The Devil's in Love
Cast & Crew
Wilhelm Dieterle
Victor Jory
Loretta Young
Vivienne Osborne
David Manners
C. Henry Gordon
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Lieutenant Andre Morand, once Paris' leading surgeon and now the doctor at the French Foreign Legion Fort Rondet in the African desert, learns that his tyrannical commander, Major Bertran, has arranged for him to be transferred to an outpost in the Sudan where he is almost certain to die of fever. Andre gets drunk with his friend, Captain Jean Fabien, and in anger says that he could kill the major. The major soon dies from poisoned medicine administered to him by Andre, and a military court sentences Andre to death after the major's abused assistant Salazar testifies that he overheard Andre's threat. Jean arranges Andre's escape across French lines, and months later, using the name Paul Vernay, Andre runs a clinic in the native quarter at Port Zamba, where he services the poor for free. When Jean sends him a message that a search of Port Zamba has been ordered, Andre plans to leave, but upon learning that his assistant Bimpy has stolen the purse of Margot LeSesne, the visiting niece of Father Carmion, head of the local mission, he returns the purse. Margot asks her uncle to do something to help Andre, and Andre accepts the father's offer to combine their two endeavors and moves into the mission. Meanwhile, Captain Radak, chief of police, arrests the messenger and learns there is big money and a chance for a promotion for bringing Andre back to French territory. One evening, Andre kisses Margot and confesses he loves her. After she reveals that she became engaged three months earlier in Paris to an officer on leave, Andre sees from the officer's photograph that it is Jean. The next day, although Margot tells Andre that she loves him, Andre prepares to leave. When he learns that soldiers at Fort Rondet are under attack and stricken with fever, he gets help escaping Radak from Rena, a dance hall hostess who sacrifices her love for him because she sees he loves Margot. At the fort, Jean, who has fever, is forced to arrest Andre, who attends to the sick. Andre then convinces Salazar that he will die in half an hour, whereupon Salazar, in a confession overheard by Jean, admits that he poisoned the major. During a battle, Jean is killed before planes arrive to bombard the attacking hordes. At Jean's gravesite, Margot and Andre, who says he would have given his life for Jean's happiness, honor his memory.
Director
Wilhelm Dieterle
Cast
Victor Jory
Loretta Young
Vivienne Osborne
David Manners
C. Henry Gordon
Herbert Mundin
Emil Chautard
J. Carrol Naish
Robert Barrat
Akim Tamiroff
Bela Lugosi
Dewey Robinson
Hans Von Twardowsky
Leo White
Jack Byron
Leonid Snegoff
Crew
Edward Collins
Louis De Francesco
Ralph Dietrich
Howard Estabrook
Donald Flick
Ray Flynn
Sol Halprin
Harry Hervey
Rita Kaufman
Joe Macdonald
Hal Mohr
Max Parker
Al Rockett
Robert Surtees
Charles Wilson
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Consul of the Damned, which was the title of the unpublished and uncopyrighted story by Harry Hervey. According to news items, Warner Baxter was originally announced to star in this film, but he was cast in Paddy the Next Best Thing (see below) instead, and Miriam Jordan was originally set to play opposite Baxter. News items also note that Harvey Stephens was originally cast for the role of Jean, but he was replaced by David Manners because he found it impossible to return in time from location shooting for Paddy the Next Best Thing (see below). According to Hollywood Reporter, Harry Lachman was originally assigned to direct the film. According to a pre-production news item, Paul Porcasi was cast in a role; no information has been located concerning his participation in the final film. According to modern sources, John Davidson and Francis McDonald were in the cast.
