The devil comes at four
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The devil comes at four |
| Original title | The Devil at 4 O'Clock |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1961 |
| length | 126 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Mervyn LeRoy |
| script | Liam O'Brien |
| production |
Fred Kohlmar Mervyn LeRoy (producer) for Columbia Pictures |
| music | George Duning |
| camera | Joseph F. Biroc |
| cut | Charles Nelson |
| occupation | |
| |
The Devil Comes at Four is an American disaster film directed by Mervyn LeRoy for Columbia Pictures in 1961 . It is based on the novel of the same name by Max Catto . Spencer Tracy plays Father Matthew Doonan, the priest, and Frank Sinatra plays one of three convicts who are being purified. Barbara Luna has the female lead role of a blind woman.
action
The film opens with the slogan:
"It is hard for a man to be brave when he knows he is going to meet the devil at 4 o'clock."
"It is difficult for a man to be brave when he knows: at 4 o'clock he will meet the devil."
The action takes place in French Polynesia in the early 1960s. Harry, Marcel and Charlie are three felons who are about to be flown to Tahiti to serve their sentences . Since the seedy governor of the neighboring island of Kalua always has use for slave laborers who are passing through, the trip for the three prisoners ends there.
Among the passengers on the plane is Father Perreau, a young, idealistic priest who is supposed to take over from Father Doonan, the cleric of the small island. Doonan is a broken old man whom the difficulties of his mission on the island have led to deep religious doubts and alcoholism. He has been in constant conflict with the ignorant inhabitants of the island who are concerned about tourism since he set up a hospital for children suffering from leprosy in a remote place on the island .
When the governor has the prisoners mistreated, Doonan threatens to investigate the incident and thus gets the three men to work on construction work in the leprosy station. Harry falls in love with Camille, a blind young girl who lives as a helper in the ward. An attempt to escape by the three prisoners fails because after an earthquake - the island is a volcanic island - they are dependent on Doonan's help.
When the volcano finally erupts, Doonan insists on escorting the pilots, who are supposed to explore the action from the air, on their dangerous flight. He discovers that the leprosy station is intact and wants to have the residents saved, but finds no support from the governor, who has meanwhile ordered the evacuation of the island. Harry, a cynic who is gradually transforming into a moral person, manages to persuade his two fellow prisoners to accompany Doonan in the rescue attempt. Father Doonan finds his faith back in the face of the dramatic events.
The four men parachute over the leprosy station and are able to bring the residents to safety before another earthquake finally destroys the building. They then set out on foot on the long and dangerous route to the port in order to reach the ship, which leaves at four o'clock, in time. Marcel sinks into quicksand on the way. When a bridge collapses, Charlie is seriously injured. For Doonan it is natural to stay with the dying man, especially since the bridge is destroyed anyway. Harry, who Doonan had previously married with Camille, leads the children and hospital staff to the port where the ship picks up the rescued. Harry however then returns to Doonan and Charlie, who dies shortly afterwards. The two men pray together until the island finally explodes and sinks into the sea. The rescued on the ship watch with petrified faces as it goes down in the glowing lava.
production
The devil comes at 4 is elaborately produced in color and wide screen format (1.85: 1). Field shoots for the film took place in Fallbrook , California and Maui , Hawaii.
Publication and reception
The film premiered in the United States on October 18, 1961. The West German premiere took place on December 22, 1961.
criticism
"Despite the gustatory slip, a considerable attempt to deepen an exciting catastrophe adventure in a human and religious sense."
“(...) an action-packed mixture of Pacific adventure and disaster film. (Rating: 2 out of 4 possible stars - average ) "
Awards
Frank Sinatra was awarded second place ( Top Action Performance ) at the 1962 Laurel Awards for his role in The Devil Comes at 4 .
literature
- Max Catto : The devil comes at four (original title: Devil at four o'clock ). German by Heinz Kotthaus . Blüchert, Hamburg 1960, 317 pp.
- Donald Deschner: The Complete Films of Spencer Tracy , Citadel, 2000. ISBN 0-8065-1038-2
- Romano Tozzi: Spencer Tracy. His films - his life . Heyne, Munich 1990, ISBN 3-453-86009-8 (US original edition: Spencer Tracy . Pyramid Publications, New York 1973, ISBN 0-515-03246-8 )
Web links
- The Devil at four in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Criticism of the New York Times (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ The devil is coming at four. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed May 25, 2017 .
- ^ Adolf Heinzlmeier, Berndt Schulz: Lexicon "Films on Television" (extended new edition). Rasch and Röhring, Hamburg 1990, ISBN 3-89136-392-3 , pp. 810-811