Rating: 16/20
Plot: Three cons escape from Devil's Island and take refuge in a shop operated by a trio of Ducotels. They intend to rob the place, but they wind up doing nothing but helping the family out.
Bogart, Ray, and Ustinov are perfect for this script stuffed with irony. I'd almost describe their adventure and rapport with all the straight characters in this thing as Marx-esque, and I thought it was very very funny. It's the sort of black humor that I love in the Ealing movies--Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Ladykillers, etc. The leads sparkle with a chemistry I didn't quite expect, but the supporting players, especially the great Basil Rathbone and Lea Penman, fill in the gaps perfectly. This floats along, often unpredictably, and takes its time getting to any points it has to get to. There's plenty of space to enjoy what's going on, and it's all perfectly charming. I'm not sure about the ending for these characters, the kind of tacked-on thing that I imagine must have been a requirement in 1955, but it doesn't take away from the overall story. I would have preferred something indeterminate though, like a Coen ending. Great performances, some sneaky heart, hilarious dialogue and madcappery, and a whimsical flow make this the kind of Christmas classic that you don't have to watch during the holiday season.
I'm thinking that one of my goals for 2014 should be to see ever Peter Ustinov movie. What do you think?
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