The Devil's Disciple 1959

I am not a fan of G.B. Shaw but this follows the play very closely. It is entertaining, humorous and has good character development. Odd that a fabian socialist like Shaw would create this play as it shows the stupidity of government and its' military with unbending rules.The main, character, Burt Lancaster, a pastor finds his life is about to take a career change. He is a good man but like Moses slow of speech. He is extremely unfit for a pacific pastor.The anti-hero who is the town bad boy and ner-do-well Kirk Douglas, is not the Devil's Deciple everyone in the town thinks. He is willing to give up his life for another a very Christian concept.Gentleman Johnnie is played by Lawrence Olivia and his character is calm in the eye of a storm. He has great delivery and is extremely likable. His interaction with Lancaster, Douglas is smooth and entertainingly good.You will enjoy this very much especially the anime scene changes. These are really well done!

I found this movie entertaining, and seeing these actors performing Shaw's humorous story was impressive and worth watching if you're an American Revolutionary War aficionado. Of course, in reality, General Burgoyne went on to be defeated in the battle of Saratoga. Most older folks know this part of American history as it was a turning point of the Revolutionary War. But this movie dealt with the flamboyant personalities before that decisive conflict.

Very entertaining movie (I remember seeing this as a kid). Set during the American Revolution its very entertaining and has some lighthearted moments. Watch Kirk and Burt at their finest. in this film. Lots of little surprises and a few laughs as well. Worth a look!

We first saw this in the 60s. Could never find it on DVD until recently. This is one of the best films I have ever seen! It is the perfect combination of exceptional acting, a great play by G.B. Shaw and excellent directing. Kirk Douglas mused that this film could have been better, but I can't imagine how. When my wife saw the cover she said Teeth, Teeth, Teeth! Actually, the combination of Douglas, Lancaster and Olivier is brilliant. Like all great films, it is hard to classify, since it is a drama with high comedy and some action. Its comedy is intelligent and witty, not slap stick or vulgar! There are no four letter words or all the crap that masquerades as comedy today! Its crisp irony makes it thoroughly modern and relevant to some of the key issues facing us today. It was elegantly filmed in B&W and is a pleasure to view. Douglas and Lancaster formed their own production companies and made some laudable independent films, including this one. One can only imagine what could have been achieved if Hollywood had seen more value in art than dollars. This is vintage wine! Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy!

Many may not hear or see this film. It does show up about once a year on TCM, but this is not your average B&W film. First the cast is Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Lawrence Olivier. Add that it is written by George Bernard Shaw. The story is a search for a resister and decide to arrest the paster; however the one they arrest is the black sheep of the town. The whole presentation is brilliant, with narration and staging of events occasionally presented in miniature model and characters. It has a great build up as each character goes through a change of character. I highly recommend it.

Arrived quickly and in great shape. Entertaining 18th century period drama with some laughs, excellent acting, especially Lancaster and Douglas.

The story takes place during early American Revolutionary times. Lancaster a parson, Douglas a ner-do-well. Some fun and some seriousness. It has been said that Douglas wanted to switch roles with Lancaster, but the decision was NO! These two play well opposite each other, so sit back and enjoy the movie, including L. Olivier's Brit General. Wish there had been more scenes with him. Movie is fun and amusing, with a serious side tone. Recommended

I always enjoy watching Douglas and Lancaster act together and, although others thought Olivier's performance here to be leaden, I liked it. I'm still undecided as to whether I like the animated sequences or not but they certainly distract from the main plot arc. The Devil's Disciple is good entertainment with a very suspenseful ending.

This is really Laurence Olivier’s film.His droll witticisms are outstanding.e.g “If I can’t hang you,perhaps I might offer you some tea!”

Wrong region so shouldn’t be sold here

For my Dad who loved the fact I could get this for him

In this travesty of Bernard Shaw, three good actors (Olivier, Lancaster, Douglas), a great actress (Le Galienne), and a good actress (Scott), run through a rigamarole supposedly set during the Revolutionary War, but actually a cowboys-and-indians filming in costume. Without one or two lines salvaged by Olivier, none of Shaw's wit remains. There is a lot of shooting and some silliness involving blowing up the British gunpowder. There's an excellent version of "Devil's Disciple" that was on the BBC and released some years ago. It contains fine acting from Mike Gwilym as Dick Dudgeon, Patrick Stewart as the Minister and Ian Richardson as General Burgoyne. Unless you're addicted to Sir Laurence or Ms Scott (because of "Day of the Triffids), avoid this.

A first rate adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's satirical play, set against the backdrop of the American Revolution.What a rare treat it is to watch three screen icons at work in the same picture, and they are all excellent!It is a visual delight, boasting beautiful black & white photography by Jack Hildyard, plus some innovative animation work at the beginning and at several other key junctures.Shaw's story and dialogue are superbly transformed to the screen by the team of John Dighton and Roland Kibbee.The short 83 minute running time is a bonus, too. No filler here.My only complaint with the DVD is the lack of subtitles, but they really aren't necessary.