{"id":1989,"date":"2006-12-14T16:13:45","date_gmt":"2006-12-14T23:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1989"},"modified":"2022-02-27T10:11:23","modified_gmt":"2022-02-27T17:11:23","slug":"world-the-flesh-and-the-devil-the-1959","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1989","title":{"rendered":"World, the Flesh, and the Devil, The (1959)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;You&#8217;re all that&#8217;s left for either one of us; you have to decide between us.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-the-Flesh-and-the-Devil-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-the-Flesh-and-the-Devil-Poster-195x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-23339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-the-Flesh-and-the-Devil-Poster-195x300.jpg 195w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-the-Flesh-and-the-Devil-Poster-83x128.jpg 83w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-the-Flesh-and-the-Devil-Poster.jpg 378w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAn African-American (Harry Belafonte) and a white man (Mel Ferrer) vie for the affections of a young woman (Ingrid Stevens) in post-apocalyptic New York.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Harry Belafonte Films<\/li>\n<li>Love Triangle<\/li>\n<li>Mel Ferrer Films<\/li>\n<li>Nuclear Holocaust<\/li>\n<li>Post-Apocalypse<\/li>\n<li>Race Relations and Racism<\/li>\n<li>Science Fiction<\/li>\n<li>Survival<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review:<\/strong><br \/>\nThis unusual post-apocalyptic flick &#8212; unfairly maligned by many critics &#8212; is both engaging and provocative. While it starts out as a fairly standard tale about &#8220;the last man on earth&#8221;, about halfway through it veers off course to explore a much more intimate concern: what would happen to societal norms and prejudices if all the rules suddenly changed? Would we hold on to our prior conceptions about race, class, gender, and sexuality, or allow ourselves to move beyond these narrow constraints? Made during an era when anti-miscegenation laws were still in effect in many southern states, this film boldly explores these very issues, and while the story&#8217;s outcome may be too pat, the scenes leading up to it hold true tension and pathos.<\/p>\n<p>Several reviewers have argued that Mel Ferrer&#8217;s appearance disrupts the flow of the movie, but I disagree. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Ferrer.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Ferrer-1024x426.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"266\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Ferrer-1024x426.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Ferrer-300x125.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Ferrer-128x53.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Ferrer-768x319.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Ferrer-1536x638.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Ferrer-604x251.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Ferrer.png 1855w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>His character is an essential narrative catalyst &#8212; the one-dimensional &#8220;devil&#8221; of the movie&#8217;s title &#8212; and his presence is meant simply to provoke a final confrontation between the film&#8217;s primary protagonists (Belafonte and Stevens). It is <em>their <\/em>mental processes &#8212; conflicted, nuanced, and very <em>real <\/em>&#8212; which hold our interest. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Race-Relations-Flowers.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Race-Relations-Flowers-1024x424.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"265\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69157\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Race-Relations-Flowers-1024x424.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Race-Relations-Flowers-300x124.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Race-Relations-Flowers-128x53.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Race-Relations-Flowers-768x318.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Race-Relations-Flowers-1536x636.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Race-Relations-Flowers-604x250.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Race-Relations-Flowers.png 1837w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>While Stevens does a fine job, however, Belafonte truly steals the show: he is alone on-screen for the first 35 minutes of the movie, and more than able to hold our full attention. He amazes us with his ingenuity, moves us to empathetic tears, and demonstrates a remarkably upbeat, can-do attitude towards his situation (note his interactions with the two mannequins he brings to his apartment). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Mannequin.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Mannequin-1024x427.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"267\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69154\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Mannequin-1024x427.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Mannequin-300x125.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Mannequin-128x53.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Mannequin-768x320.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Mannequin-1536x640.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Mannequin-604x252.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Mannequin.png 1845w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>His hesitance in expressing his love for Stevens carries all the weight of a lifetime filled with prejudice &#8212; yet his decision in the final climactic moments of the movie shows that he still has hope for a better future.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Harry Belafonte as one of the last men left alive on Earth<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-NYC.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-NYC-1024x429.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"268\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-NYC-1024x429.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-NYC-300x126.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-NYC-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-NYC-768x321.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-NYC-1536x643.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-NYC-604x253.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-NYC.png 1837w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Belafonte listening to a tape of the final newscast ever made<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Listening.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Listening-1024x426.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"266\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69151\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Listening-1024x426.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Listening-300x125.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Listening-128x53.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Listening-768x320.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Listening-1536x640.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Listening-604x251.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Listening.png 1823w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Desperately lonely Belafonte playing with his own shadow<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Shadow.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Shadow-1024x416.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"260\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69152\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Shadow-1024x416.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Shadow-300x122.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Shadow-128x52.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Shadow-768x312.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Shadow-1536x624.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Shadow-604x245.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Shadow.png 1843w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Dramatic imagery of empty New York streets<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-NYC-Empty-Streets.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-NYC-Empty-Streets-1024x423.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"264\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-NYC-Empty-Streets-1024x423.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-NYC-Empty-Streets-300x124.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-NYC-Empty-Streets-128x53.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-NYC-Empty-Streets-768x317.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-NYC-Empty-Streets-1536x635.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-NYC-Empty-Streets-604x250.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-NYC-Empty-Streets.png 1847w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A provocative exploration of race relations in a post-apocalyptic world<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Stevens.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Stevens-1024x428.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"268\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-69159\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Stevens-1024x428.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Stevens-300x125.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Stevens-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Stevens-768x321.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Stevens-1536x642.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Stevens-604x253.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/World-Flesh-Devil-Belafonte-Stevens.png 1839w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes. This early post-apocalyptic film is both brave and unique. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Historically Relevant<\/li>\n<li>Noteworthy Performance(s)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0053454\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1959\/05\/21\/archives\/screen-radioactive-city-the-world-the-flesh-and-the-devil-opens.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s3406devi.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;You&#8217;re all that&#8217;s left for either one of us; you have to decide between us.&#8221; Synopsis: An African-American (Harry Belafonte) and a white man (Mel Ferrer) vie for the affections of a young woman (Ingrid Stevens) in post-apocalyptic New York. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Harry Belafonte Films Love Triangle Mel Ferrer Films Nuclear Holocaust Post-Apocalypse Race Relations and Racism Science Fiction Survival Review: This unusual post-apocalyptic flick &#8212; unfairly maligned by many critics &#8212; is both engaging and provocative&#8230;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1989\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1989"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81802,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1989\/revisions\/81802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}