Title: Beat the Devil
Year: 1953
Genres: Adventure; Comedy; Thriller
Director: John Huston

Cast:

• Humphrey Bogart as Billy Dannreuther
• Jennifer Jones as Maria Dannreuther
• Robert Morley as Julius O’Hara
• Peter Lorre as Peterson
• Ivor Barnard as Ranko
• Gina Lollobrigida as Gwendolen

Synopsis:

In postwar Italy, a scheming bunch of expatriates—led by con man Billy Dannreuther and his glamorous wife Maria—seek to profit from a rumored uranium mine on the little-known “modern” Italian island of Tché–Tché. Along the way they’re joined by dubious partners Julius O’Hara and Peterson, each playing their own angles. Betrayals, double-crosses, and unexpected outbreaks of malaria complicate the expedition as loyalties shift with every new revelation. Ultimately, the would-be fortune hunters discover the mine’s true nature—and the priceless value of their tenuous alliances.

Trivia:

• Co-written by Truman Capote, the film is noted for its sharp dialogue and playful deconstruction of the caper genre.
• Though filmed in real Italian locations, it was originally intended as a tight back-to-backs production with Huston’s Moulin Rouge, leading to a famously chaotic shoot.
• The film’s elliptical editing and off-beat humor initially perplexed critics but later earned it cult-classic status.
• Rights complications left Beat the Devil in limbo until the 1980s, and it now circulates widely in the public domain.