We open at the gates of hell and you would think by that definition that we be entering some smelly old cave or a dilapidated farmhouse, but no! Hell stepped up its game, now it has the look of an art deco office with lovely Oak tables, decent mood lighting, giant encyclopedic books (which I presume hold the names of all the people that belong in hell) There's even some technology down here, his Excellency (The Satan) actually has modern-day Tech (or at least modern for 1943.)
Long gone are the days of Dante Alighieri traveling through limbo, walking throw the cave and seeing that old sign ''Abandon all hope ye who enter here" for it seems his exaltedness is quite interested in his local subjects, he'll actually sit you down and question you; 'Are you a good candidate for hell?' It's kind of like an interview not just anybody can get in (unless you're some bag of the old woman who can't shut her mouth. In which case Satan won't even give you a Second Glance he'll just drop you right down into the fires of Jahannam!
I love the way Satan is betrayed in this movie he actually cares about people reputation and wants to see if there worthy of living in heavan. It's more accurate to the original Satan in the Bible itself as opposed to that red suited devil of the Medieval World who's more a metaphor for various pagan gods than the Satan from the Tanakh.
So you've got old 'Henry Van Cleve' as played by Don Ameche, the philanthropist of the age. givaning an account of he's entire life, showing all the various women he had relationships with and how he's worldview has changed over the years, what would become of his marriage and how he deals with being a pathological liar. There's a lot of great dry comedy, witty banter and a wonderful sense of emotion.
You will laugh and you will cry. it kind of reminds me of ''It's a Wonderful Life'' but instead of it being a man saving himself from suicide with the guidance of an Angel, it's an already dead man talking to the devil.
I love the scenery in this movie late Victorian era New York City environment. It's very strange that this is a coloured movie. Most films of the time weren't, with the exceptions of musicals, but they sure made good use of that colour.
Charles Coburn is the funniest son-of-a-bitch in this whole movie, he's crude but calm insulting at the rest of the family is just hilarious. Also he looks ridiculous with thos mutton chops, kind of looks like Kaiser Karl Franz Joseph.
Long gone are the days of Dante Alighieri traveling through limbo, walking throw the cave and seeing that old sign ''Abandon all hope ye who enter here" for it seems his exaltedness is quite interested in his local subjects, he'll actually sit you down and question you; 'Are you a good candidate for hell?' It's kind of like an interview not just anybody can get in (unless you're some bag of the old woman who can't shut her mouth. In which case Satan won't even give you a Second Glance he'll just drop you right down into the fires of Jahannam!
I love the way Satan is betrayed in this movie he actually cares about people reputation and wants to see if there worthy of living in heavan. It's more accurate to the original Satan in the Bible itself as opposed to that red suited devil of the Medieval World who's more a metaphor for various pagan gods than the Satan from the Tanakh.
So you've got old 'Henry Van Cleve' as played by Don Ameche, the philanthropist of the age. givaning an account of he's entire life, showing all the various women he had relationships with and how he's worldview has changed over the years, what would become of his marriage and how he deals with being a pathological liar. There's a lot of great dry comedy, witty banter and a wonderful sense of emotion.
You will laugh and you will cry. it kind of reminds me of ''It's a Wonderful Life'' but instead of it being a man saving himself from suicide with the guidance of an Angel, it's an already dead man talking to the devil.
I love the scenery in this movie late Victorian era New York City environment. It's very strange that this is a coloured movie. Most films of the time weren't, with the exceptions of musicals, but they sure made good use of that colour.
Charles Coburn is the funniest son-of-a-bitch in this whole movie, he's crude but calm insulting at the rest of the family is just hilarious. Also he looks ridiculous with thos mutton chops, kind of looks like Kaiser Karl Franz Joseph.
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