She Devil (1957)

Like previous reviewers, I recall this movie from TV reruns in my boyhood ... and having been a boy of just the right age then, I especially recall Mari Blanchard! But when I ordered this crisp new DVD release, I wondered if it would hold up after all these decades.

No need to worry! It's still as enjoyable as ever, with the additional bonus of being faithful to the classic sci-fi short story on which it's based, Stanley Weinbaum's "The Adaptive Ultimate" -and how often does that happen? It may be modest in scope & budget, but it makes the most of what it's got -and what it's got the most of is Mari Blanchard, playing the happily amoral Kyra Zelas with trampy zest. Just watch her sashay up those steps after confronting the drab, boring, but filthy rich couple in the garden. Clearly she was having a wonderful time with the role, and she just eats up the screen.

And as I watched the film again, I realized that I was still rooting for her to succeed, even though she's supposedly the monster of the story. One of the doctors refers to her as a goddess at one point, and he's not far wrong -she's a bolt of lightning in the drab, male-dominated world of the 1950s -and of course the gods aren't held to the same standards as mere mortals. Yes, she's got men stopping in their tracks to follow her anywhere, but they're all too willing to go along. I love the old housekeeper's sour glances at young, besotted Dr. Scott -you can tell she's thinking, "You big dumb sap!"

In the end, of course, she has to be punished for asserting herself. The only difference between her & the gaggle of rich men she meets is that she doesn't put on the facade of respectability. She may go after what she wants, but she's open & honest about it. And she never really seems truly evil -after all, she's just trying to survive in an alien (i.e., men's) world. Oh, she's a bad girl. and no mistake ... but you can't help liking her.

A minor film, certainly no masterpiece -but it's great entertainment -highly recommended!

This review is for the blu ray from Olive Films. The image quality is superb, as is the audio. There are no extras and no subtitles. I would like to deduct a point for no subtitles alone on all Olive Films (and Warner), but this bizarre flick from the fifties is truly a B-movie masterpiece. Mari Blanchard shines in her role as a woman reanimated from certain death with an experimental drug, which has the side effect of making her ruthlessly independent, self-seeking, and death-proof! Albert Dekker, always entertaining, has to struggle with some truly awkward scriptwriting, but the combined talents of just about all the actors in the film make it entertaining enough. You could take the entire film allegorically, as being anything from a glimpse into the horrors of women stepping outside their established, stereotyped roles, to a criticism of the hypocrisy of men, as the anti-heroine wraps them around her little finger. Or better yet, just enjoy this film for what it is (even if a bit overpriced for just the film alone), and be sure to spot all the medical/science errors! The doctors take great delight in traipsing about a T.B. patient's room without masks, and the lung x-rays look surprisingly clear of disease all around, to name just two.

Buy She Devil (1957) Now

It is a pity that this edition of "She Devil", made by the Spanish company L'Atelier 13 (which has released other films in excellent copies), is so poor. Mari Blanchard plays the title "diabla", an agonizing tuberculosis dark-haired patient who is literally revived with a serum that turns her into a hideous blonde "femme fatale". This is really a shame because the pack has a handsome presentation, including a booklet and two other versions of the story that inspired the film, which were made ​​for television. The copy is not in the wide-screen format (as was the film, released in RegalScope, another name for CinemaScope) and the image quality is very low. If you are a fan of this Kurt Neumann cult film, you will have to do with this for now.

Read Best Reviews of She Devil (1957) Here

Thoroughly enjoyable "B" flick looks amazing on Blu-Ray! I'm so use to seeing murky copies of these kinds of movies on VHS and late night TV it was a little startling to see She Devil in such a pristine form. Fun film!

Want She Devil (1957) Discount?

Hey, there. This film has Mari Blanchard in all her unsubtle glory. The film is totally horrible as was the television script it was based on but I will never forget seeing it at the Town theater in downtown Miami. It was a little theater sandwiched in between the Paramount and some gift shop and a Sloppy Joes, orange and sandwich stand. I loved the movie and even though it has been almost 55+ maybe more years since I saw it, I will never forget it. I totally loved this sci-fi/trashy film and my eyes didn't droop once. I was just so fascinated by the plot, the bosoms on Ms. Blanchard and the fair performances. No special effects. This all relied on telling a story and suspending any disbelief you might have. I remember every moment to this day, especially that moment when Ms. Blanchard is trying to steal something out of a dress shop and she's in the dressing room and looks down at the sink with this "what am I gonna do, what am I doing here, why did I do what I just do" and suddenly she looks up at herself and she's no longer the mousy brunette but a spectacular blonde with a suddenly not so innocent look on her face. Honestly, this film is a blast and a keeper, especially if you are stuck in your house on a rainy day or have encephalitis or menengitis or something that's keeping you in bed. It'll take your mind off of it as you all of a sudden realize that not all good stuff is entertaining. If Ms. Blanchard could have a half way descent career off of crap like this and I can remember what a knockout she was, then I think that speaks volumes. Go ahead. Have some fun.

Save 29% Off