Devil and the Deep *** (1932, Tallulah Bankhead, Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton, Cary Grant) – Classic Movie Review 11,278

Director Marion Gering’s 1932 Paramount Pictures black and white romantic drama Devil and the Deep stars Tallulah Bankhead, Charles Laughton, Gary Cooper and Cary Grant.

An extraordinary cast rescues a sinking love-triangle melodrama, as psychotically jealous submarine commander Charles Sturm (Laughton) goes impressively crazy every time handsome Lieutenant Sempter (Cooper) looks at his frustrated wife Diana (Bankhead).

With Cooper rather passive and Laughton over-the-top, it is Bankhead’s authoritative acting that is most memorable here, though also the film looks good thanks to Charles Lang’s moody black and white cinematography.

Paramount Pictures studios directed this soft soap at women customers, though the Russian-born director is (of course) a man, and so is the writer, producer, composer and cinematographer. A then rising Grant heads the star support cast, scoring well in a small role as another of Bankhead’s beaux, Lieutenant Jaeckel.

Also in the cast are Paul Porcasi, Juliette Compton, Henry Kolker, Dorothy Christy, Arthur Hoyt, Gordon Westcott, James Dugan, Peter Brocco, Fred Kohler Jr, Wilfred Lucas, Lucien Littlefield and Kent Taylor.

Writers: Harry Hervey (story) and Benn W Levy (screenplay).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,278

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