We're No Angels

Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray star in this film about three escapees from Devil's Island and how they affix themselves in the lives of Leo G. Carroll and wife Joan Bennett as Christmas approaches. By way of assuming the roles of handymen and salesmen, they start to help around the house and the store that Leo manages. In fact, their assistance turns out to be invaluable, as they interject themselves in a personal family squabble between Leo and cousin Basil Rathbone who comes to inspect the shop and the accounts, as he is the owner of the shop. I found the film to be very charming and enjoyable, and it has some very funny and clever moments. If I had to be nit-picky about it, I could say it does reflect the original play's pace and is somewhat too passive and slow in parts and is a bit too long. Also, it does have a rather unorthodox and irreverent feel to it due to a hardened criminal's point of view of things, from which is the root of a lot of the humor. But, it also has a very loose biblical feel to it, very loose. All in all, I liked its charming feel and the talented actors are good in the leads. If you're looking for a fresh and original film this December, "We're No Angels" should make for a different kind of family viewing come Christmastime.

Back when I was in college a friend of mine, the only other person I knew who had seen this film, used to recite lines to each other on appropriate occasions. He was a rugby player, a real rough and tumbly sort of guy, and I was a fairly gentle, studious type; we were two, very different types of people. The point behind this is that, while we were both very different, we both found "We're No Angels" to be a superbly executed film.

I recently had a chance to see the film again and it's just as enjoyable as ever. This light-hearted, if somewhat criminal, comedy is warming, family film with an evil streak. It's absolutely fascinating to watch Bogart in a light comedy role, and to see a young(er) Peter Ustinov as a wife-murdering safe-cracker with a heart. And throw in great (if typical) performances by Basil Rathbone and Leo G. Carroll to boot.

But in my mind, the three biggest stars in this film are playwright Albert Hussens, screenwriter Ranald MacDougall, and above all, a surprisingly masterful performance by Aldo Ray. Ray treads the line between being dumb, lovable, trite thug and being a brutal, sociopathic criminal with great resolve. In the end it is his smoothly delivered lines that one remembers above all else.

As for the dialogue, it too treads lines. This is a film for the entire family, yes. But it does have it's randier moments, and all of them are done in such a way that children will not understand the full implications of them (if they do you have no one to blame but yourself). This translates into a "something for everyone" type of film.

Check it out.

Never let it be said that Bogart could only play hard-boiled detectives in film noir. He had a great comedic talent, and it's evident in this film. This is a very funny movie; not hilarious, but funny as well as charming. Though the plot gets a little far-fetched, particularly towards the end, the dialogue is great and the acting superb. It's set at Christmas too, so you can add it to your list of holiday movies.

3 convicts escape from a jail on Devils island during Christmas, they make plan to rob a local store, but befriend the shop keeper and his family.

Three great lead characters in Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov play the convicts. Bogart plays his character without flaw and surprising to see him in this humorous role, while young Ustinov and Ray also play great characters that assist the shop keep and his family during a difficult Christmas.

This movie wasn't what I was expecting especially after seeing 1989 movie with the same name staring De Niro and Penn, but I guess it was far better because i had a smile on my face throughout the whole movie. This certainly is a feel good sense to this movie.

With great lines in this movie, you'll be sniggering to yourself and cheering on the 3 misfits. One to watch when you need a smile.

The film combines the witty nuttiness of Marx Brothers humor with some of the slapstick style of the Three Stooges and comes up as a wonderful comedy.

The whole cast is great, but Bogart is the real star in every respect. He shows that he is really a grand comedian. Rathbone is appropriately evil and nasty as the villain.

Don't confuse this movie with the other one of the same title. This one delivers real comedy.