The Devil's Disciple (1959)

The black sheep of a family (Dick Dudgeon) and the local minister (Anthony Anderson) discover their true vocations during the Revolutionary War.

Director:

Guy Hamilton

Writers:

John Dighton (screenplay), Roland Kibbee (screenplay),

Stars:

Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Burt Lancaster	...	The Rev. Anthony Anderson
Kirk Douglas	...	Richard Dudgeon
Laurence Olivier	...	Gen. Burgoyne
Janette Scott	...	Judith Anderson
Eva Le Gallienne	...	Mrs. Dudgeon
Harry Andrews	...	Maj. Swindon
Basil Sydney	...	Lawyer Hawkins
George Rose	...	British Sergeant
Neil McCallum	...	Christie Dudgeon (as Neil Mc Callum)
Mervyn Johns	...	Rev. Maindeck Parshotter
David Horne	...	Uncle William
Erik Chitty	...	Uncle Titus
Allan Cuthbertson	...	British Captain
Percy Herbert	...	British Lieutenant
Phyllis Morris	...	Wife of Titus

Storyline

In a small New England town during the American War of Independence, Dick Dudgeon, a revolutionary American Puritan, is mistaken for local minister Rev. Anthony Anderson and arrested by the British. Dick discovers himself incapable of accusing another human to suffer and continues to masquerade as the reverend. The minister's wife, Judith, is moved by Dick's actions and mistakenly interprets them as an expression of love for her. In spite of his protestations she finds herself romantically attracted to him. Brought before British commander General Burgoyne, Dudgeon displays his willingness to die for his principles. At the last minute Dick is saved from ministerial pursuits to become a revolutionary leader.

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Plot Keywords:

minister | black sheep | general | revolutionary war | flintlock | 

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Genres:

Comedy | History | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 August 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Teufelsschüler

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hill-Hecht-Lancaster Productions, Brynaprod S.A.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character of Anthony Anderson was loosely based on the historical figure of Peter Muhlenberg, known as the "Fighting Parson of the American Revolution".

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Goofs

Dudgeon crosses the ankles of his father's body. In a subsequent shot, the ankles are seen uncrossed and then crossed again as Dudgeon leaves.

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Quotes

Narrator: Give a Major Swindon enough rope, and he'll always hang somebody.

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Connections

Remake of The Devil's Disciple (1955)

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Soundtracks

"Yankee Doodle"
(uncredited)
traditional 18th Century Anglo-American folk song
Heard under main title

User Reviews

THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE (Guy Hamilton and, uncredited, Alexander Mackendrick, 1959) ***1/2

Despite its imposing credentials (featuring the star combo of Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier and being adapted from a George Bernard Shaw play), this film is – criminally, if you ask me – scarcely ever revived. Until now, in fact, I had to make do with a tiny reproduction of the poster from the time of its original release locally (kept by my father in a large worn-out scrapbook); for the record, the copy under review was culled from a TCM screening. Anyway, this is a comedy-adventure of the kind 'they don't make 'em like anymore' but one that, being rich in dialogue (as is to be expected of a Shaw work), comes across as atypically intelligent. The setting is the American Revolution (incidentally, the film was begun by Alexander Mackendrick – an American whose career actually took off in England!) with Lancaster a small-town preacher, Douglas a self-proclaimed "ne'er-do-well" and Olivier the General of the invading British army. Douglas, at his roguish best, and a wittily sardonic Olivier are very funny – while Lancaster's initial (albeit necessary) glumness is redeemed by a characteristic bout of acrobatics at the finale. Interestingly, he and Douglas (by the way, THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE was a co-production between their respective companies) gradually exchange identities throughout the film – with the latter passing himself off as a man of the cloth yet keeping his fervent anti-British sentiments unchecked and the minister forced by circumstances into rebellion, action and eventually negotiations with the enemy. The supporting cast, then, is headed by lovely Janette Scott (who manages to hold her own in the company of the two American stars, playing a character named Judith Anderson!) and Harry Andrews (in the role of Olivier's eager yet dim-witted aide) but also including the likes of Basil Sydney, Mervyn Johns and Allan Cuthbertson. Notable, too, are a rousing score by Richard Rodney Bennett and the novel bits of exposition (detailing the progress of General Burgoyne's ill-fated campaign) amusingly done by shifting military figurines about on a map of the area; incidentally, in the style of Lancaster's THE CRIMSON PIRATE (1952; also co-written by Roland Kibbee), we are urged to believe the events as fictionalized here rather than the way documented history presents them!