Beat the Devil (1953)
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- Approved
- 1h 29min
- Action, Adventure
- 17 Dec 1953 (Italy)
- Movie
On their way to Africa are a group of rogues who hope to get rich there, and a seemingly innocent British couple. They meet and things happen...
Director:
Writers:
Award:
- 1 win.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
Humphrey Bogart | ... |
Billy Dannreuther
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Jennifer Jones | ... |
Gwendolen Chelm
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Gina Lollobrigida | ... |
Maria Dannreuther
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Robert Morley | ... |
Peterson
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Peter Lorre | ... |
Julius O'Hara
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Edward Underdown | ... |
Harry Chelm
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Ivor Barnard | ... |
Maj. Jack Ross
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Marco Tulli | ... |
Ravello
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Bernard Lee | ... |
Insp. Jack Clayton
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Mario Perrone | ... |
Purser on SS Nyanga
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Giulio Donnini | ... |
Administrator
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Saro Urzì | ... |
Captain of SS Nyanga
(as Saro Urzi)
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Juan de Landa | ... |
Hispano-Suiza Driver
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Aldo Silvani | ... |
Charles
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Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Dave Crowley | ... |
(uncredited)
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Julie Gibson | ... |
(uncredited)
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Alex Pochet | ... |
Hotel Manager (uncredited)
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Mimmo Poli | ... |
Barman (uncredited)
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Peter Sellers | ... |
Billy Dannreuther (uncredited) (voice)
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Manuel Serrano | ... |
Ahmed (uncredited)
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Directed by
John Huston |
Written by
Claud Cockburn | ... | (based on the novel "Beat the Devil" by) (as James Helvick) |
Truman Capote | ... | (screenplay) and |
John Huston | ... | (screenplay) |
Anthony Veiller | ... | (screenplay collaboration) (uncredited) |
Peter Viertel | ... | (screenplay collaboration) (uncredited) |
Produced by
Humphrey Bogart | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
Jack Clayton | ... | associate producer |
John Huston | ... | producer |
Angelo Rizzoli | ... | producer (uncredited) |
John Woolf | ... | producer (uncredited) |
Music by
Franco Mannino |
Cinematography by
Oswald Morris | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
Ralph Kemplen |
Editorial Department
Philip Auguste | ... | second assistant editor (uncredited) |
Roy Hyde | ... | first assistant editor (uncredited) |
Art Direction by
Wilfred Shingleton |
Makeup Department
Betty Lee | ... | hairdresser (as Bette Lee) |
Connie Reeve | ... | makeup artist (as Constance Reeve) |
Production Management
Bill Kirby | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Arnold | ... | assistant director |
Erica Masters | ... | third assistant director (uncredited) |
Robert Sterne | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
John Hoesli | ... | assistant art director (uncredited) |
Elso Valentini | ... | set dresser: art department (uncredited) |
Harry White | ... | draughtsman (uncredited) |
Alan Withy | ... | draughtsman (uncredited) |
Sound Department
Stan Hawkes | ... | dubbing editor (as Stanley Hawkes) |
E. Law | ... | sound recordist |
George Stephenson | ... | sound recordist |
Barbara Hopkins | ... | dubbing crew (uncredited) |
Bob Jones | ... | dubbing crew (uncredited) |
Kevin McClory | ... | boom operator (uncredited) |
Peter Myers | ... | assistant boom operator (uncredited) |
Ernest Webb | ... | sound camera operator (uncredited) |
Ivor Worsley | ... | dubbing crew (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
Reg Johnson | ... | travelling mattes (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
Bryan Langley | ... | special processes (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
Freddie Francis | ... | camera operator |
Louis H. Lavelly | ... | chief production electrician |
Robert Capa | ... | still photographer (uncredited) |
James Devis | ... | clapper loader (uncredited) |
Eric Gray | ... | still photographer (uncredited) |
Dennis C. Lewiston | ... | clapper loader (uncredited) |
Stephen Sondheim | ... | clapper boy (uncredited) |
Gerry Turpin | ... | first assistant camera (uncredited) |
Location Management
James H. Ware | ... | location manager (as James Ware) |
Music Department
Lambert Williamson | ... | musical director |
Script and Continuity Department
Angela Allen | ... | continuity |
Additional Crew
Jeanie Sims | ... | personal assistant to John Huston |
Beryl Booth | ... | production secretary (uncredited) |
Fred Hymns | ... | production accountant (uncredited) |
Harriet Medin | ... | dialogue coach (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Romulus Films (presents)
- Dear Film (filmed in Italy in association with)
- Santana Pictures Corporation
- Rizzoli-Haggiag (in assocation with: Italy)
Distributors
- Independent Film Distributors (IFD) (1953) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (distribution controlled by)
- Les Films Marceau (1954) (France) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1954) (Sweden) (theatrical) (as United Artists A/B)
- United Artists (1954) (United States) (theatrical)
- Cosmopol-Film (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
- Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1956) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Royal Films International (1962) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Cinal S.A. (1981) (Spain) (theatrical)
- RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1985) (United States) (VHS)
- Image Entertainment (1988) (United States) (video) (LaserDisc)
- Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- Reel Media International (2004) (United States) (VHS)
- Phoenix Bild- und Tonträger Vertrieb (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
- Reel Media International (2007) (United States)
- NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution (2018) (United States) (tv) (syndication)
- WME Home Entertainment (2018) (Germany) (DVD)
- Penteo Films S.L. (2019) (World-wide) (Restored HD)
- Premium Cine (2019) (Spain)
- Studio Hamburg Enterprises (2019) (Germany) (DVD)
- Twilight Time (2019) (World-wide) (Blu-ray)
- 3GTG (2020) (World-wide)
- Netflix (2023) (Non-US) (video) (VOD) (several territories in Europe)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (United States) (VHS)
- Wienerworld (2005) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Dear Film (filming unit)
- Western Electric (sound recording)
Storyline
Plot Summary |
A quartet of international crooks (Peterson, O'Hara, Ross, and Ravello) are stranded in Italy while their steamer is being repaired. With them are the an English couple, the Dannreuthers. The six are headed for Africa, presumably to sell vacuum cleaners but all is not as it seems. They are joined by others who apparently have similar designs.
Written by Ed Stephan |
Plot Keywords | |
Taglines | The film that was ten years ahead of its time is ten years old...(it's time!) (1962 reissue ad). See more » |
Genres | |
Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
Certification |
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Box Office
Budget | $1,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
Trivia | Stephen Sondheim got his start in films working as a clapper boy on this film. See more » |
Goofs | Bogie enters the lifeboat wearing a plain suit but gets out wearing a pinstriped suit. See more » |
Movie Connections | Edited into Beat the Devil (2022). See more » |
Quotes |
Julius O'Hara:
Time. Time. What is time? Swiss manufacture it. French hoard it. Italians squander it. Americans say it is money. Hindus say it does not exist. Do you know what I say? I say time is a crook. See more » |