Genres

Visitors Review

2013-05-25 07:16:51

Supernatural fastasy at its Hollywood peak.

This classic 1946 film, starring Paul Muni and Claude Raines is the very best of all the supernatural fantasies. With just the right mixture of comedy and tragedy, and driven by the masterful acting performances of the two principal players and a very fine screenplay, it is a story of ruthlessness, compassion and redemption. Highly recommended.

2013-05-24 12:58:39

Great

This review is from: Angel on My Shoulder (DVD) The movie arrived in super condition.I had seen this movie only once many many years ago and had searched for it but did not know the title. Then there it was was on AMC. Had to have it for my collection. Great acting, super plot and an even better ending.

2013-05-15 05:39:41

Muni is Great

This review is from: Angel on My Shoulder (DVD) I've loved this movie since I saw it years ago (here replacing my VHS copy), of this excellent portrayal by Paul Muni as the dammed soul of a criminal returning to Earth to kill his killer, but finding personal redemption through occupying the body of Judge Parker and experiencing his politcal and personal life with his fiancee, played by Ann Baxter. Claude Rains has also been a favorite of mine, playing the Devil.I have no less than six of Muni's movies, including The Good Earth The Good Earth, The Story of Louis Pasteur The Story of Louis Pasteur aka A Historia de Louis Pasteur [Import], and the Life of Emil Zola The Life of Emile Zola (Special Edition)--all masterpieces in my opinion.

2013-05-14 15:59:00

Great

The movie arrived in super condition.I had seen this movie only once many many years ago and had searched for it but did not know the title. Then there it was was on AMC. Had to have it for my collection. Great acting, super plot and an even better ending.

Robert J. Maxwell 2013-05-04 07:26:06

Diverting, antiquated fantasy,.

Paul Mini is Eddie Kagel, a tough gangster who is just released fromprison after a four-year stretch. He's picked up at the gate by his oldfriend Smiley, who greets him effusively, considering that he's anotherhood. The pair drive away, punching each other lovingly on the arms,friends since childhood. "Where's my rod?" asks Muni. "I got it righthere," replies the smiling Smiley. "Give it to me," says Muni. Smileypulls out the gun and shoots Muni dead.Muni finds himself in hell, which turns out to look a lot like Newark,New Jersey, all flames, furnaces, bubbling mud pots, and "hotter thanFlorida." The Devil is Claude Raines, who looks pretty Satanic withthose kick lights always under his face. The suave Raines makes a deal.He'll take Muni back and plant him in the body of an honest judge. Muniwill do his evil act and ruin the good judge's reputation. Then Raineswill let Muni give Smiley what's coming to him.Well -- the best laid plans, you know? Enter the judge's sexy,good-looking girl friend, Anne Baxter. She's so disgustingly virtuousthat she's at first shocked by the new judge's lack of social polish.He says things like, "Say, ain't no dame ever put nothing over on me."His manners are pustular. He gulps down double scotches and smokescigars. And he doesn't know what the hell is going on. He talks to thenow-invisible Raines, who is coaxing him on how to be bad, as if Munineeded lessons.I think the sophisticated viewer can take the plot from here. Baxterconverts Muni into a man of the most pure moral thoughts. Muni nowloves Baxter but he no longer gropes her at every opportunity. Herefuses to kill the treacherous Smiley when he has the chance. Thedisgusted Raines gives up, returns the original judge, and takes Muniback to hell, where he will be a trustee instead of a stoker. I was alittle mixed up about the whereabouts of the original judge, the oneMuni, as Kagel, replaced.No matter. This is a fantasy, and an old one at that. Except for thepersonae and some plot details, you must have seen it before in one oranother of its incarnations -- "Here Comes Mister Jordan," or "HeavenCan Wait," "A Guy Named Joe," "Always." Two of those are remakes of theother two.It's a pleasant enough diversion, although I wish the writers hadn'tconfused hydrogen sulfide with H2SO4. They could also have gotten thequote from Dante accurate. It's not "Abandon hope, all ye who enterhere." It's "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." Heck, I had to lookthat up in Wikipedia. It only took a few minutes, and I don't see whythe writers couldn't have taken the time.Muni is often accused of overacting and I guess he does overact, but Ididn't mind much. His simian features were a little disturbing. It'sdifficult to understand how the cute, chubby, petite Anne Baxter couldhave fallen for a guy who looks like that -- but then he's a big-shotmayor and is headed for the governorship. Okay. I think I dounderstand.

JohnRouseMerriottChard 2013-05-03 14:43:35

Above average tale of heaven and hell shenanigans.

I have to say that my rating for this film is somewhat clouded becausethat is exactly what the films copy was, very cloudy. I can't believethere is not a restoration in line for this film from 1946, it isbarely watchable and the sound mix is nigh on impossible to hear.The film is standard fare as regards the tale of the bad man gets ashot at life again, only here it's with a kicker, and watching thisfilm unfold is never less than interesting without actually pulling upany trees. Paul Muni is fine and plays our main protagonists dualpersonality with credible verve, and Claude Rains is clearly enjoyinghimself as the devil of the piece, and I heartily applaud the darkshift the film took for its final reel, yet it is a hard film to reckieunless you can see and hear it properly.I have no hesitation in watching this film again if a restoration comesto pass, but until then I say approach with caution, 6/10.

2013-04-24 16:00:20

A B/W CLASSIC

When I was a child my father used to talk to me about Paul Muni. When I watched "I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang," and "Angel On My Shoulder," I understood why he was one of his prefered actors.

ma-cortes 2013-04-24 08:47:57

Bemused and funny film with comedy and romance

Picture concerns about a gangster called Eddie Kagle(Paul Muni) who isbased his way of living on what Omar Khayyan once said : ¨Live fullywhile you may and reckon not the cost¨. He leaves the StatePenitentiary imprisoned accused of murderous and makes a covenant withthe devil(Claude Rains) and returns to earth for vengeance as animportant judge .He become incarnate in the kind judge and the problemsemerge when is romanced with his girlfriend(Anne Baxter) falling inlove with her,but the good heart mobster spoil the relationship.It's a romantic movie with a supernatural love story.Enjoyable romancetale where trio protagonist are sensational.Bemusing fantasy withexcellent interpretation Paul Muni(Scarface) in comic character whilehe usually played historic or dramatic roles.Claude Rains(Casablanca)as ironic and obstinate Devil is magnificent although in ¨Here comesMr. Jordan¨ he played an Angel. Anne Baxter is enticing and attractive.Fine production design in the Inferno's recreation. The motion pictureis well directed by Archie Mayo (Bordertown,Petrified forest,Blacklegion) in his last film, he's a specialist on noir cinema who workedwith almost all Warner Brothers biggest stars(Paul Muni,JamesCagney,Raft,Bogart) though directed also some comedy as this film andwith Marx Brothers,¨one night in Casablanca¨ which had more pace andspirit that some of their later work. Rating : Entertained and wellworth watching.

2013-04-17 15:35:40

"What in my domain is that? "

Paul Muni is a hard-boiled gangster who literally goes to Hell. Claude Raines is a smooth Devil who will cut Muni a deal if he goes back to Earth and ruins the name of a good and upright man. Ann Baxter is the monkey wrench. Sounds like a drama and it is, but it's kind of a "comedy-noir". It's also a great romantic comedy. Paul Muni is tough, funny and at times sensitive, Anne Baxter is a long suffering fiance and just the kind of woman for whom a tough mug like Muni's Eddie could turn over a new leaf, and Claude Raines makes an excellent "Nick", both funny and ominous. There is a nice twist at the end and the closing scene is one of my favorite finales in filmdom.

2013-04-17 08:02:35

I call it Film Noir

I'm gonna do this in a few short sentences. Gangster dies and goes to hell. He makes a deal with a demon who goes by Nick (The Devil...). He goes back to earth to fulfill his obligation and falls in love. Everything untangles. This film is not considered by everyone to be part of the Film Noir genre but it has all the elements. ENJOY!!!

LDB_Movies 2013-03-31 03:39:49

Worth seeing for Paul Muni alone...

Paul Muni was an actor who was way ahead of his time. Who else couldhave played Louis Pasteur, Emile Zola, and a gangster, all with perfectaccents, inflections, and facial expressions? His kind of acting was soway ahead of his time - most actors in the 1930s and 1940s weretypecast into roles that didn't allow them to play a variety ofcharacters. But not Paul Muni. Most actors in the 1930s and 1940s didNOT do accents, even though by today's standards, we consider this arequirement - but not Paul Muni.Having just watched "The Life of Emile Zola", Here his portrayal ofEddie Kagel blew me away. The movie itself is slight, and has somehumorous moments. But Paul Muni's performance raises it above the rest.

wes-connors 2013-03-30 20:18:51

Paul Muni goes to The Devil

Let out of jail, gangster Paul Mini (as Eddie Kagle) is shot dead bythe "double crossing rat" who picks him up at the prison. Uncomfortablein Hell, Mr. Muni hooks up with wicked Claude Rains (as "Nick"), whoseems to know his way around the underworld. Not guessing Mr. Rains isthe devil in disguise, Muni walks with Rains through fire, and returnsto observe the Living World. There, Rains arranges a body-switch withlook-alike Judge Frederick Parker (also played by Muni). Muni ispromised revenge on the crook who crossed him; and, Rains is unhappywith the Judge, who hasn't been sending many souls to Hell.So, criminal Muni embodies good Muni...Archie Mayo's "Angel on My Shoulder" isn't as well-remembered, or asoriginal, as other films visiting the same territory; but, watchingMuni and Rains makes up most of the difference. This version is playedas a sometimes comic drama, and the stars are devilishly fun to watch.Also notable is Anne Baxter (as Barbara Foster), who plays the prettyfiancée Muni amusingly gropes with approval, then falls in love with.She may be his salvation. Perfectly cast Hardie Albright (as SmileyWilliams) is no slouch; in once of the film's best scenes, he holds hisown with Muni and Rains in the room. Others haven't as much to do, butthey do it well.******* Angel on My Shoulder (9/20/46) Archie Mayo ~ Paul Muni, ClaudeRains, Anne Baxter, Hardie Albright

2013-03-29 04:02:29

Judge for your self

Nick (Claude Rains) never satisfied with the amount of soles caught, has his hat set for an incorruptible judge. He will recruit Eddie Kagle to replace Judge Fredrick Parker (both played by Paul Muni) in exchange for a second chance at life.I you were raised Catholic then you will recognize the title as you have a devil on one shoulder and an angle on the other and you are struggling in the middle.There is great interaction between Paul Muni and Claude Rains. This move takes unexpected twists and turns. I may remind you a little of "The Devil and Daniel Webster "(1941). However no one can play "Nick" as well as Claude Rains. I kind of like the way they return to the surface. I never trusted those types of elevators. Before you write off Anne Baxter as just another personality in this film remember that she was also Nefretiri in "The Ten Commandments" (1956) The Devil & Daniel Webster - Criterion Collection

2013-03-28 13:09:58

Interesting Movie

This review is from: Angel on My Shoulder (DVD) Saw this old movie on TV and had to have it to show my family. The quality of the movie wasn't very good since it is such an old move, but the story is great. I liked the theory that we'll be shoveling coal in Hell if we have that misfortune to go there. We got a lot of laughs as well as a good moral to the story.

2013-03-26 06:49:45

ROAN VS. VCI!!!!!

Both Roan and VCI have pretty good prints of this film. It's a toss-up, so perhaps the special features might be the deciding point. The Roan disc has a Vincent Sherman interview which is also available on Roan's release of Underground. The VCI disc has a Leon Errol short which is also available on VCI's currently OOP Leon Errol comedy set. I'm going with the VCI disc because I already have Underground, and the VCI disc has a nicer cover. Even though the Roan disc lists the running time as 90 min., a side-by-side comparison shows it to be 100/101 min. as is the VCI disc. The film's running time matches the original running time, although I'm a little suspicious of the scene following the one in the judge's chamber. It starts in the middle of a word and looks like there could be a few seconds missing. But every print I've ever seen is the same as this.

2013-03-26 01:47:47

Remastered Edition??? REALLY???

This review is from: Angel on My Shoulder (DVD) (DVD) I purchased the Triad version of this fantastic movie that said it was the "Remastered Edition" it was NOT remastered - the quality was so poor that I had to purchase another copy from VCI Entertainment which is THE BEST QUALITY THAT I HAVE SEEN!

2013-03-25 09:49:30

The angel slipped

This is a light weight film with a heavy weight star. The film is not worthy of the great Paul Muni.

2013-03-24 23:24:25

Deal with the Devil!

Great horror/fantasy movie with Claude Rains and Paul Muni.It's scary and it's funny and it's just a gem. Claude Rainsis awesome as the devil who makes a deal with a bad man whocan come back from the dead. The ending is great as the badman has a change of heart. I love this movie. They don'tand can't make movies like this anymore. I bought a $1 dvdat some place a while back and watch it often. you will too!

2013-03-16 18:33:18

Great fun!

I have always been a fan of Claude Rains and in this movie, I find him to be an utterly delightful and humorous devil. If the devil can be humorous or delightful. An entertaining dark comedy, Paul Muni is a murdered gangster sent back to earth by "Nick" (Claude Rains), to impersonate a well respected judge. What follows are many hilarious twists and turns as Muni attempts to discredit the Judge's good name. This movie proves once and for all, the devil can be outsmarted.

Son_Of_Hercules 2013-03-16 08:41:26

"What in my domain is that?"

Paul Muni is a hard-boiled gangster who literally goes to Hell. ClaudeRaines is a smooth Devil who will cut Muni a deal if he goes back toEarth and ruins the name of a good and upright man. Ann Baxter is themonkey wrench. Sounds like a drama and it is, but it's kind of a"comedy-noir". It's also a great romantic comedy. Paul Muni is tough,funny and at times sensitive, Anne Baxter is a long suffering fiancéand just the kind of woman for whom a tough mug like Muni's Eddie couldturn over a new leaf, and Claude Raines makes an excellent "Nick", bothfunny and ominous.There is a nice twist at the end and the closing scene is one of myfavorite finales in filmdom.