The Devil with Hitler
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Gordon Douglas
Alan Mowbray
Bobby Watson
George E. Stone
Joe Devlin
Marjorie Woodworth
Photos & Videos
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
The board of directors of Hell vote to replace the supreme devil, Satan, with German Chancellor Adolf Hitler, whose evil deeds outdo even those of monarch. To defend himself, Satan announces his plan to go to Earth to prove that Hitler has redeeming qualities. Given forty-eight hours to prove that Hitler can do a good deed, Satan transports himself to Earth through the use of magic powders. After getting Hitler's valet Julius fired, Satan calls himself "Gesatan" and poses as Hitler's new valet. Although Hitler's astrologer, Louis, predicts a calm and peaceful day for the Führer, Satan makes sure that it is anything but calm. When Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and Japanese war department representative Suki Yaki come to see Hitler. Mussolini presents Hitler with some planes, which Suki Yaki claims were stolen from him. However, as Suki Yaki stole the planes from the United States, Hitler now claims them as his. Hitler then orders Louis' execution because his day has been so tumultuous, and insists that Satan be his new astrological advisor. In his new role, Satan advises Hitler that he is destined to do a good deed that day. Hitler is beyond compassion, however, and heedlessly orders numerous executions and the destruction of an entire town. Frustrated, Satan then impersonates Hitler and tries to arrange the release of Walter Beeter, a hapless insurance salesman who was trying to sell Hitler a policy. Satan also attempts to free Linda Kraus, a German spy who has switched sides, but Hitler intervenes. Satan finally believes his position is secure after he convinces Hitler to buy a life insurance policy from Walter and use the proceeds to endow hospitals and old age homes, but Hitler double-crosses him by purchasing insurance on Suki Yaki's life instead. Walter also sells life insurance policies to Mussolini and Suki Yaki, each of whose payoffs are tied to the other's, and Hitler's, demise. The three men try to murder each other with time-bombs, but none succeed. Satan then locks Hitler in a room and, while impersonating Hitler, tries to save the couple from execution. Hitler escapes, however, and prevents Linda and Walter from boarding a train. After eluding Hitler's guards, Satan then hands the Führer a lit bomb and locks him, Mussolini and Suki Yaki in the armory. When the bomb explodes, it ignites several missiles. Satan finally reappears after Hitler promises to set Linda and Walter free. As the couple escapes on a train, another bomb blast propels Hitler sky high. As Hitler has performed a good deed, even though under duress, Satan's position in Hell is secure. When Hitler later arrives in Hell, the devils punish him by poking him with their pitchforks, and Satan promises that Hitler's punishment is "just the beginning."
Director
Gordon Douglas
Cast
Alan Mowbray
Bobby Watson
George E. Stone
Joe Devlin
Marjorie Woodworth
Douglas Fowley
Herman Bing
Sig Arno
Crew
Harry Black
Cortland Fitzsimmons
Charles D. Hall
Bert Jordan
Al Martin
Holly Morse
Robert Pittack
William Randall
Hal Roach
Royer
Roy Seawright
Paul Stanhope
W. L. Stevens
Glenn Tryon
Edward Ward
Photo Collections
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Hitler's Valet. The film's written foreword reads as follows: "Once upon a time there were three heels-- But don't get us wrong, folks, this is not a fairy story because it begins and ends in-- HELL." The viewed print was a reissue titled The Devil with Hitler, which combined The Devil with Hitler with another Hal Roach production titled That Nazty Nuisance (see below). The onscreen writing credits from the viewed print attribute the screenplay to Earle Snell and Clarence Marks, who actually only wrote That Nazty Nuisance. The synopsis for The Devil with Hitler is based on both the viewed print and the cutting continuity in copyright records. The Devil with Hitler was one of Hal Roach's "streamlined features," a series of short comedies intended to fill the second half of a double bill. The first streamlined feature was the 1941 film Tanks a Million (see below).
