l_rawjalaurence Situated well within the tradition of Forties supernatural comedies such as HERE COMES MR. JORDAN (1941) and BLITHE SPIRIT (1945), ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER - penned by Harry Segall, who also wrote MR. JORDAN - centers on Eddie (Paul Muni) a gangster shot to death by his presumed best friend and sent to Hell as a result. There he encounters the Devil (Claude Rains), also known as Nick; and the Devil offers a bargain whereby Eddie can return to Earth, so long as he inhabits the body of Judge Frederick Parker, one of Nick's deadliest enemies, and thereby contribute to Parker's demise. Eddie readily agrees, as it provides a chance for him to get revenge on his killer (Hardie Allbright) at the same time. The story proceeds in a series of comic misadventures, all carefully planned by Nick, but which go catastrophically wrong in their execution. As Judge Parker, Eddie gets involved in a fist-fight that enhances rather than destroys the judge's reputation; later on, he is about to take a bribe for a case when he discovers that the defendant is one of his ex-girlfriends (Marion Martin), prompting Eddie/ Judge Parker to send her to jail where she belongs.The script is full of sharp witticisms, especially for Rains; not normally associated with comedies, he is given the opportunity to indulge in a range of facial expressions as he discovers that the Devil no longer possesses the power he once thought he had. Muni gets the chance to parody his famous tough-guy role in I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG (1932), with his rangy walk, head bent forward and his arms perpetually down by side, he looks like the typical heavy devoid of intelligence but with plenty of strength. He makes some delicious mispronunciations of the words "Mephistopheles" and "Beelzebub."In truth the film's message is a profoundly conservative one; follow the ways of God and you will be protected from corruption. Eddie learns this precept as the action unfolds, which inspires him to turn against Nick and make decisions for himself. Yet there remains something peculiarly attractive about Hell, even if it is only the wonderfully Gothic sets with smoke arising from them (by Bernard Herzbrun), through which Eddie wanders before encountering Nick.

Edgar Allan Pooh . . . that everyone has an evil twin (unless they're evil, in which case they have an honest double) in his film, ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER. One of the most famous proofs of this notion came in the 1900s during World War II, when Doppelgangsters Adolf Hitler and Charles Chaplin dominated the Big Screen (as Hitler starred in TRIUMPH OF THE WILL, and Chaplin actually subbed for Hitler in THE GREAT DICTATOR, just as evil Paul Muni subs for honest Paul Muni in ANGEL). Of course, things do not always work out as neatly in Real Life as they do in ANGEL. In cases such as O.J. Simpson, Robert Blake, or Mel Gibson, the Yang seems to permanently replace the Yin. On the other hand, there are opposite examples, such as the youth scout genocide participant from a distant land whose double got a Nobel Peace Prize as soon as he became the Leader of the Free World. Good or evil, Paul Muni looks particularly creepy in ANGEL, which may dissuade many viewers from looking into mirrors for awhile.

Martin Bradley Archie Mayo's curio "Angel on my Shoulder" is virtually unknown despite a cast headed by Paul Muni, Claude Rains and Anne Baxter. It's a fantasy along the same lines as "Here Comes Mr Jordan" and "It's a Wonderful Life". It came out in the same year as "It's a Wonderful Life" which may be one reason it's gotten lost in that movie's grander shadow or perhaps it's simply because it's not really that good. Muni seems totally lost in the role of a dead gangster fuelling the fires of Hell before he's brought back to inhabit the body of a 'good' judge the Devil is trying to get his hands on, (watching this you would never think Muni was once considered a great actor). Rains, on the other hand, looks like he's enjoying this nonsense though it's hardly what you would call acting; more like smirking as he goes through the motions. The ridiculous plot has Muni and Rains returning from Hell so that Rains' Devil can get the righteous judge down below, (and give Muni's gangster the chance to get revenge on the guy who plugged him). Of course, considering he's the Devil, Rains seems singularly unprepared for Anne Baxter's sweetness-and-light fiancée whose goodness messes up his plans somewhat. Naturally, it's a comedy and it's not unamusing in a daft kind of way but it's hardly memorable. Par for the Archie Mayo course, in fact.

Mike_Noga Paul Muni is a hard-boiled gangster who literally goes to Hell. Claude Raines is a smooth Devil who will cut Muni a deal if he goes back to Earth and ruins the name of a good and upright man. Ann Baxter is the monkey wrench. Sounds like a drama and it is, but it's kind of a "comedy-noir". It's also a great romantic comedy. Paul Muni is tough, funny and at times sensitive, Anne Baxter is a long suffering fiancé and just the kind of woman for whom a tough mug like Muni's Eddie could turn over a new leaf, and Claude Raines makes an excellent "Nick", both funny and ominous.There is a nice twist at the end and the closing scene is one of my favorite finales in filmdom.