THE DEVIL IS A WOMAN (CAPRICE ESPAGNOL)

US, 1935, 79 minutes, Black and white.
Marlene Dietrich, Lionel Atwill, Edward Everett Horton, Cesar Romero.
Directed by Joseph Von Sternberg.

The Devil is a Woman is a very unusual film. It was the last screen collaboration between Marlene Dietrich and her guiding director Joseph von Sternberg. This had begun with the famous Blue Angel and continued in several American films including Morocco and Blonde Venus. The original novel was by Pierre Louys. It was adapted for the screen by S. K. Winston and award winning novelist John Dos Passos. The photography was by the expert Lucian Ballard.

The supporting cast was popular at the time but not so well known now. However, the film is a Dietrich vehicle. She in presented as a femme fatale in Spain at the end of the 19th century. She plays havoc with people’s lives. The film is colourful and also allegorical about the relationship between men and women and the length to which infatuation will drive a man - even an honourable man - to crime. Commentators have pointed out the sophistication of the film for the mid-thirties - its clever use of impressionistic sets, decor. While the dialogue seems somewhat dated and even ironic, the film has flair and carries the audience disbelief. It is an interesting film of the thirties, and certainly shown Dietrich at her most typical.

1. The film as a Marlene Dietrich vehicle? The history of her career with director Joseph Von Sternberg and their working together for effect? Marlene Dietrich as a sex symbol, femme fatale? Impact in the thirties, now? Entertainment value, historical interest?

2. The techniques of film making in the thirties? The quality of black and white photography, the focus on
Marlene Dietrich, use of light and shadow? The atmosphere of Spain at the turn of the century? Sets, Spanish music and song for Marlene Dietrich?

3. The significance of the title and its alternate title indicating the man as puppet? The presenting of Marlene Dietrich in costume, her vivacity, the fatal charm and her use of men and twisting them around her finger? The overtones of the title for this?

4. The structure and audience response - the opening fiesta and the credits, the flashback, the story told by the middle-aged man regretting hie experience, his giving the lie to his story and the encounter with Antonio, the build-up to the climax and Concha and her decision? A convincing screenplay for this kind of melodrama?

5. Man/woman relationships, love, fascination, as life-giving, the madness, jealousy, lies and deceit, the hold on the mind. the heart? How interesting an exploration of these relationships with melodramatic overtones?

6. Marlene Dietrich’s portrayal of Concha? the initial glimpse, her waiting, her promises? The audience knowing about her after hearing the story of the disillusioned man, Antonio and his listening and then his being fascinated by her? Her background in the train, her vindictive attitude towards the woman in the train, her work in the cigarette factory, her fascinating her suitor and his giving money, using her mother, her allure, her whims, going off and returning? The fickleness of her behaviour? The build-up to the duel in her regard and her callous attitude? Her arrival, the sequence in the hospital? What changed her attitude and her decision to leave with Antonio? Her power over the Mayor, arranging the passports? The train journey and the irony of her leaving Antonio at the end? The melodramatic comment of smoking the cigarette and her working in the cigarette factory - and her wealthy appearance at the end? An appropriate theme to leave the audience with? What image of woman did the film present?

7. Antonio and his listening, his daring and recklessness, his being trapped in the duel, his reaction to his
opponent? not trying to kill him? Political background, fascination with Concha and leaving? His being left by her?

8. The focus of the film on the disillusioned middle-aged, older man? Could the audience identify with him? His grim presence at the fiesta, his sitting at the table, friendship with Antonio and past relationship and Antonio idealizing him? Hie being out of uniform and his explaining himself? Concha as presented from his point of view - the beginning of the infatuation, his experience in the train, in uniform and she being malicious? The encounter with her at the factory and his following up the infatuation and visiting? His response to her fickle treatment of his feelings? Her mother and the constant asking for money and his giving it? What motivated his continued return especially after not seeing Concha for so long? The act that her mother put on? His proposals to her, her disregard of him, humiliating him, seeing other men? His decline because of his infatuation? His telling the story to warn Antonio, and then the erratic and jealous behaviour in seeing her afterwards? A convincing picture of an infatuated man?

9. His death wish, the duel, the dramatic build-up to it with the seconds, the count and his not firing and wanting to die? The irony of his not dying and Concha’s visit to him in hospital?

10. The portrait of Concha’s mother and her flattering and insinuating for money? The picture of the Mayor and his assistant and the way that he ran the city, the fiesta, the infatuation with Concha? The passport?

11. The background of the fiesta and its reality and unreality - appropriate for this kind of story?

12. What were each of the main characters left with at the end? The experience, futility? The value of melodrama for illustrating the oddities of passion and their effect on human nature?