The Devil

It may be difficult to countenance now but there was a time when George Arliss was close to being the biggest film star in the world. This slightly stooped, perhaps not conventionally handsome, mature gentleman had spent years on the stage to tremendous acclaim and achieved the same in the early sound era of film. His great skill was a tremendous personal charisma that defied his actual appearance. When he is on screen there is little else that the viewer remembers his precise diction and sheer presence dominate.

The Devil (1921) was Arliss first film and though denied his superb voice, that presence so evident in his sound films of a decade later is ever present. As Dr. Mueller he puts a loving couple to a test of fidelity, slowly ...

George Arliss is superb in this short feature as the marvellously manipulative, rapscallion "Dr. Müller" who relishes in the misery he causes. He overhears a conversation at an art gallery were a two people are discussing a painting illustrating that truth will always overcome evil. Our devious "Müller" sets about disproving this theory by cleverly manoeuvring "Mimi" (Sylvia Beamer) who is keen on painter "Paul" (Edmund Lowe) who is keen on "Marie" (Lucy Cotton) who is married to "Georges" (Roland Bottomley) and soon nobody trusts anyone anymore... Based on his play - and the direction and styling of the performances is clear testament to that - it is a bit stilted at times, the settings are a little too claustrophobic but Arliss is really ...