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Monday, January 22, 2018

SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL 1959 (SHOUT FACTORY)

A remarkable film!

Again, a film I had never seen until I got it on a four movie set.

James Cagney stars as Dr. Sean Lenihan, a surgeon and freedom fighter with the Irish Republican Army as they battle the British "Black and Tans" in 1921 Ireland.

A young American student, Kerry O' Shea (Don Murray), gets drawn into the war when he helps a friend of his who has been shot by the British. Over time he come to realize that Lenihan is becoming a fanatic and wants to kill just for the sake of killing.

When they kidnap a beautiful English woman, Jennifer Curtis (Dana Wynter), and use her for leverage she starts falling for O' Shea and he for her. All Lenihan wants to do is kill her if their demands are not met.

This all leads to a surprising climax on the beautiful cliffs of Ireland. A top notch film with beautiful photography and direction. The rest of the cast includes Glynis Johns, Michael Redgrave, Richard Harrison, Sybil Thorndike, and Cyril Cusack.

If you haven't seen this film, you should. I glides along smoothly ans takes you into a world that is not explored much in any film. Murray almost steals the show from Cagney, and Dana Wynter proves why she was one of the sexiest women to ever grace the silver screen in the 50's.

The print from Shout Factory is beautiful and has no problems.

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