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Laurence Olivier is a British general surrounded by mediocrity and outnumbered by rebel forces who won't give him a fair fight. Burt Lancaster is a pacifist minister trying to protect his innocent parishioners, most of whom haven't yet taken any side in the Revolutionary War. Kirk Douglas is a bright-eyed ne'er-do-well, interested only in himself. Put three great actors like this together and you're bound to get great results, right?

Wrong. I completely fail to see how this movie can get such good reviews here. The first 50 minutes of the movie just barely avoid being downright awful. Olivier and Lancaster do next to nothing, while Douglas hams it up so bad that even the audience should feel embarrassed. Janette Scott, as Lancaster's wife, is forced to play a character with no discernible intelligence or personality whatsoever.

Have some patience, however, and you will eventually be rewarded. Lancaster and Douglas both experience sudden character changes. Lancaster gets a chance to be entertaining while Douglas' performance becomes excellent once he tones it down a bit. Allowed finally to interact with these two, Olivier becomes a valuable asset. The resulting 30 minutes is a high-spirited action adventure film with a light comedic touch and occasional witty dialogue. With the handicap of the terrible start, however, this is still nothing more than a pleasant but unremarkable diversion.

Despite its imposing credentials (featuring the star combo of Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier and being adapted from a George Bernard Shaw play), this film is – criminally, if you ask me – scarcely ever revived. Until now, in fact, I had to make do with a tiny reproduction of the poster from the time of its original release locally (kept by my father in a large worn-out scrapbook); for the record, the copy under review was culled from a TCM screening. Anyway, this is a comedy-adventure of the kind 'they don't make 'em like anymore' but one that, being rich in dialogue (as is to be expected of a Shaw work), comes across as atypically intelligent. The setting is the American Revolution (incidentally, the film was begun by Alexander Mackendrick – an American whose career actually took off in England!) with Lancaster a small-town preacher, Douglas a self-proclaimed "ne'er-do-well" and Olivier the General of the invading British army. Douglas, at his roguish best, and a wittily sardonic Olivier are very funny – while Lancaster's initial (albeit necessary) glumness is redeemed by a characteristic bout of acrobatics at the finale. Interestingly, he and Douglas (by the way, THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE was a co-production between their respective companies) gradually exchange identities throughout the film – with the latter passing himself off as a man of the cloth yet keeping his fervent anti-British sentiments unchecked and the minister forced by circumstances into rebellion, action and eventually negotiations with the enemy. The supporting cast, then, is headed by lovely Janette Scott (who manages to hold her own in the company of the two American stars, playing a character named Judith Anderson!) and Harry Andrews (in the role of Olivier's eager yet dim-witted aide) but also including the likes of Basil Sydney, Mervyn Johns and Allan Cuthbertson. Notable, too, are a rousing score by Richard Rodney Bennett and the novel bits of exposition (detailing the progress of General Burgoyne's ill-fated campaign) amusingly done by shifting military figurines about on a map of the area; incidentally, in the style of Lancaster's THE CRIMSON PIRATE (1952; also co-written by Roland Kibbee), we are urged to believe the events as fictionalized here rather than the way documented history presents them!

It has been years since I've actually seen the movie and was disappointed that it can't presently be found on DVD. Yet, while fiction, it is a tight, well acted piece of near dark comedy placed in a revolutionary war setting.

Lancaster's portrayal is akin to his as the somewhat self-righteous Wyatt Earp in O.K. Corral. Probably the wittiest scene is played between the prisoner Douglas and Sir Laurence (Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne) as a straight man with a bit of a twinkle in the eye. First with Olivier near whining to Kirk how he'd think better of him if he only knew how much he'd paid for his commission - a common practice in German George's British army.

Convicted and scheduled to hang, Douglas demands a soldier's firing squad only to talked out of it by Gen'l. Burgoyne decrying - with wry historical accuracy, the woeful state of marksmanship of the average Red Coat then serving in the Colonies. "Well then, by all means hang me !"

Delightful, well paced, funny, and even a tad dramatic with Burt, like Disney's Lambert the Bashful Lion, finally roaring to the height of minuteman steel in the final scenes.

Having seen The Devil's Disciple on a venue that runs films which have fallen into the public domain, I wonder how anyone could have let copyright lapse on such an intriguing, yet quirky, film as this. With it's triumvirate of strong leading men, and an interesting script, this movie should be much more well known. And with it's rather oddball presentation it's surprising that it does not have cult status.

The live action segments are excellent, and there is no slack in the acting or direction. However, some poor soul made the bizarre decision to interject little Rankin-Bass type puppet animation segments at nearly random moments, thoroughly negating - each time - all the dramatic momentum that has been accumulated up to that point. The animated segments are well done, and moderately amusing in and of themselves, yet completely incongruous to the tone of the surrounding film.

These segments are, however, a minor flaw when compared with the greatest drawback of this movie. I am referring to the character of Judith Anderson, our hero's wife. She is, without a doubt, the most annoyingly fickle and foolish female character that I can recall having ever witnessed in any film; and very nearly the most hysterical as well. Not too far into the story I began to get the feeling that I would very much like to slap her. Halfway through the film I was consciously rooting for each of the male leads to take a turn slapping her. By the end of the film I was convinced that everyone in the film should have slapped her, and probably the crew as well! The only thing that made this character bearable was the calm, good-natured presence of Lancaster, Douglas, and Olivier.

Now, this is not intended to denigrate Miss Janette Scott, who portrayed Mrs. Anderson. On the contrary, she did a remarkable job of making this over-the-top hysterical woman seem real. A lesser actress might have easily come off as overly melodramatic and phony in such an extreme performance. Her skill in the performance is the reason that we want to slap her. Kudos to Janette Scott. It is my opinion that almost everyone who watches this film will, in fact, want to slap her. Be prepared.

"The Devil's Disciple" is based on a play by George Bernard Shaw. It recalls of a page in the history of the American Revolution. The play and this film interject considerable humor and satire in otherwise serious matters of the time. All of the cast are good in their roles.

Burt Lancaster is the Rev. Anthony Anderson. Kirk Douglas is a rogue patriot, Richard Dudgeon. Laurence Olivier is the epitome of the arrogant and unbending British general, Burgoyne. Janette Scot plays Anthony's wife, Judith Anderson. She's a conflicted woman after she meets Dudgeon. She loves her husband but also falls for Dudgeon, in his adventurous ways. But two can play at that, as she find outs with Anthony at the end of the film. Harry Andrews flourishes in yet another of his fine British uniform portrayals.

The story takes place in the days of leading up to and the start of the American Revolution. Shaw's sarcasm and cynical treatment of some of the beliefs of the time underlie the story. The film isn't exceptional, but Lancaster's production company pulled together a stellar cast for this humorous look at history and poking fun through the pen of G.B. Shaw.

This is the third film that Lancaster and Douglas made together. Most movie buffs should find the film amusing.

Oddly enough, very few good films have been made about The American revolution, and this is one of them.Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster put in very fine performances, with Lancaster acting against type as the priggish, self-righteous minister who transforms himself into a dashing, wickedly, hero, and Kirk Douglas as the sardonic, cynical, Satanic, selfish, and utterly delightful Dick Dudgeon, who transforms himself inot an altruistic, self sacrificing hero. Laurence Oliviers performance is little too langourous and flat, until he delivers the films great punch-line, "history will lie, as usual." Of course, it may be that the films sharp-eyed, toughly ironic view of the revolution has militated against it ever gaining the popularity it deserves

This is in answer to otter_c, who wrote: "The only disappointment is Laurence Olivier as General Burgoyne. Olivier castigated himself in his autobiography for botching one of Shaw's most hilarious roles, his personal griefs were overwhelming him at the time. He's nervous and unfocused, line after wonderful line falls flat. (He returned to form shortly after in "Spartacus" and "The Entertainer")"

All due respect to both you and Sir Lawrence, but I think this is an instance where his self-appraisal is a little off-target.

I've always enjoyed this performance as a very excellent portrait of a thinking man and wit under a great deal of pressure, with no idea that Olivier did not care for it -- thing is, Burgoyne IS distracted; he has more important fish to fry than this petty punitive hanging, and even before he gets the news about Howe he is deeply concerned for the continued viability of his command: He tosses off his bon mots as the after-thoughts of the kind of intellect who could actually write plays when he wasn't under siege in an unpopular war in unfriendly country.

And I find that makes them and Burgoyne funnier than, say, Ian Richardson's total self- awareness in the '87 BBC production.

Olivier liked to be In Control when he worked; and in some of the roles in which I do not much care for him I feel it makes him artificial and excessively mannered. So naturally, a performance given when he was overwhelmed with grief is gonna rankle the perfectionist in him; but since he was preoccupied with other, more important (to him) matters it put him willy-nilly square in the same frame of mind as I gauge Gentlemanly Johnny to have been in as disaster loomed, I feel it really helps make the performance live in a way the studied Olivier technique might not have come within yards of.

The two men -- the actor and the general he portrays -- are up against it, but instinct pulls each through even if more distractedly than if under less severe constraints; there is still enough of the essence of each to make a credible showing.

The artist is not always the best critic of his own work; and Olivier's General Burgoyne is excellent work whether the actor knew what he was doing or not.

When wearing his 'producer's hat' Burt Lancaster was a noted nemesis for directors. Due to 'artistic differences' he had Charles Crichton replaced on 'Birdman of Alcatraz' and Arthur Penn on 'The Train', in both cases substituting John Frankenheimer. Judging by the great results those decisions proved to be justified. Although Alexander Mackendrick was notorious for 'taking his time', whether giving him the old heave-ho in favour of Guy Hamilton has resulted in a better film is highly debatable. I have no idea who directed what but there is a marked contrast in style throughout the film which does it no favours. It has been suggested that Mackendrick was responsible for the scenes featuring Laurence Olivier as General Burgoyne. This would hardly be surprising as they are the best scenes in the whole film.

This is definitely not for Shavian purists but the cynical humour of the piece and the lampooning of the military mentality come across extremely well.

G. B. Shaw was a master of Paradox and here we have dastardly Dick Dudgeon prepared to assume the identity of another man and take his place on the gallows. That other man is the Reverend Anderson who is transformed from pacifist to militiaman. They are played respectively by Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster who both bring their undoubted charisma and star quality but Douglas has the better role and performs with relish.

It is the Shavian 'realist' General Burgoyne as played by Olivier who leaves a lasting impression. Like so many great actors Olivier was a thoroughbred who needed to be kept on a tight rein. Some directors were better at doing this than others! He is mannered here to be sure but his style, sparkle and inimitable delivery are riveting. Burgoyne was a very able general who rather unfairly came to be stigmatised as 'the man who lost the colonies'. He was by all accounts a rake and a bit of a dandy which Sir Laurence captures brilliantly. He is gifted the best lines of course, notably: 'Martyrdom is the only way a man can become famous without ability'. It would not be long before he would again play opposite Kirk Douglas in 'Spartacus'. His characterisation as Crassus compared to his General Burgoyne exemplifies what a brilliantly gifted artiste he was.

The play has been taken out of the proscenium arch but the action sequences are ineffectual and those involving model soldiers rather infantile. The overall impact of the film is lessened by having a reduced budget and being shot in black-and-white. Splendid score by Richard Rodney Bennett.

Lancaster and Douglas made seven films together and although not one of the best this is decidedly not one of the worst!

While I was VERY glad to see a movie involving the Colonial period in America (since so few movies talk about this), I really didn't enjoy this movie all that much--despite the time period and the great actors. And I really WANTED to like it. But, the story just seemed very childish and stupid after a while--the comedy, though originally subtle became more broad (especially the Douglas character). Now with some films, you expect a certain degree of silliness and unbelievability, but with this one it was really tough because the film itself didn't seem sure of its tone--should it be a serious melodrama or a slapstick comedy? Well, for me it just seemed muddled and a bit embarrassing to watch. Too bad, as I expected more from Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas.

Lancaster and Douglas had a rare and unique Hollywood relationship. Though they could easily have been rivals (and in some ways were), they formed a sort of onscreen "buddy team", working together many times and using their own traits of one-upmanship to lift various projects to a high level of achievement. Their competitiveness, paired with their mutual respect, led to some memorable movies. This is a lesser-known effort of theirs, but is, by no means, an inferior one. Lancaster is a gentle Revolutionary War-era minister, married to the lovely, but puritanical Scott. When the war reaches a fever pitch and local townsfolk begin to hang from the gallows, a roguish prodigal son (Douglas) returns to stir things up. Douglas and Lancaster form an uneasy alliance with each other until Douglas is arrested, mistaken for Lancaster who has buried a "rebel" without permission. The commanding British officer is Olivier, who knows that the war is hopeless, but continues to play it out with a sort of bemused detachment. Though the film contains a fair amount of action, it is really a witty, clever parade of words and thoughts (based on a George Bernard Shaw play) shedding a humorous and ironic light on a page in U.S. history. Lancaster is mellow for much of the film, but effective (and tan! The audience gets to see his muscular back in the film, though Scott is too demure to look upon it herself!) Douglas starts off VERY big, with distractingly dark and satanically groomed eyebrows. Fortunately, he overcomes this gimmick and turns in a solid performance. Olivier is very good, but doesn't really take the reigns of his role to the highest level (and has limited screen time in any case.) Andrews gives a very nice supporting turn as his exasperated right-hand man. Scott does some of her best work as the straight-laced bride who can't help but find herself drawn to the rough-hewn charms of Douglas, though the very idea tortures her. Her best moment comes when Douglas asks her to kiss him and she exclaims, "I can't!" (yet immediately thrusts herself onto him for a lengthy smooch!) As history, the film is dubious at best (and even recognizes this itself!), but, at a tight 83 minutes, it's a delightful diversion featuring a great combination of actors and stars. It doesn't overstay its welcome and has a light touch throughout. (Oh, and check out the stop-motion figures that show up during the voice-over narration! What a hoot!)

A strange, literate tale of mistaken identity during the opening salvos of the American Colonial War. The red coats are rounding up rebels & dissidents in a quiet colonial burg & when one is hung, his ne'er do well son, played by Kirk Douglas, comes to town to claim his inheritance. Enter the town's vicar, played by Burt Lancaster, who pleads to have the recent instigator buried. Fearing future reprisals, the British, led by a tyrannical yet likeable General, played Laurence Olivier, marks the vicar as a enemy so he sends his troops to make an arrest but Douglas happens to be at Lancaster's home & is taken in mistakenly id'ed as the holy man. Lambasting the propriety of war & rebellion, this film, based on a novel by George Bernard Shaw, is a call to arms for both sides to realize the gravity of conflict as past slights can no longer be forgiven & an enemy can not be underestimated. A strange yet vivid allegory for the world we live in today.

Gathering in the picture three legends as Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier should be a smashing hit, but it doesn't happen, the hard times at American Revolution could be had a seriously approaching over such crucial events, somehow the plot is driven to a slight bitter humor, as Kirk Douglas's character spreading acid comments about the law, surround by ironies, Burt finally understood who must change his peaceful manner to get back his country, but how he reshape himself is too contradictory, in other hand the most intriguing role is without doubt from Gentleman Johnny who represent the grandiloquent British Army himself, the smart chatting with Dudgeon is an example, sneering, polite to talk, never raising the voice, quite opposite his subordinate officer Major Swindon, when he faces Anthony Anderson he spoke in same way, everything collapses when he realized that the British Army didn't reach at Albany to help him, when the picture includes some animated cartoons sequences, stay quite clear a humoresque style to tell the history, spoils a little bit, mostly by Kirk's character who enjoy-oneself in such dramatic happenings, another contradiction, it's shot at England!! Do you understand what's meaning by British people??? Think about it!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25

When George Bernard Shaw wrote `The Devil's Disciple', it was not one of his favorite plays. In fact, he seldom allowed for it to be performed, while he was alive. By any standard, it does not stand up as well as some of his other plays (`Pygmalion', `Candida', `Saint Joan', `Major Barbara', `Arms and the Man', etc.).

This film is rewarded with a screenplay that while uneven at times, maintains the spirit and flavor of Shaw's writing. It is also the beneficiary of three strong performances by Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, and especially, Laurence Olivier.

It is rumored that with most of the Lancaster-Douglas films, that the two men would not decide until just before production started, which role they were going to play. In this film, it wouldn't matter. Built on a premise of role reversal, the actors and their roles are interchangeable. In fact, I think it would have been interesting if the movie were filmed twice. Once with the actors in their current roles, and another version with them swapping identities.

Both give marvelous performances. Kirk Douglas starts out a little too broad, but you are instantly drawn to him as a man/patriot. His trial scene with Olivier is the highlight of the film. With Lancaster, you can see the foundation work being prepared for his role of `Elmer Gantry'. His fight scene with the soldiers has just the right amount of humor and slapstick. And is anyone as striking as he is when he first enters in his buckskins?

But it is Olivier who steals this film. I have read how he did not really enjoy working for Lancaster and Douglas, and so he more or less threw his lines away without much conviction. If that is true, it worked for this picture. He has by far the best lines, best characterization, and straight-men to play off of (especially Harry Andrews). Nice work is also turned in by George Rose.

`The Devil's Disciple' is by no means a classic. But it is a must see for film buffs, who want to see three terrific performances, and a pair of friends who obviously had a great chemistry between them, as well as a lot of fun working together.

7 out of 10

I believe, in spite of the way the credits read, that this is from a play by George Bernard Shaw. Which means you have to really pay attention, since it is going to be satirical. They certainly didn't skimp on this cast. And the unique (for the time) use of animation sequences lends another facet. The main problem seems to be that this picture is mistaken for an action drama. Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne was a very real character. The other characters are just representative of the attitudes and problems of the era. The fact that they don't speak in addled regional accents is a bonus. I think perhaps this movie would have been much more attractive in color, since I think black and white are really best for film noir. It adds nothing to this movie, in fact, it detracts from it. Think how lovely it would have been with all those redcoats and all those trees. Still, the story can stand alone. It is really a modern story, set in a time of trouble, but it is generally satirical and humorous in tone. If Lancaster had gotten any more self-righteous it would have been nauseating.

I watch this whenever it's on TV only to see Olivier again and savour every witty, sardonic, delicious line. It's delightful in the writing and his delivery---so acid, sharp and polite at the same time. His lines about hanging Douglas are priceless. Is there anything this unique in another movie? Don't think so.

The rest of the cast is very good, but they don't make me return to the movie. The plot is rather confusing, but entertaining and certainly unusual.

That wife keeps crying and sobbing and it's so annoying, I turn off the sound when she's on screen. A total pain in the neck.

This one definitely let's the star power interfere with Bernard Shaw's message. From the moment Sir Laurence Olivier appears with the most ridiculous hat ever created, one knows not to take this film seriously.

In 1777, as the American colonies are breaking away from the United Kingdom, hanging rebels and their cohorts is commonplace. Springtown, New Hampshire minister Burt Lancaster (as Anthony "Tony" Anderson) would like the British to stop hanging his parishioners. When they come to hang Mr. Lancaster, they mistake manly Kirk Douglas (as Richard "Dick" Dudgeon) for the pastor, because he is accosting Lancaster's pretty wife Janette Scott (as Judith). She is trying to avoid Mr. Douglas's masculine charms, but you know she wants him...

Leading the charge for King George is Laurence Olivier (as John "Gentlemanly Johnny" Burgoyne)...

Douglas bests Lancaster in this screen strutting contest, even splitting his pants for one scene. Lancaster does, however, get the best individual scene; this is when he tries to explode some gunpowder outside a window. The locations and sets are well constructed. There are good appearances for Mr. Olivier, Neil McCallum (as Christopher "Christie" Dudgeon) and motherly Eva Le Gallienne. Originally a play by George Bernard Shaw, it's theatrically staged by Guy Hamilton and the co-stars, but this motion picture version doesn't make a good impression.

***** The Devil's Disciple (8/20/59) Guy Hamilton ~ Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Laurence Olivier, Janette Scott