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| Image credit: Wikipedia |
It’s always
interesting to go back and watch older examples of a popular genre: comedies,
for example. Comedy as a genre has come a long way, fracturing into a multitude
of subgenres that continue to develop and morph with the changing of the times.
While some continue to be just as strong as they ever were –like the buddy
comedy or romantic comedy- there are some that have sunken into a form of
obscurity –the evangelical comedy for example.
With a title like Angel On My Shoulder you would
immediately think of a romantic comedy, but this quirky little movie actually
tells an entertaining story of redemption, even after death. When harsh
gangster Eddie Kagel (Paul Muni) gets popped by his own partner, he goes
straight to Hell and it seems that an eternity of shoveling coal and keeping
Hellfire going is all that awaits him. But when the Devil (Claude Rains)
discovers Eddie’s resemblance to a do-gooder judge he’s trying to condemn,
Eddie is offered the chance for revenge. Brought back to Earth in the body of
his doppelganger, Eddie soon discovers there’s a good man in him and while his
own soul may be condemned he can still save others’ –including the judge’s
beautiful fiancé (Anne Baxter).
The closest thing
to an evangelical comedy that the 20th century - and 21st for that matter-
has to offer is that remake of Bedazzled
starring Elizabeth Hurley and Brendan Fraser. It’s obvious this subgenre has
become irrelevant in these modern times, yet it’s interesting to watch a film
such as Angel On My Shoulder and find
that it still leaves an impression. The story is fresh, original, and clever: a
really lovely moral story combined with unsavory characters. Much of the
movie’s comedy comes as a fountain of irony as the Devil’s plans are
continuously bungled by his pawn, Eddie. The sweeter side of the story comes
from Eddie’s being in the Judge’s body and experiencing glimpses of a good
life. The tale is a perfect path for character development, which is done
beautifully, and by the end of the film one feels warm and quite content.
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| Image credit: Classic Cinema Images |
Dancing
hand-in-hand with the screenplay is a wonderful cast –all of whom bring a lot
of breadth to their characters. There are no flat, 2-dimensional characters to
be found and the entire cast did so well in conveying the inner workings of
their roles. Paul Muni begins as the classic gangster archetype, providing
comedy in his character’s clashing with the Judge’s lifestyle, and finally
becoming a person at peace. The transformation is subtle, but it’s really
sweet. Claude Rains as the Devil proves to be a wonderful villain because you
can’t actually hate him. His depiction of the Prince of Darkness is one of a
man constantly at war and trying his very hardest to prove himself, yet somehow
always being thwarted. Rains delivers a gracious and sweet-natured performance
that casts Satan in as fine a light as any decent, hard-working man.
It’s a shame there’s
no room in today’s society for films like Angel
On My Shoulder, but I am thankful that there are movies like this out there
that can be rediscovered and revisited and still provide their audiences with a
laugh and a warm feeling by the end.
Starring: Paul Muni, Anne Baxter, Claude Rains, Onslow
Stevens, George Cleveland, Erskine Sanford, Marion Martin, James Flavin, and
Hardie Albright
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