Beat the Devil

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Beat the Devil

Released Mar 12, 1954

1h 32m

Romance

Comedy

Crime

Drama

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

68%

Tomatometer

19 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Billy and Maria Dannreuther are among a number of travelers stranded in Italy en route to Africa. While the Dannreuthers seem like an average couple, they have the same goal as Mrs. Gwendolen Chelm and some of their other shifty companions -- to lay claim to property that is supposedly rich with uranium.

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

It’s wilfully nutty, but the dialogue from Truman Capote is sublime.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 29, 2022

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

It operates under the assumption that everyone in it is drunk, lusty, a little crooked, and a little crazy, and once you tune in to their wavelength, it's fun to just hang out with them for an hour and a half.

Feb 17, 2017

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Howard Thompson

New York Times

For all the studiedly suave professionalism, though, "Beat the Devil" ends up beating itself.

Aug 8, 2006

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

I don't know what John Huston was thinking to direct 'Beat the Devil', but to tell the truth his adventure comedy starring Humphrey Bogart seems a bit dull to me. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 5/10

Oct 30, 2020

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Jesús Fernández Santos

El Pais (Spain)

An informal comedy that is at times critical, entertaining, and even discursive. [Full Review in Spanish]

Aug 16, 2019

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Josephine O'Neill

Daily Telegraph (Australia)

Their production is sheer picaresque adventure, which darts from point to point as their fancy takes it -- and sparkles with mordant humor.

Apr 2, 2019

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jack m

One of the greatest movies of the last century..You can't go wrong with a John Huston movie, also the cast is a good as it gets..Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Peter Lorre, Gina Lollobridgida, Robert Morley..The script is masterful, great humor, great interplay of the characters..great lines..This is a real overlooked gem, sadly a film like this couldn't be made these days..But at least we have it, this is what can happen when some real artists are allowed to create, a true masterpiece..

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/18/25

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Joseph S

One of the funniest movies ever made! With a screenplay by Truman Capote and John Huston that was made up as the filming went on and no one taking it seriously the film film is a sheer delight. The problem at the time was that audiences were expecting another Maltese Falcon or Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Instead we have a group of actors having fun. Peter Lorre is a special delight (surreptitiously flicking his cigarette ash on an unwitting Morley at one and stealing the scene.) I watched again after decades and I still laughed out loud.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/25

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Steve D

Thin but quite entertaining with snappy dialog.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/06/24

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Scott H

Really appreciated the goofiness of this film...snappy dialogue (Huston and Truman Capote teamed up for it). Very clear on the narrative as well, unlike the Maltese Falcon.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/29/23

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Deke P

ALL STAR CAST! BOGART, LORRE, MORLEY, JENNIFER JONES, GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA. Despite the interesting story of how it was put together, it is an entertaining film.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/01/23

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Josh G

A Funny, Quirky, well acted vintage film. Peter Lorre is a stand out and great in comedy. Humphrey Bogart is going thru the motion and having fun. It predictable and fun, But doesn't wow.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

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John Huston

Director

Humphrey Bogart

Billy Dannreuther

Jennifer Jones

Mrs. Gwendolen Chelm

Gina Lollobrigida

Maria Dannreuther

Robert Morley

Peterson (crook No. 1)

Peter Lorre

Julius O'Hara (crook No. 2)

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Synopsis

Billy and Maria Dannreuther are among a number of travelers stranded in Italy en route to Africa. While the Dannreuthers seem like an average couple, they have the same goal as Mrs. Gwendolen Chelm and some of their other shifty companions -- to lay claim to property that is supposedly rich with uranium.

Director: John Huston
Producer: John Huston
Screenwriter: James Helvick, Truman Capote, John Huston
Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Video, Madacy Entertainment Group Inc. [us], Reel Media International [us], United Artists, LS Video, Hollywood Classics
Production Co: Romulus Films Ltd., Dear Film, Santana Pictures Corporation
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 12, 1954, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 11, 2016
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Flat (1.37:1)

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