George Bernard Shaw didn't consider The Devil's Disciple one of his best works. But nonetheless, when the play came out in 1897 it was his first big success which cemented his reputation as a top notch playwright and social commentator. The play is entertaining as it has a clever plot twist that keeps things moving in a positive direction.
Due to budget constraints, the 1959 film adaptation was shot in black and white-it certainly would have looked much better in color. And it has an insufferably dated musical score that rears its ugly head throughout most of the narrative. But it also possesses the Shavian wit (despite being inherently anachronistic) that manages to pull us in with its heady verisimilitude.
Set in New Hampshire during the American Revolutionary War in 1777, the narrative initially presents a fairly true to life picture of American colonial life under the tyranny of British rule. General Burgoyne (Laurence Olivier) has settled in with his troops and has just ordered the execution of a man falsely accused of being a rebel. Major Swindon (Harry Andrews), in charge of the execution of the prisoner, refuses to take the body down from the gallows and despite a protest from Reverend Anthony Anderson (Burt Lancaster), leaves it up to set an example to the populace.
Enter the man's son, Richard "Dick" Dudgeon (Kirk Douglas), a ne'er do well and town outcast who manages to remove his father's body while on horseback and clandestinely has it buried in Reverend Anderson's church graveyard. Dudgeon fancies himself the "Devil's Disciple" and mocks Anderson for his piety and hypocrisy along with everyone else in the town including his own family.
Despite their disagreements, Anderson admits that he respects Dudgeon, much to the chagrin of his wife Judith (Janette Scott) who regards him as the devil incarnate. Dudgeon further cements his reputation as an outcast when he inherits the family property and is promptly cursed by his mother (Eva Le Gallienne) who scorns her son's invitation to remain living in the home.
The previously alluded to great plot twist occurs when the British mistakenly arrest Dudgeon believing him to be Reverend Anderson whom they blame for illegally retrieving Dungeon's father's body. Now is Dudgeon's chance at redemption as he agrees to go to the gallows without revealing his identity. But Judith screws things up when, at the last minute prior to his execution, reveals that Dudgeon is not her husband.
A subsequent plot twist involves Anderson's transformation from pacifist to a rebel man of action. Unfortunately the scene in which he singlehandedly inflicts mass casualties on British troops by setting an ammunition dump on fire is simply played for laughs. This significantly detracts from the overall verisimilitude of the story.
As it plays out, Anderson (now dressed looking like Davy Crockett) saves Dudgeon from being hanged by learning that the top commander, General Howe, was still stuck in New York City and would not be providing the expected reinforcements for General Burgoyne's troops. Not only that--he forces Burgoyne to withdraw from the area and free Dudgeon as the militia he now leads has kidnapped a top British General.
While the denouement is far-fetched, I very much like the way Shaw depicts many of the townspeople, who refused to get involved in any seditious activities and cooperate with the British despite being continually oppressed by them.
Andrews is highly effective as Major Swindon who plays "bad cop" to Olivier's "good cop," the charming Burgoyne who respects his adversaries at every turn. Douglas has the best part as the mocking "Devil's Disciple," but he's much too recognizable to be that effective. Similarly Burt Lancaster is also saddled with the reality of instant recognition with both actors tending to play themselves (in contrast to Olivier, always known for successfully transforming himself into the character he's playing).
Additional hokey machinations revolve around Judith's anachronistic falling for Dudgeon after he decides to sacrifice himself for her husband. And then inexplicably, she goes back with the Reverend at film's end! A typical Hollywood trope!
Despite its limitations, including director Guy Hamilton's use of a few awkward animated sequences to push the story along, I found The Devil's Disciple to be a fairly entertaining and edifying look at the Revolutionary War period in American history.
Due to budget constraints, the 1959 film adaptation was shot in black and white-it certainly would have looked much better in color. And it has an insufferably dated musical score that rears its ugly head throughout most of the narrative. But it also possesses the Shavian wit (despite being inherently anachronistic) that manages to pull us in with its heady verisimilitude.
Set in New Hampshire during the American Revolutionary War in 1777, the narrative initially presents a fairly true to life picture of American colonial life under the tyranny of British rule. General Burgoyne (Laurence Olivier) has settled in with his troops and has just ordered the execution of a man falsely accused of being a rebel. Major Swindon (Harry Andrews), in charge of the execution of the prisoner, refuses to take the body down from the gallows and despite a protest from Reverend Anthony Anderson (Burt Lancaster), leaves it up to set an example to the populace.
Enter the man's son, Richard "Dick" Dudgeon (Kirk Douglas), a ne'er do well and town outcast who manages to remove his father's body while on horseback and clandestinely has it buried in Reverend Anderson's church graveyard. Dudgeon fancies himself the "Devil's Disciple" and mocks Anderson for his piety and hypocrisy along with everyone else in the town including his own family.
Despite their disagreements, Anderson admits that he respects Dudgeon, much to the chagrin of his wife Judith (Janette Scott) who regards him as the devil incarnate. Dudgeon further cements his reputation as an outcast when he inherits the family property and is promptly cursed by his mother (Eva Le Gallienne) who scorns her son's invitation to remain living in the home.
The previously alluded to great plot twist occurs when the British mistakenly arrest Dudgeon believing him to be Reverend Anderson whom they blame for illegally retrieving Dungeon's father's body. Now is Dudgeon's chance at redemption as he agrees to go to the gallows without revealing his identity. But Judith screws things up when, at the last minute prior to his execution, reveals that Dudgeon is not her husband.
A subsequent plot twist involves Anderson's transformation from pacifist to a rebel man of action. Unfortunately the scene in which he singlehandedly inflicts mass casualties on British troops by setting an ammunition dump on fire is simply played for laughs. This significantly detracts from the overall verisimilitude of the story.
As it plays out, Anderson (now dressed looking like Davy Crockett) saves Dudgeon from being hanged by learning that the top commander, General Howe, was still stuck in New York City and would not be providing the expected reinforcements for General Burgoyne's troops. Not only that--he forces Burgoyne to withdraw from the area and free Dudgeon as the militia he now leads has kidnapped a top British General.
While the denouement is far-fetched, I very much like the way Shaw depicts many of the townspeople, who refused to get involved in any seditious activities and cooperate with the British despite being continually oppressed by them.
Andrews is highly effective as Major Swindon who plays "bad cop" to Olivier's "good cop," the charming Burgoyne who respects his adversaries at every turn. Douglas has the best part as the mocking "Devil's Disciple," but he's much too recognizable to be that effective. Similarly Burt Lancaster is also saddled with the reality of instant recognition with both actors tending to play themselves (in contrast to Olivier, always known for successfully transforming himself into the character he's playing).
Additional hokey machinations revolve around Judith's anachronistic falling for Dudgeon after he decides to sacrifice himself for her husband. And then inexplicably, she goes back with the Reverend at film's end! A typical Hollywood trope!
Despite its limitations, including director Guy Hamilton's use of a few awkward animated sequences to push the story along, I found The Devil's Disciple to be a fairly entertaining and edifying look at the Revolutionary War period in American history.