{"id":6088,"date":"2009-06-24T19:18:58","date_gmt":"2009-06-25T02:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=6088"},"modified":"2021-01-31T00:07:44","modified_gmt":"2021-01-31T07:07:44","slug":"satan-met-a-lady-1936","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=6088","title":{"rendered":"Satan Met a Lady (1936)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I&#8217;m supposed to be a detective solving a crime case, and everybody thinks I committed the crime!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Poster-151x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"151\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-67296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Poster-151x300.jpg 151w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Poster-65x128.jpg 65w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Poster-136x270.jpg 136w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Poster.jpg 213w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 151px) 100vw, 151px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nWhile investigating the mysterious death of his partner (Porter Hall), detective Ted Shane (Warren William) becomes embroiled in a competitive search for the infamous Horn of Roland, desired by a femme fatale (Bette Davis), an Englishman (Anthony Travers), and an old woman (Alison Skipworth) with a pudgy son (Maynard Holmes).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bette Davis Films<\/li>\n<li>Detectives and Private Eyes<\/li>\n<li>Femmes Fatales<\/li>\n<li>Murder Mystery<\/li>\n<li>Search<\/li>\n<li>Warren William Films<\/li>\n<li>William Dieterle Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nWilliam Dieterle&#8217;s lighthearted adaptation of Dashiell Hammett&#8217;s detective novel has suffered a most ignoble fate: that of being constantly compared with its more illustrious remake, <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5698\"><em>The Maltese Falcon<\/em> (1941)<\/a>. Indeed, <a href=\"http:\/\/onfilm.chicagoreader.com\/movies\/capsules\/19468_SATAN_MET_A_LADY.html\">critic Jonathan Rosenbaum<\/a> dismisses it as simply an &#8220;inferior and unacknowledged adaptation&#8221;, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/937\/satan-met-a-lady\/#articles-reviews?articleId=133174\">TCM&#8217;s reviewer<\/a> refers to it as a &#8220;cinematic train wreck&#8221; (!), and Bette Davis reportedly deemed it one of the worst films of her career. Yet, as noted in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/satan-met-a-lady\">Time Out&#8217;s review<\/a>, while <em>Satan Met a Lady<\/em> can&#8217;t hold a candle to Huston&#8217;s classic version, it&#8217;s &#8220;nevertheless enjoyably and quirkily funny&#8221;, and certainly not a complete waste of cinematic space. Several key changes have been made &#8212; most notably in the (inexplicable) exchange of a jewel-filled ram&#8217;s horn for the falcon, the alteration of most supporting characters&#8217; names, and the casting of a woman (Skipworth) in what would later become Sydney Greenstreet&#8217;s signature role as the Fat Man. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Skipworth.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Skipworth-1024x764.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"478\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Skipworth-1024x764.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Skipworth-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Skipworth-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Skipworth-768x573.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Skipworth-362x270.png 362w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Skipworth.png 1373w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The most significant change, however, is one of tone, given that there&#8217;s a lot more overt humor (particularly in the character of Shane&#8217;s secretary Miss Murgratroyd, nicely played by Marie Wilson):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Wilson.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Wilson-1024x762.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"476\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Wilson-1024x762.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Wilson-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Wilson-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Wilson-768x572.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Wilson-363x270.png 363w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-Wilson.png 1368w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>and Warren William portrays &#8220;Sam Spade&#8221; (actually Ted Shane) as a debonair, wisecracking ladies&#8217; man (not necessarily a bad choice &#8212; he&#8217;s simply not as memorable or enigmatic as Bogart&#8217;s more cynical Spade). Despite its somewhat dense plot &#8212; which requires some hasty explanation near the end of the film &#8212; <em>Satan Met a Lady<\/em> is worth a look at least once for its cast of fine performances and for its infamous reputation. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fine comedic performances by the entire cast<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-William-Davis.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-William-Davis-1024x764.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"478\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67301\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-William-Davis-1024x764.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-William-Davis-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-William-Davis-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-William-Davis-768x573.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-William-Davis-362x270.png 362w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/06\/Satan-Met-a-Lady-William-Davis.png 1369w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, but most film fanatics will likely be curious to check it out, given its historical relevance. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0028219\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1936\/07\/23\/archives\/at-the-strand.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.threemoviebuffs.com\/review.php?movieID=satanmetalady\">Three Movie Buffs Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/937\/satan-met-a-lady\/#articles-reviews?articleId=133174\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/satan-met-a-lady\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m supposed to be a detective solving a crime case, and everybody thinks I committed the crime!&#8221; Synopsis: While investigating the mysterious death of his partner (Porter Hall), detective Ted Shane (Warren William) becomes embroiled in a competitive search for the infamous Horn of Roland, desired by a femme fatale (Bette Davis), an Englishman (Anthony Travers), and an old woman (Alison Skipworth) with a pudgy son (Maynard Holmes). Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Bette Davis Films Detectives and Private Eyes&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=6088\"> 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-6088","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\/6088","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=6088"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6088\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67302,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6088\/revisions\/67302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}