil Rathbone: "What are you staring at?" Peter Ustinov: "You. I've never seen anything like you." Bogey: "I have, but not on Christmas!""Mind her head on the banisters!""I wish I were dead. I wish I were a drunkard. I wish I were a dead drunkard!" (Leo G. Carroll)Just sit back and have fun with it. It's a Christmas tradition in my house.
Danusha_Goska Save Send Delete
"We're No Angels" is a weirdly endearing, unique movie. It's really hard for a movie to be unique, given how many there are. What makes "We're No Angels" so special: the cast, the black humor, and the setting.For a Golden Age film fan, "We're No Angels" cast is reason enough to catch the film. Almost every member of the small cast is a screen icon, and from a completely different genre: Humphrey Bogart, the quintessential tough guy gangster, Peter Ustinov, famous for his decadent Nero, Aldo Ray, sunny, smiling, cracked-voice blonde athlete and hunk, Joan Bennett, a film noir femme fatale, Leo G. Carroll, famous for playing fastidious gentlemen, and Basil Rathbone, the evil antagonist in swashbuckler sword duels.Here, though, they are merely old pros, trading the film's stagey, black humor lines with calm aplomb. When hunky, escaped murderer Aldo Ray cracks to Basil Rathbone, playing a Snidely Whiplash style villain, "You frighten me," the line is funny enough to be worth seeing the film for.When not delivering their lines, the actors here seem almost to dance with each other; the film is like choreography. Each star has his or her own distinctive body language and it all comes together humorously.The film's very quiet, dark humor and literate script tell a fantastic tale: three convicts, escaped from Devil's Island, fall into a failing bourgeois merchant's household and manage to turn their Caribbean holiday into a real Christmas. The plot has just enough realism -- bad men converted by a young girl's faith, for example to convince you to go along for the ride.
AD
