Satan Never Sleeps (1962)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writers:

Claude Binyon (screenplay) and
Leo McCarey (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

23 March 1962 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A priest (William Holden) arrives at a mission-post in China accompanied by a young native girl who has joined him along the way...

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Church | Catholic Hospital | Missionary | Nun's Habit

Cast

William Holden	...	Father O'Banion
Clifton Webb	...	Father Bovard
France Nuyen	...	Siu Lan
Athene Seyler	...	Sister Agness
Martin Benson	...	Kuznietsky
Edith Sharpe	...	Sister Theresa
Robert Lee	...	Chung Ren
Marie Yang	...	Ho San's mother
Andy Ho	...	Ho San's father
Burt Kwouk	...	Ah Wang
Weaver Lee	...	Ho San

Also Known As:

Flight from Terror
The Devil Never Sleeps (UK)

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1962)

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

This was Clifton Webb's final film and one of only two of his sound films in which he appeared without his trademark mustache. The other was For Heaven's Sake (1950).

Goofs:

Continuity: In the baptism scene at the end, Holden pulls the white garment over his head just as the name of the child is revealed. His hair is very tousled as his head subsequently emerges. The scene cuts to the proud/happy parents, then right back to Holden and his hair is miraculously restored to its customary neatness with no apparent time elapsed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Satan Never Sleeps

Anti-communist propaganda at its worst

This movie is a typical example of American 1950-1960's anti-communist propaganda. Regardless of one's political persuasion, the portrayal of the Communist soldiers (and in particular the Communist colonel Ho San) is ridiculously exaggerated, just like the priests, who seem to be pure saints. A very black-and-white story, shot in colour. It can be interesting to watch as a historical document from a time of ideological hostility at the height of the Cold War, but as a movie it has few appealing qualities.

One thing which truly disturbed me was how the Chinese people were portrayed. The only Chinese characters who act like adults are the Communist leaders. The rest of them mostly act like enthusiastic but stupid children (despite them being adults), which reeks of racism. Just look at the thieving cook, he acts like a total imbecil. Not to mention Siu Lan, who seems to have the mental qualities of a 10-year old. If you're interested in Cold War propaganda history, or have similar academic reasons for watching this movie, then by all means do. Few movies are so outspoken as this one in terms of purpose. But if you're looking for some nice cineastic entertainment, don't waste your time.