It's not difficult to guess who was cast as the femme fatale in The Devil Is a Woman. Marlene Dietrich often gets cast as a woman whose sex appeal is so intoxicating, she ruins men simply by appearing in their lives. In this Spanish carnival setting, she merely locks eyes with Cesar Romero and he's smitten. He must have her! He tells his friend, Lionel Atwill, and Lionel tells him a story of how Marlene ruined his life as well. Flashbacks don't sway Cesar, even though they took up half the movie, and he's determined to ruin his life as well. Marlene's just no good in this movie - hence the title.
I was pretty excited to watch this movie. It's a classic, and with director Josef von Sternberg at the helm, I knew it would be masterfully handled. I was surprised though, at the style of the film. It's very much like a silent movie, and in fact, if you watch it on mute you'll miss very little. A few text cards could easily tell the story. The crowded frames full of tropical foliage and party guests make for an interesting viewing, even though it obviously wasn't filmed on location. Travis Banton's costume design for Marlene is stunning. She's dripping in lace and gets a different breathtaking hat in every scene. Yes, her makeup makes her look like a clown, but that's also part of the silent film style. Her expressions as she says her lines are straight out of the silent era. Her head tilts, her eye rolls, lowering and raising her lashes, and biting her lower lip before speaking - all mannerisms that take you back in time ten years. Lionel Atwill's flashback, and the way he tells it, completely remind you of storytelling back in the 1920s.
If you're not too familiar with silent pictures, you'll probably just think this movie is weird. You'll think Marlene's mannerisms are overdone, Lionel is boring, Cesar is melodramatic, and the plot slow. But if you know your old, old flicks, you'll be in a better position to appreciate it. It really is a pretty movie to watch, with every visual catching your eye. Whether it's Cesar Romero in his slim-fitting carnival costume, or Marlene Dietrich's gorgeous hats, this movie does what it's supposed to do.
I was pretty excited to watch this movie. It's a classic, and with director Josef von Sternberg at the helm, I knew it would be masterfully handled. I was surprised though, at the style of the film. It's very much like a silent movie, and in fact, if you watch it on mute you'll miss very little. A few text cards could easily tell the story. The crowded frames full of tropical foliage and party guests make for an interesting viewing, even though it obviously wasn't filmed on location. Travis Banton's costume design for Marlene is stunning. She's dripping in lace and gets a different breathtaking hat in every scene. Yes, her makeup makes her look like a clown, but that's also part of the silent film style. Her expressions as she says her lines are straight out of the silent era. Her head tilts, her eye rolls, lowering and raising her lashes, and biting her lower lip before speaking - all mannerisms that take you back in time ten years. Lionel Atwill's flashback, and the way he tells it, completely remind you of storytelling back in the 1920s.
If you're not too familiar with silent pictures, you'll probably just think this movie is weird. You'll think Marlene's mannerisms are overdone, Lionel is boring, Cesar is melodramatic, and the plot slow. But if you know your old, old flicks, you'll be in a better position to appreciate it. It really is a pretty movie to watch, with every visual catching your eye. Whether it's Cesar Romero in his slim-fitting carnival costume, or Marlene Dietrich's gorgeous hats, this movie does what it's supposed to do.