Devil in the Flesh (1989)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Director:

Scott Murray

Writers:

Raymond Radiguet (novel) and
Scott Murray (writer)

Release Date:

16 February 1989 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Suduction has never been so hot.

Plot:

Based on the novel "Le diable au corps" (Devil in the Flesh) by Raymond Radiguet (1903-1923) From the...

Plot Keywords:

May December Romance | Teenager | WWI | Lust | Teen Angst

Cast

Katia Caballero	...	Marthe Foscari
Keith Smith	...	Paul Hansen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Bulter	...	Hotel receptionist
Colin Duckworth	...	Pierre Fournier
Louise Elvin	...	Artists' model
Jill Forster	...	Jill Hansen
Eldon Hogan	...	Train guard
Milton Holden	...	Violin teacher
Jeremy Johnson	...	Simon Greene
Juliana Krygger	...	Rebecca
Reine Lavoie	...	Madeleine Fournier
Odile Le Clezio	...	Simone
Jock MacRae	...	Mr. Clarke
Luciano Martucci	...	Ermanno
Benjamín Molina	...	Child
John Morris	...	John Hansen
John Murphy	...	Brother Murphy
Stephan Tailly	...	Bernard
John Walker	...	Florist

Also Known As:

Beyond Innocence

Runtime:

99 min | USA:90 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Bendigo, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Collins Murray

Not the usual Australian product...

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Devil in the Flesh explores an affair between an Australian schoolboy and a married French woman, set during 1940s wartime Australia. The film depicts infidelity in a realistic fashion, as an affair brought about by the absence of a lover (in this case, Marthe's husband has become a prisoner of war), inevitably lust runs its course and reality dismantles the pair's desire to be together. From the perspective of the young boy, it could be described as a "coming of age" film, the affair quickly teaches him about social reality and responsibilities. The character of Marthe is however much more interesting in terms of her motivations and possible secrets. Scott Murray has made an interesting and visually beautiful film that has thankfully managed to avoid the usual tired stereotypes so present in Australian cinema (eg, the emphasis of the isolated landscape of the outback, quirky and eccentric suburban or bush characters, and dysfunctional subcultures of society, the majority seeming to be heroin addicts). Instead the film draws our attention to the connection between Europe and Australia, culturally, and aesthetically as well (many of the lovely locations chosen could be mistaken for France or Italy). This is indeed a welcome change. The film's pace is meandering but never dull. Devil in the Flesh is a real pleasure to watch with beautiful colors, locations and sets. Quite different from most Australian films and far better than most.