The Devil (1921)

★ 6.3 0h 58m IMDb

Drama

Dr. Muller, a friend to all, finds pleasure in turning the goodness in people to evil ends. He meets Marie Matin and her fiancée, Georges Roben, while viewing a new painting, "The Martyr--Truth Crucified by Evil." Marie declares that the picture was wrong--evil could never triumph over truth--and though Muller says he agrees with her, he plots to prove otherwise.

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Cast

George Arliss as Dr. Müller Died 1946 · London, England, UK From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia George Arliss (10 April 1868 – 5 February 1946) was an English actor, author, playwright and filmmaker who found success in the United States. He was the first B...

Sylvia Breamer as Mimi Died 1943 · Sydney, New South Wales, Australia From Wikipedia Sylvia Breamer (9 June 1897 – 7 June 1943) was an Australian actress who performed in American silent motion pictures beginning in 1917. Her father was Sir James De Courcey Breamer,...

Lucy Cotton as Marie Matin Died 1948 · Houston, Texas, USA Lucy Cotton was an American actress who appeared in 12 films between 1910 and 1921..

Florence Arliss as Marie's Aunt Died 1950 · London, England, UK

Edmund Lowe as Paul de Veaux Died 1971 · San Jose, California, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Edmund Dantes Lowe (March 3, 1890 – April 21, 1971) was an American actor. His formative experience began in vaudeville and silent film. Edmund Lowe's career i...

Director James Young

Cast George Arliss, Sylvia Breamer, Lucy Cotton, Florence Arliss, Edmund Lowe, Roland Bottomley, Fredric March

CyrusPK 6/10 Sep 12, 2018

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 drawing them through deception and innuendo into compromising circumstances. It is this sly approach that gives Arliss the opportunity to show, through expression and mouthed dialogue his skills as a seducer.

I had assumed the title of the film was a metaphorical one, highlighting the devilish nature of the Arliss character, but in a final reckoning he is revealed to indeed be more than a lecherous fiend but at the very least a servant of the Dark One. The heroine is protected from his advance by a glowing cross and he is eventually seen to be defeated by the powers of light. The very essence of deux ex machina in a story that at least follows a logical path.

CinemaSerf 7/10 Jun 06, 2022

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 good and sinister. Maybe the ending is a little bit disappointing, but that may depend on your own views of good v evil.