The Devil Checks Up (1942)

Genres - Comedy, War  |   Release Date - Oct 22, 1942 (USA - Unknown)  |   Run Time - 44 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson

The Devil Checks Up is the 1944 reissue title for the 1942 Hal Roach "screamliner" The Devil With Hitler. Alan Mobray plays The Devil Himself, who is in danger of losing his position because all the business in Hell has "Gone to Earth". Adolf Hitler (played as a pop-eyed buffoon by frequent Fuhrer impersonator Bobby Watson) is responsible for this--and now, he's in line for the Devil's job. To forestall this, the Devil heads to Berlin to force Hitler to perform one good deed, thereby disqualifying him from assuming the title of His Satanic Majesty. Joe Devlin co-stars as Mussolini, while George E. Stone plays a Japanese emissary named Suki Yaki. The film's humor is in atrocious taste (especially in the light of what we now know about Nazi atrocities), but director Gordon Douglas keeps the film's 44 minutes moving at a fast clip, valiantly rushing in where other directors might fear to tread. The Devil with Hitler was later released to television as The Furious Phony.

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Keywords

criminal, bad-guy-vs-bad-guy, competition, rival, Satan