We're No Angels (1955)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Albert Husson (play)
Ranald MacDougall (writer)

Release Date:

23 September 1955 (Japan)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

In Christmas, three prisoners - Joseph, Albert and Jules - escape from the Devil Island to a French small coastal town...

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Snake | Escaped Convict | Penal Colony | Unlikely Hero

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Joseph
Aldo Ray	...	Albert
Peter Ustinov	...	Jules
Joan Bennett	...	Amelie Ducotel
Basil Rathbone	...	Andre Trochard
Leo G. Carroll	...	Felix Ducotel
John Baer	...	Paul Trochard
Gloria Talbott	...	Isabelle Ducotel
Lea Penman	...	Mme. Parole
John Smith	...	Medical Officer Arnaud
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Dee	...	Coachman (uncredited)
Jack Del Rio	...	Gendarme (uncredited)
Ross Gould	...	Foreman (uncredited)
Louis Mercier	...	Celeste (uncredited)
Torben Meyer	...	Butterfly Man (uncredited)
Paul Newlan	...	Port Captain (uncredited)
Joe Ploski	...	Customs Officer (uncredited)
Victor Romito	...	Gendarme (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Curtiz

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Albert Husson		play "La Cuisine de Anges"
Ranald MacDougall		writer

Produced by
Pat Duggan	....	producer

Original Music by
Friedrich Hollaender		(as Frederick Hollander)

Cinematography by
Loyal Griggs

Film Editing by
Arthur P. Schmidt		(as Arthur Schmidt)

Art Direction by
Roland Anderson
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Grace Gregory

Costume Design by
Mary Grant

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John R. Coonan	....	assistant director (as John Coonan)

Art Department
Dorothea Holt	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Cope	....	sound recordist
Hugo Grenzbach	....	sound recordist
Norman Stuart	....	assistant dialogue editor

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects

Editorial Department
Richard Mueller	....	color consultant: Technicolor

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1964) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Angels' Cooking (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:U | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: When Andre is talking to Felix and Joseph, his left arm is stretched. In the next shot it is folded and leant on his hip.

Quotes:

Albert: Tell him there's a deadly poisonous snake inside of the cage. Tell him.
Joseph: [Leaves the room. Re-enters a few seconds later]
Albert: You didn't tell him.
Joseph: He knows already.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

Ma France Bien-Aimee

A wonderful and unconventional Christmas movie!

This is a wonderful, if unconventional, Christmas movie, although it is great fun to watch at any time of the year. As the three convicts, Bogart, Ustinov, and Aldo Ray have wonderful chemistry and camaraderi. Their portrayals are delightful, and are made stronger by the dialogue, which is first rate. Leo G. Carrol and Joan Bennet are touching as married couple, and Basil Rathbone has a delicious turn as the thoroughly unscrupulous and black-hearted cousin Andre. It is on my "Christmas Movies" shelf and we watch it every December without fail.