Meet the 3 Stooges.... Oops!... I mean, the 3 convicts of 1955's "We're No Angels" - That's Curly (Aldo Ray), Larry (Peter Ustinov), and Moe (Humphrey Bogart).Set in the year 1895 (seriously) - "We're No Angels" has these 3 stooges.... I mean, convicts (who are plotting their escape from Devil's Island) literally parading around town in their prison garb for everyone to see. Like - Duh!Containing dialogue that was loaded with the most callous cynicism imaginable - I thought that of the 3 actors playing the lead roles - It was, undoubtedly, Bogart who was the most painfully annoying one when it came to trying to be funny.Like - Believe me - His performance was absolutely cringe-worthy.Anyway - The only character in "We're No Angels" who won his stars for comic effect was, of course, Adolph, the snake.

I had high hopes for this one… I guess they were TOO high. First of all, I've often had trouble with the concept of obviously filmed plays… "Noises Off" and "The Man Who Came to Dinner" were two of the worst offenders in my opinion. Static, motionless, tons of expositional dialogue crammed in as fast as they possibly could. And that was my experience with "We're No Angels". (I should note that I was unaware it had originally been a play when I started it… but I figured it out in about five minutes. How did "Arsenic and Old Lace" manage to be so entertaining, since it basically had the same limitations? I don't know, but 'static' is not a word I would apply to that film.) The first fifteen or twenty minutes of this one are basically filled with Bogart, Ustinov and Ray up on the roof watching and listening as the Ducotel family rolls out their long list of woes. How long can you watch someone looking in a window? What worked on the stage doesn't necessarily translate well to the screen. There was no action that I needed to see in order to follow the film, so about the time the daughter fainted for the second time, I went to work on a project in the kitchen and finished the film by listening only. It was so incessantly talky that it was like listening to a radio dramatization… perfect background for a little DIY puttering; not enough to keep me sitting and staring at the screen for the entire running time. I certainly had no trouble following it from the next room.That said, I thought Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray were both excellent; they both presented well-drawn characters and delivered their lines (including some real zingers) with appropriate gusto. Bogart was all right, but I've been much more impressed with him in other pictures. He didn't seem to be working as hard as the other two were.Dull, predictable, nothing special. Wanted to like it more; wish I had.

The setting for this movie is 1895, Devil's Island. The story unfolds around Christmas time and what a delightful tale it is to be seen. Michael Curtiz directs a cast that makes you feel like the characters in the story are family. I know a bit offbeat and with a bit of dark humor at times. The movie shines with real heartfelt emotion. It truly is one of my favorite movies, not just at Christmas time but anytime. If you are a Bogart or Ustinov fan you deserve to treat yourself to this little gem.Aldo Ray is simply wonderful as the muscular backup to our three angels. Basil Rathbone is perfect in his character. If you see the movie you will know what I mean. The song "Sentimental Moments" is such a sweet little song. I wish it this were in circulation on TCM or other channels.It is a Christmas classic in our house, maybe it will be yours too!

I saw this on Sky listings. Old, vague, but still strong memories of a 'good' film made me watch it this late evening.What a charming film. Clearly from a stage play , but the film direction was excellent, keeping the pace and the interest in 'What happens next' high.I would say Bogart was a scene stealer, but unfortunately everyone else was too! You have to admire the courage of Peter Ustinov then; he was a young unknown, but did his idiosyncratic twitchy thing confidently in front of the Great Bogart. But that was how great new talent came through. They wouldn't let a Ustinov near a Bogart today. Too risky. Best to stick to the bland.There lies the modern day problem.For Bogart (at the time this film was made) to say something like " We'll bash their skulls, gouge their eyes, then slit their throats, but first we'll do the dishes" said a lot about the man. He was willing to put his lucrative tough guy reputation on the line to deliver this script. How was he to know it was going to turn out well?'The Inbetweeners' is flavour of the moment at the cinema. Ask any of its fans to watch ' We're no Angels' and they might look strangely at you. But leave them on their own with the DVD and five minutes in I bet most of them would be hooked (they just would never admit it, not cool you see). Well, I think this is a really cool film. I will watch it again happily.