The Devil's Brother (1933)

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:

Contrary to popular belief and what has been reported in filmographies for years, Wilfred Lucas' scenes as Alessandro have, in fact, not been deleted from the film. In the DVD commentary by Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann, they point out Lucas' role briefly in the opening scene as one of Diavolo's conspirators, hidden behind a false set of whiskers that has kept him from being identified by viewers for years, including in Bann's earlier filmography published in the book "Laurel and Hardy".

Goofs:

Continuity: Position of the noose during the hanging sequence.

Quotes:

Stanlio: Why don't we start at the top?
Ollio: Whatya mean?
Stanlio: Well, why don't we become bandits? Then we wouldn't have to work hard anymore. Let's get it the easy way. We could rob the rich and give them to the poor, and we could have all...
Ollio: [Interrupting him] That's the first time you've shown any intelligence.
Stanlio: Well, it's the first time you've listened to me. You know if you listened to me, in a while you'd be a lot better off.
Ollio: I guess you're right. Tell me that plan again.
Stanlio: [Bewildered] All of it?
Ollio: Certainly, certainly!
Stanlio: Well, if we became rich and we robbed the poor and gave them to the bandits and... we could start at the top, and we'd get to the bottom without working hard anymore. We can't go wrong. It's the law of conversation.
Ollio: What do you mean?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ladykracher: (#4.3)" (2008)

"You Don't Need Any Brains To Be A Bandit"

With those words to live by, Oliver Hardy convinces Stan Laurel that this might be just the profession for them in 18th century France. Unfortunately the second guy they decide to rob is the famous bandit, Fra Diavolo, the Devil's Brother played by Broadway star Dennis King in his second feature film role. And to top it all off, these two decide to impersonate Fra Diavolo while doing the robbery.

King is justifiably angry about this and orders Stan to hang Ollie who he sizes up rather quickly as the brains of the outfit. But when Stan bungles the job in a most amusing manner, King decides these guys are worth having around for laughs.

King's on quest, to rob nobleman James Finlayson of a fortune in jewels and then to woo the lovely Thelma Todd. At that point the action of the film and for that matter the operetta it's based on takes place in an inn where all the principals are staying. These also include Arthur Pierson as the earnest, but rather dull young French officer who wants to capture the notorious Fra Diavolo and Lucille Browne, the barmaid who loves the lug.

Stan and Ollie give King cause to regret his choice of confederates on this job before the film is over. Let's just say the rotund Mr. Hardy is not built for swashbuckling and my favorite moment is seeing Ollie swinging from the balcony like the man on the flying trapeze. Best moment for Stan is him getting drunk in the wine cellar. There's a whole lot more.

The Devil's Brother was their second film where they have supporting roles in a classic operetta. The first was The Rogue Song where they support Lawrence Tibbett which has unfortunately been lost. Dennis King who primarily concentrated on the stage in his career delivers a far better screen performance in this than he did when he repeated his Broadway role of Francois Villon in The Vagabond King. Dennis King had a strong voice, it's a pity he did not do more musical films.

In the end their escape has to be seen to be believed. Let's just say that one of Stan's earlier gags came back to haunt the forces of law and order.

The Devil's Brother is Stan and Ollie at their finest with Hal Roach, don't miss it if you are fan of their's.