The Devil Is a Woman

Should be retitled The Devilish Charm of Marlene Dietrich (for those inclined). She does what she did best: seducing men to their own destruction. It's a lighter role too, which finds her in rare comic form, and it suits her marvellously. The story is predictable, yet it hardly matters. It's merely an excuse for Von Sternberg to lovingly exploit Dietrich and flaunt his visual prowess in theatrically flamboyant fashion. Not their best, but it's mandatory viewing for fans.

vos Sternberg and Dietrich is, as always, a winning combination. Gorgeous shots, especially of the leading lady, and an enjoyable femme fatalish plot. It all seems a little light at times but very good.

A middling romantic comedy with a darker edge that explores man's jealousy and pride. Decent performances from Romero and Dietrich, but nothing spell-binding--even from everyone's favorite femme fatale.

The film looks great and on a technical level it is great but the acting is not great or even that good, with Marlene Dietrich really hamming it up.

Concha's control over the men in this film is a fantastic thing to behold. However, as the sole storyline, it's a little lacking.

I'm sufficiently seduced, period eyebrows notwithstanding. Tight enough plot which wraps everything up. The Spanish setting didn't do much for me. Fav scene: "I won't let you kiss me without loving me!...Answer me, Pasquelito!"

Often compared to The Blue Angel, which I haven't seen, but in light of Sternberg's previous Dietrich vehicles made in Hollywood, this seems cruel merely for the sake of cruelty. There is no redeeming sympathy for this incarnation of the femme fatale, who seems simply to be a fickle and manipulative gold digger breaking hearts for the fun of it. It's a condescending and less enlightened characterization, nowhere near the feminist overtones of this duo's better films.

Reza a lenda que este filme foi um fracasso quando estreou nos cinemas, sem razão. Dirigido por Sternberg, estrelado por Dietrich, com roteiro do John dos Passos baseado numa história do Pierre Louÿs, não só confisca elementos de Carmen, como podemos ver a futura vida de Ava Gardner resplandecendo na época que viveu na Espanha e fazia Frank Sinatra de gato e sapato. O único porém é a credibilidade da Dietrich como espanhola, ela é demasiada teutônica para ser crível. BlurayRip no Mak

After the heights of SCARLET EMPRESS, Dietrich/von Sternberg's follow-up feels slight and hollow by comparison, but there is some fine work here, especially contrasting Atwill's fine portrait of desolate humiliation against his earlier work with Dietrich in SONG OF SONGS. In fact, the whole film feels like a record of 'greatest hits' from all involved -- what is here is fun to see, but it can be seen to much better effect in other, better films.

Star Rating: ★★★★1/2

Josef von Sternberg films Marlene Dietrich again as a femme fatale as striking as only she could be photographed. The story is a highly predictable one, but that's what it's supposed to be. The fun is to see how Dietrich plays the game with every man she meets. Most importantly for this story how she plays Lionel Atwill and her latest toy Cesar Romero. A purely destructive romance story. Destructive just for the fun of it. And this film shows that the Devil really is a woman, and she loves it!

Josef von Sternberg is a visual master. Those rain-soaked shots were absolutely gorgeous and the carnival scenes are packed full of notable detail. Marlene Dietrich is as alluring as she needs to be for the film to work.

Sternberg returns to a favorite theme of his, humiliation, and once again centering around Marlene Dietrich. Those who see its repetition of The Blue Angel as a sore point will just have to console yourself with its elegant lighting, composition, editing, and the numerous supporting actors of worth (Dietrich is one of the weaker elements, especially early on). The wider range of tone just makes it all go down easier, and makes the tragic elements sting the more.

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so fun

A lot of fun, a bit like The Blue Angel but more comedic. Dietrich is quite funny as the manipulative heartbreaker, going a little more over-the-top than her usual cool detachment. I was excited to see Edward Everett Horton's name in the credits, but his role is pretty small and his accent (or lack of one) sounds out of place among the rest of the cast. Sternberg's talents are on full display, especially in the opening carnival scenes which are a delight.

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