Shout at the Devil (1976)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Strong and Moving!

Sick Product of a Sick System

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

This film had all the ingredients of a good adventure movie, but it revealed incompetence at almost every level.The presence of Roger Moore in the cast list is usually a sign that the movie is not going to be anything more than mediocre, because Moore always has lead roles and he can't act. But this movie also had Ian Holm and Lee Marvin in it, and was based on a Wilbur smith book, so I thought I'd give it a chance when I saw the DVD for sale in the bargain bin...It was a mistake. The opening scene appeared to start in the middle of a reel, with sound suddenly appearing as if the first second of the soundtrack had been truncated. The scene showed a dreadnought at sea with a German crew. This bad editing was a sign of things to come, but the scene with the dreadnought was interesting enough to keep me watching. The special effects were good, and the crew wore the proper uniforms and spoke in German, indicating that the director at least paid attention to historical detail. So I kept watching, and then Moore appeared and my suspicions were confirmed. Bad acting, clichéd lines, clichéd cinematography and cheap humour...but worst of all, there is a disastrous attempt to blend the light-hearted feel of the film with serious drama and tragedy. It just does not work. Much of the time I felt like I was watching a collection of hastily strung together clips, and then the film ended as suddenly and as badly as it started – in the middle of clip.

Shout at the Devil is a harmless yarn, full of clichés, but easy viewing nonetheless. It's best to watch it when you're a little sazzled to ease the dullness, as with a clear mind this would be a tad too boring! Roger Moore plays himself as usual, an unflustered English gent who just happens to turn up in Africa as the Great War gets underway! He gets conned by Lee Marvin who plays a kind of likable old rogue and they end up at war with a ludicrously over the top Hun commander called Fleischer. Fleischer has all those brilliant German clichés, the big tash, the pointy hat and the jackboots. He also rides a tiny pony, making him even more ludicrous! Basically there's a load of chasing and shooting etc, before Roger wins the war in Africa, sort of........Not a terrible film, but hardly a classic!

As a World War One naval buff, I enjoy this film on one level. As a film enthusiast, I enjoy it on another, all the more so for it being based on fact.The actual story of the Koenigsberg is actually far less glamorous than the fate of the Blucher in this film but no less enthralling. After the ship was destroyed, her crew joined the German land forces under Count Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck and, together with their few thousand fiercely loyal African troops, fought 1 million British soldiers to a standstill for 4 years until, after the Armistice, they surrendered to the Portuguese, undefeated and proud. A tale well worth reading, far better than the fiction.Back to the film. The central character is one Flynn O'Flynn, a thoroughly disreputable character, played by Lee Marvin. Always good value for money, he merely reprises Ben Rumson in Africa - no effort required! Roger Moore, aged 49, plays the 'young' interest! Mind you, he don't look bad for it! He is married to the delectable Barbara Parkins, Flynn's daughter Rosa, really the only female character in the film, a grim role she carries off to perfection. Fleischer, the evil German, the exact opposite of von Lettow-Vorbeck, is brilliantly overplayed by Rene Kolldehoff - he really is unlikeable! Also look out for Ian Holm as the mute Arab servant Mohammed.The film has great pace, really rolling along, well shot in wonderful scenery. It has been well researched too. The Blucher, an actual German cruiser, has been pretty accurately recreated. The whole film has a very genuine feel. I can see why it's not popular with female viewers. It's quite bloody, very cruel and Barbara Parkins character has a dreadful time of it. The scene in which the farm is burned is quite harrowing.There are plenty of laughs too. Flynn O'Flynn has all of Ben Rumson's comic characteristics. The big fight between Marvin and Moore is very funny. And then there's Roger Moore blacked up as an African porter - he's about as convincing as I would be - and I'm blond!If you're a fan of Ripping Yarns, then this one is for you. If not, then I wouldn't bother.

I decided to watch this FLICK on TV, because of the Historical Connection to WWI in the TV Guide Summary. The period history was weak, however I watched the entire film, because I wanted to know who the lead actress was, ie the Sandra Bullock of the 70's? The answer - Barbara Parkins. It's rather amusing that I'm smitten with her now after seeing this film and when I was a College Student in the 70's, I didn't have a clue about her. And the Movie wasn't bad either.