The Devil's Brother (1933)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

Hal Roach
Charley Rogers

Writer:

Jeanie Macpherson (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

5 May 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

In the early eighteenth century, Northern Italy was terrorized by bandits. Boldest among the robber-chieftains was Fra Diavolo (The Devil's Brother), who masqueraded as the elegant Marquis de San Marco in order to mingle with the rich. Great lords lost their gold to him-great ladies their hearts.

Plot:

Two wannabe bandits join the service of a dashing nobleman, who secretly masquerades as Fra Diavolo, a notorious outlaw>

Plot Keywords:

Firing Squad | Innkeeper | Wine | Finger Wiggle | Well

Cast

Stan Laurel	...	Stanlio
Oliver Hardy	...	Ollio
Dennis King	...	Fra Diavolo / Marquis de San Marco
Thelma Todd	...	Lady Pamela Rocburg
James Finlayson	...	Lord Rocburg
Lucile Browne	...	Zerlina
Arthur Pierson	...	Lorenzo
Henry Armetta	...	Matteo
Matt McHugh	...	Francesco
Lane Chandler	...	Lieutenant
Nina Quartero	...	Rita (as Nena Quartaro)
Wilfred Lucas	...	Alessandro (scenes deleted)
James C. Morton	...	Woodchopper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marion Bardell	...	Tavern bartender (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Harry Bernard	...	Bandit / Drunk (uncredited)
Louise Carver	...	Tavern patron (uncredited)
John 'Uh huh' Collum	...	Boy (uncredited)
Kay Deslys	...	Tavern patron (uncredited)
Edith Fellows	...	Girl (uncredited)
Dick Gilbert	...	Brigand (uncredited)
Carl Harbaugh	...	Woodchopper #2 (uncredited)
Jack Hill	...	Brigand (uncredited)
George Miller	...	Minister (uncredited)
Lillian Moore	...	Tavern patron (uncredited)
Tiny Sandford	...	Woodchopper (uncredited)
Rolfe Sedan	...	Tavern patron (uncredited)
Walter Shumway	...	Tavern patron (uncredited)
Arthur Stone	...	Brigand (uncredited)
Jacqueline Taylor	...	Girl (uncredited)
Frank Terry	...	Servant (uncredited)
Leo White	...	Tavern patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Hal Roach
Charley Rogers		(as Charles Rogers)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jeanie Macpherson		adaptation
Eugène Scribe		libretto (uncredited)

Produced by
Hal Roach	....	producer

Original Music by
Daniel Auber		(1830 comic opera) (as Auber)

Cinematography by
Hap Depew
Art Lloyd

Film Editing by
Bert Jordan
William H. Terhune		(as William Terhune)

Production Management
Henry Ginsberg	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Greene	....	sound recording engineer

Music Department
Leroy Shield	....	musical director (as Le Roy Shield)
Marvin Hatley	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Leroy Shield	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hal Roach Studios

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1933) (USA) (theatrical)
• Astor Pictures Corporation (1954) (USA) (theatrical) (re-titled) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Nothing's New Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Western Electric  sound system

Also Known As:

Bogus Bandits (USA) (reissue title)
Fra Diavolo (UK)
The Virtuous Tramps (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G (TV rating) | Australia:PG | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Hal Roach Studios

Trivia:

This was Laurel & Hardy's first comic-opera film. The movie's success led to another L&H operetta film, The Bohemian Girl.

Goofs:

Continuity: Position of the noose during the hanging sequence.

Quotes:

Ollio: [seeing Stanlio drunk] You're spiffed!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Babes in Toyland (1934)

Laurel and Hardy at their best.

Two of the funniest scenes in a movie. One where Laurel keeps drinking all the wine he's supposed to be putting in a vat. Soon he's sloshed and starts making a smack noise with his mouth, that gets funnier every time he does it. Soon after, they're both sitting at a table in a restaurant and Laurel can't stop laughing. Ollie tries to make him stop but he is quickly consumed by laughter as well and they are ramping up the laughter with every past moment they reminisce. You can't help yourself from laughing and I was laughing hard.

Everything else about this movie is damn good too. The support acting is ahead of it's time and the music is well placed, novel and catchy. And the main female lead is very easy to look at. Check it out, won't we?