The Devil Is a Woman (1935)

A young man is warned by a captain about a temptress; nonetheless, he finds himself falling in love with her.

Director:

Josef von Sternberg

Writers:

Pierre Louÿs (novel) (as Pierre Louys), John Dos Passos (adaptation)

Stars:

Marlene Dietrich, Lionel Atwill, Edward Everett Horton

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Marlene Dietrich	...	Concha Perez
Lionel Atwill	...	Capt. Don Pasqual 'Pasqualito' Costelar
Edward Everett Horton	...	Gov. Don Paquito 'Paquitito'
Alison Skipworth	...	Senora Perez
Cesar Romero	...	Antonio Galvan
Don Alvarado	...	Morenito
Tempe Pigott	...	Tuerta (as Tempe Piggott)
Francisco Moreno	...	Alphonso (as Paco Moreno)

Storyline

Film told in flashbacks of an older man's obsession for a woman who can belong to no-one but can frustrate everyone. The backdrop is SternbergÍs surreal and fantastic Carnaval in Spain. In a café the older man details his encounters with the heart breaker that his younger friend has only just met at the parade. Forewarned, the young man swears he will avoid the fate of his friend, but rushes all the same to his evening rendezvous. A dreamlike story of frustrated, lost romance, spoken in the past tense, never really resolved.

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Plot Keywords:

red wine | champagne | gold coin | spain | flashback | 

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Taglines:

"THREE LOVES HAVE I...THE FOOLS!" (Print ad- Pittsburgh Press, ((Pittsburg, Penna.)) 14 June 1935)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cesar Romero plays Antonio who wears a bat mask during the carnival scenes. 31 years later he would play The Joker, Batman's archenemy. Batman is a superhero who dresses as a big bat during the night.

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Quotes

Capt. Don Pasqual 'Pasqualito' Costelar: How much do you want to release Concha from her contract?
Tuerta: Before she came here my house was emptier than a bull ring when it rains. She is having a great career here.
Capt. Don Pasqual 'Pasqualito' Costelar: I'm not interested. How much?

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Connections

Version of That Obscure Object of Desire (1977)

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Soundtracks

Then It Isn't Love
Music by Ralph Rainger
Lyrics by Leo Robin

User Reviews

A 'real' story of a man's frustration

It has to be said that this film is an amazing achievement. The Devil is a Woman is a lush and vibrant film, and you really do get the impression that a lot of thought has gone into every scene. The script allows the characters to grow in front of the audience's eyes both in relation to each other and in their own right. Furthermore, the acting is fantastic; with Lionel Atwill convincing as a heartbroken former lover of Marlene Dietrich's cold hearted femme fatale. It's Dietrich that commands every scene she's in and gives an all round amazing performance in the title role. Furthermore, the Spanish setting is superb, and provides a beautiful location for this complex love story to take place in. But it's not the technical elements that make this film so great; it's the plot. We first get to know the characters during a conversation between a fancy man and a former lover of the same woman. The older man tells the younger of his times with said lady, and we get a fully painted picture of all the protagonists through this. The film offers a great portrait of love and frustration; with the title itself referring more towards the lead man's experience with the title character rather than the character herself. The Devil is a Woman is certainly not a fluffy romance flick, but it is a film that works on two levels; on one hand, it tells its story straight and so is easy to get into, but on the other it provides a story with a chasm of depth if you're willing to look for it.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

23 April 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Caprice Espagno

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch - 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$800,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,375

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1