The Devil’s 8 [The Devil’s Eight] ** (1968, Christopher George, Ralph Meeker, Fabian Forte, Tom Nardini, Leslie Parrish, Ross Hagen, Cliff Osmond, Larry Bishop) – Classic Movie Review 9000

This time, in director Burt Topper’s 1968 The Devil’s 8 [The Devil’s Eight], it is a Dirty Half Dozen or So, as US federal government agent Ray Faulkner (Christopher George) lines up an ill-assorted gang of Eight caricature criminals whom he helps to escape from jail to catch a ring of nasty moonshiners, led by a killer.

The Devil’s 8 [The Devil’s Eight] is a very ordinary, derivative action thriller in the wake of The Dirty Dozen (1967), with some decent action sequences and good stunts. But characterisation and plotting are at the most basic level in the story by Larry Gordon, and there are low-flying performances from the cast.

Fabian Forte.

Also in the cast are Ralph Meeker as Burl, Fabian Forte as Sonny, Tom Nardini as Billy Joe, Leslie Parrish as Cissy, Ross Hagen as Frank Davis, Cliff Osmond as Bubba, Larry Bishop, Robert DaQui, Ron Rifkin, Marjorie Dayne, Lada Edmund Jr, Baynes Barron, Roy Thiel, R L Armstrong and Joe Turkel.

Ralph Meeker played psychologist Captain Stuart Kinder in The Dirty Dozen (1967).

The Devil’s 8 [The Devil’s Eight] is directed by Burt Topper, runs 97 minutes, is made by American International Pictures, is released by American International Pictures (1969) (US) and Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (1969) (UK), is written by James Gordon White, Willard Huyck and John Milius, based on a story by Larry Gordon, is shot in Pathécolor by Richard C Glouner, produced by Burt Topper and Jack W Cash, is scored by Mike Curb and is designed by Paul Sylos.

Teen idol Fabiano Anthony Forte, or Fabian, was born in 1943 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9000

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