Bedazzled

1967 English comedy

Rating: 15/20

Plot: Short order cook Stanley Moon has a thing for waitress and co-worker Margaret. Too shy to do anything about it, he decides to take his life. Enter: the Devil, George Spiggott who gives Moon seven wishes in exchange for his soul. Unfortunately for Moon, the devil isn't very trustworthy.

This is very English and therefore not riproaringly hilarious or anything, but the script is very clever and the off-kilter sketches are absurd and fun. Bedazzled is the type of movie that keeps threatening to lose control, teetering on the edge of insanity even, but still somehow seems completely under control or restrained. There are a lot of jokes packed into this script, some so dryly subtle that you'll likely miss them if you're not paying attention or if you're just not very smart. I like both Peter Cook and Dudley Moore as well as the supporting cast. It might be a little dated, and a few of the scenes seem to go on for slightly too long, but it holds up well.

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