This is a strange movie, perhaps because there is so little of a story in it, and at the same time keeps your interest through different visuals and witnessing a woman in action who seems to lack any kind of conscience or morals (hence, the title).
By "different" visuals, I mean that many scenes are congested, if that's the right word. You have to look through streams of confetti, tree branches, vast crowds, or whatever on at least 33 percent of the movie. Few shots are clear ones, except closeups of the star, Marlene Dietrich, or the two men involved with her, Lionel Atwill and Caesar Romero. This is especially true in the first 10 minutes of this 80-minute film in which we view a chaotic carnival going on in the streets of Spain. The DVD picture, however, was sharp and overall this is a good visual film. Many scenes reminded me of shots you'd see in film noirs, a decade or more after this movie was made.
Much of the story is told in flashback as Atwill, an older man, sits down at a table and tries to talk young-stud Romero out of getting involved with the evil "Concha" (Dietrich), recounting the horror stories he endured while trying to woo that woman.
Dietrich plays one of the most shallow people you will ever see on film. She only uses the older man to get his money (gosh, do women do that in real life?) and discards other men like one would a chewing gum wrapper. She treats Atwill like dirt, cheating on him at every opportunity. She makes no secret of it, hurting him deeply each time, but the poor sap keeps coming back for more! In fact, he usually comes back begging!! From a man's point, it's almost maddening watching this movie. I wanted to reach into the screen, grab Atwill and slap him, saying, "Wake up, you fool." His absolutely pathetic weakness with this woman was frustrating for me to watch.
Dietrich is so devoid of character, she's almost mesmerizing to watch. I can't believe some of the cold, callous remarks that slip off her tongue as if they meant nothing and she had said that a million times. Maybe she had. The film is aptly titled as the devil is described in the Bible as someone who can make harmful things look the most alluring to us. That seems to be the theme in this film: man is weak and a beautiful woman can make him do things he will regret. Atwill's "Pasqualito" (as Concha calls him when she wants something) is the supreme example.
Despite all the warnings, Romero's character chases after the woman, too.Atwill becomes instantly jealous when he hears about it (he can't quit her no matter what he promises) and a duel ensues. At the very end, we get another big surprise from Dietrich.
By "different" visuals, I mean that many scenes are congested, if that's the right word. You have to look through streams of confetti, tree branches, vast crowds, or whatever on at least 33 percent of the movie. Few shots are clear ones, except closeups of the star, Marlene Dietrich, or the two men involved with her, Lionel Atwill and Caesar Romero. This is especially true in the first 10 minutes of this 80-minute film in which we view a chaotic carnival going on in the streets of Spain. The DVD picture, however, was sharp and overall this is a good visual film. Many scenes reminded me of shots you'd see in film noirs, a decade or more after this movie was made.
Much of the story is told in flashback as Atwill, an older man, sits down at a table and tries to talk young-stud Romero out of getting involved with the evil "Concha" (Dietrich), recounting the horror stories he endured while trying to woo that woman.
Dietrich plays one of the most shallow people you will ever see on film. She only uses the older man to get his money (gosh, do women do that in real life?) and discards other men like one would a chewing gum wrapper. She treats Atwill like dirt, cheating on him at every opportunity. She makes no secret of it, hurting him deeply each time, but the poor sap keeps coming back for more! In fact, he usually comes back begging!! From a man's point, it's almost maddening watching this movie. I wanted to reach into the screen, grab Atwill and slap him, saying, "Wake up, you fool." His absolutely pathetic weakness with this woman was frustrating for me to watch.
Dietrich is so devoid of character, she's almost mesmerizing to watch. I can't believe some of the cold, callous remarks that slip off her tongue as if they meant nothing and she had said that a million times. Maybe she had. The film is aptly titled as the devil is described in the Bible as someone who can make harmful things look the most alluring to us. That seems to be the theme in this film: man is weak and a beautiful woman can make him do things he will regret. Atwill's "Pasqualito" (as Concha calls him when she wants something) is the supreme example.
Despite all the warnings, Romero's character chases after the woman, too.Atwill becomes instantly jealous when he hears about it (he can't quit her no matter what he promises) and a duel ensues. At the very end, we get another big surprise from Dietrich.