El diablo nunca duerme

Satan Never Sleeps is the final film by great director Leo McCarey, whose finest hour was probably the fondly-remembered Going My Way. This is almost a remake of Going My Way in many ways, but back in 1962 when the film was released it was savaged by critics who found it vulgar, cliche-ridden and boring. When I first saw the film in 1993, I was pleasantly surprised by it. The performances are good, the story maintains a reasonable level of interest, and it is shot colourfully. The film is certainly overlong and some of the characters are painted in too broad strokes, but apart from that the critics were unfairly unkind to the film.

Father O'Banion (William Holden) and Father Bovard (Clifton Webb) are a couple of Catholic priests running a remote mission post in China in 1949. O'Banion has recently befriended a young Chinese woman Siu Lan (France Nuyen), but she makes him feel uncomfortable by frequently flirting with him and hinting that she would like to share his bed. Communist forces move into the area and damage the priests' chapel. To add to their woes, Siu Lan is raped and impregnated, and the Communist forces order the public execution of all Christians in the region. Ultimately, they have to flee for safety, pursued by Communist soldiers.

The film was actually filmed in England and Wales, but only occasionally does the lack of authentic location lensing show. Holden gives a decent performance and Webb, though miscast, is entertaining to watch as his older companion. Nuyen strikes the right balance as the flirtatious native girl. The worst performance comes from Weaver Lee, as a Chinese communist colonel - his character is written as a caricature rather than a realistic person, and he just can't get across a convincing reading of the role. On the whole, Satan Never Sleeps is an engrossing, diverting way to pass a couple of hours - certainly not the mega bomb that the critics would have you believe.

This film, set in Mao's China during the Communist Revolution proved to be an almost infuriating film to view. It was the final film of Leo McCary's fantastic (and eclectic) directing career ("Duck Soup," "The Bells of St. Mary's). The story centers around a young priest, Father O'Bannion (William Holden) sent to relieve an aging priest in a Chinese mission. He meets a wide-eyed, idealistic young Chinese girl (France Nuyen) along the way. When he arrives at the mission, all hell seems to break loose. Without divulging too much plot...our young priest encounters many battles: fending off the affection of the young girl; remaining true to his faith, and abstaining from self-defense and violence (even under extreme duress); and pleasing his aging sage, the older preist (Clifton Webb). Why did this movie bother me? Well, in a nutshell: the young girl professes her love for Father O'Bannion...and he realizes he must send her off, despite his *true* feelings. Later, a character rapes the young girl while Father O'Bannion can only look on in desperation (after being tied up). After the inital horror, the good Father suscribes to the ideal that the resulting son needs a father. No matter who it is. When the rapist returns to see is his son, O'Bannion more or less encourages the young woman to form a family. This after our new "dad" has watched communists kill his parents in cold blood for the simple act of worshipping Christ. I suppose this movie is "pure to the period." But it's a tough movie to view in this day and age. A rapist is never properly punished. A man supresses his true feelings of love for a woman, who then must live with her attacker "just so the child can have a father." The finale is as wacky as forgiving rape for "family's sake." The charming Nuyen and Holden give solid performances, but the message sent, and the film itself, left me frustrated and somber.

This film is a living testimony to the fact that the messages sent in a movie do matter, not only socially, but also to the quality of the film it's self. In other words, just because a movie has good production value and acting does not make it a great film (e.g. Pulp Fiction, in my humble opinion) I know what I just said is not politically correct, but try reconciling the events in this movie with your emotions afterwards and I'm sure you will agree. Over all this is a wonderful film, very well directed by award winning comedic impresario Leo McCarey (An Affair To Remember, Going My Way, Duck Soup, and many others). Fantastic scenery and cinematography, solid acting all around, well... Holden is okay I guess, but I've never been a huge fan of his. Every one else, even the unknown Weaver Lee as the communist Colonel Ho San gives a strong performance, but the message of the film is unforgivable. This could have been a classic if it had a better storyline. France Nuyen (South Pacific) is spectacular. I found her every bit as appealing as any sex symbol, including the 3M's (I.E.) Monroe, Margret, Mansfield. If any woman could make a man forsake the priesthood, she was it (WOW!) The movie is worth watching just for her. But, back to my point, the messages sent in the film are so disturbing, it is no wonder no one has ever heard of it.

WARNING! THIS PARAGRAPH CONTAINS SPOILERS.

The villain in the story, Ho San, is an ex catholic turned communist that is now persecuting the mission that cared for him and his family. He rapes Siu Lan (France Nuyen), orders the destruction and desecration of the church and even is responsible for his own parents being shot for saving a crucifix from a fire. And his comeuppance for these atrocities? He gets the girl (the one he raped) and escapes to communist free Hong Kong. It makes it impossible to like this film.

I suppose Satin Never Sleeps could develop a cult following among communist rapists, but I'm not sure how large that market is. Actually, come to think of it, this film may well have a future.

William Holden and Clifton Webb star in "Satan Never Sleeps," a 1962 drama also starring France Nuyen. It's directed by Leo McCarey - it's his last film.

The story concerns a priest, Father O'Banion (William Holden) who comes to a mission in China to relieve an elderly priest, Father Bovard (Clifton Webb). A young girl, Siu Lan (Nuyen) is in love with O'Banion and has followed him. The Communists seize the mission, and the leader rapes Siu Lan, who becomes pregnant. The priests have to make an effort to flee China before it becomes too late.

Beautiful scenery is the highlight of this rather slow-moving story, as well as the beauty of young France Nuyen, who plays her part very well. Clifton Webb, as usual, does an excellent job as a tired old priest who is seeing his efforts at Christianity being rubbed out by the Communists, the leader being one of the boys he taught. Holden makes a handsome priest, but let's face it, there was never really anything very priestly about William Holden. One can never imagine such a man being celibate, which is probably why Siu Lan was following him all over the place.

There is a major personality change toward the end of this movie that really renders it foolish - not that such a thing couldn't happen, but not in that short period of time.

"Satan Never Sleeps" is not up to the standards of Leo McCarey, whose 43-year-career included "The Awful Truth," "Bells of St. Mary's" and "Going My Way." There are some good scenes, though, and the actors are likable.

This movie is a typical example of American 1950-1960's anti-communist propaganda. Regardless of one's political persuasion, the portrayal of the Communist soldiers (and in particular the Communist colonel Ho San) is ridiculously exaggerated, just like the priests, who seem to be pure saints. A very black-and-white story, shot in colour. It can be interesting to watch as a historical document from a time of ideological hostility at the height of the Cold War, but as a movie it has few appealing qualities.

One thing which truly disturbed me was how the Chinese people were portrayed. The only Chinese characters who act like adults are the Communist leaders. The rest of them mostly act like enthusiastic but stupid children (despite them being adults), which reeks of racism. Just look at the thieving cook, he acts like a total imbecil. Not to mention Siu Lan, who seems to have the mental qualities of a 10-year old. If you're interested in Cold War propaganda history, or have similar academic reasons for watching this movie, then by all means do. Few movies are so outspoken as this one in terms of purpose. But if you're looking for some nice cineastic entertainment, don't waste your time.