Pact with the Devil

Story

Synopsis

The title of this Italian melodrama translates to Pact with the Devil. However, His Satanic Majesty does not appear in the film. Rather, this expensively produced period piece is more along the lines of Romeo and Juliet, with young love threatened by warring families. In his first Italian film, Hollywood veteran Eduardo Cianelli goes through his usual villainous paces as the scheming father of the male lead (Jacques Francois). The most fascinating performance is rendered by Umberto Spadaro, as the village idiot, or is he? Patto col Diavolo makes the most of the visual dynamics of Italy's mountainous Calabrian region.

Director

Luigi Chiarini

Writers

Luigi Chiarini, Corrado Alvaro, Mario Serandrei

Language

Italian

Country

Italy

Release date

11 January 1950

Ensemble

Cast

• 

  Guido Celano

  Il sottuficiale dei carabinieri

• 

  Annibale Betrone

  Old Laroccha - Marta's father

• 

  Eduardo Ciannelli

  Giacomo Mola

• Fiore Davanzati

  Sarina

• 

  Angelo Dessy

• Oreste Fares

• 

  Jacques François

  Andrea Mola

• 

  Isa Miranda

  Marta Larocca

• 

  Ave Ninchi

  Signora Mola - Giacomo's wife

• 

  Nico Pepe

• 

  Lamberto Picasso

  The priest

• 

  Camillo Pilotto