The Devil is a surviving 1921 silent drama film directed by James Young and starring stage actor George Arliss in a film version of his 1908 Broadway success of Ferenc Molnár's play, The Devil (aka Az ordog) [1].[2][3] Long thought to be a lost film, a print was discovered in the 1990s and restored by the Library of Congress.

The Devil
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Directed byJames Young
Written byEdmund Goulding
Based onplay The Devil by Ferenc Molnár[1]
Produced byAssociated Distributors Incorporated
Harry Leonhardt
Andrew J. Callaghan
CinematographyHarry Fischbeck
Production
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Distributed byAssociated Exhibitors
Release date
  • January 16, 1921 (1921-01-16)
Running time
60 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)
George Arliss in character.

This was George Arliss' first film following a successful career on Broadway. Arliss' wife Florence Arliss co-starred with him in the film, and continued to do so until he died in 1946. Director Young was silent screen star Clara Kimball Young's ex-husband. Future Oscar-winner Fredric March had an uncredited bit part in the film.[2]

Plot

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The Devil, in the guise of a human named Dr. Muller (Arliss), meets a young couple (Marie and her fiance Georges) who remark upon looking at a Renaissance painting of a martyr that Evil could never triumph over Good. The Devil, taking this as a challenge, decides to bring about the couple's downfall. In the end, Marie resorts to the power of prayer and a shining crucifix appears that causes the Devil to disappear in a burst of flames.

Cast

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Preservation status

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A copy of The Devil is preserved in the Library of Congress collection and the Archives Du Film Du CNC, Bois d'Arcy.[4][5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ The Devil, as presented on Broadway August 1908
  2. ^ a b c Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era. Midnight Marquee Press. pp. 233–234. ISBN 978-1936168-68-2.
  3. ^ The AFI Catalog of Feature Films 1893-1993: The Devil
  4. ^ The Library of Congress/FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: The Devil
  5. ^ Progressive Silent Film List: The Devil at silentera.com
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