Title: Angel on My Shoulder
Year: 1946
Genres: Fantasy; Crime; Drama
Director: Archie Mayo
Cast:
- Paul Muni as Eddie Kagle
- Anne Baxter as Stella Madden
- Claude Rains as The Devil / Judge Sadler
- David Bruce as George “Gee-Gee” McCool
- Tom D’Andrea as “Brains” Conway
- Connie Gilchrist as Kitty McCool
- Laird Cregar as The Stranger (Devil’s Messenger)
Synopsis:
Eddie Kagle, a ruthless racketeer known as “the Hood,” is betrayed and killed by his own gang. At the gates of Hell, the Devil (disguised as Judge Sadler) offers Eddie a chance to return to Earth in a new body to sow chaos and avenge himself. Reincarnated as honest judge Frederick Parker, Eddie initially revels in the power to manipulate justice. However, as he grows close to the virtuous Stella Madden and witnesses the damage wrought by his schemes, his conscience awakens. Forced to choose between eternal damnation and redemption, Eddie defies the Devil, sacrificing his second chance to save others from corruption.
Trivia:
- Claude Rains earned acclaim for his suave, multi-faceted portrayal of the Devil.
- Based loosely on the Faust legend, the film blends noir elements with moral fantasy.
- Laird Cregar’s striking presence as the Devil’s messenger was one of his final screen roles before his untimely death.
- The film’s courtroom set was later repurposed for several 1940s crime dramas under Universal’s contract studio system.