From Michael Anderson, the maverick director of The Dam Busters, Around the World in 80 Days, The Quiller Memorandum, Logan’s Run and The Martian Chronicles, comes this powerful, action-packed drama about the Irish War of Independence starring screen great James Cagney (The Roaring Twenties, One, Two, Three). In 1921, Kerry O’Shea (Don Murray, Bus Stop), an American medical student living in Ireland, learns that his esteemed professor, Sean Lenihan (Cagney), is also a leader in Ireland’s rebel army. Even though Kerry’s father and roommate have both been killed by British troops, he refuses to join the Irish rebellion. However, after Kerry is unjustly imprisoned and tortured by the British “Black and Tans,” he fully commits himself to the cause of Irish freedom. Based on the 1933 novel by Rearden Conner, Shake Hands with the Devil features fine support from Dana Wynter (Invasion of the Body Snatchers), Glynis Johns (No Highway in the Sky), Michael Redgrave (The Night My Number Came Up), Sybil Thorndike (Stage Fright), Cyril Cusack (The Homecoming) and Richard Harris (Juggernaut) in an early screen role.
For thoughts on Shake Hands With The Devil, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.
Video Quality
Shake Hands With The Devil makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Kino Classics with a brand new 1080p master from a 2K scan that is pretty fantastic. There is a great amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing and within the production design. The new transfer shows off a pleasing amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s composition. Black levels are very deep with no noticeable occurrences of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is well defined, and the track only experiences a minor amount of density fluctuation in the print. While the occasional speck pops up, the film is largely free of any blemishes which allows it to look the best it ever has. The black-and-white photography shot by Erwin Hillier wows in high definition with natural grain intact. There are not very many moments where anything appears clumpy or unnatural. Kino Classics has done some marvelous work here.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a pretty great DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that serves this movie well. Dialogue and background noises are represented in pleasing harmony with all competing elements. The music never overpowers the dialogue or other important information, but it does sound the slightest bit fragile at its highest peaks. This track does occasionally present with a very minor amount of age related wear and tear including some faint hissing that likely date back to the source elements. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. The good folks at Kino Classics have done a great job of providing a stable audio experience for this one.
Special Features
- Interview with Actor Don Murray: A new eight-minute interview in which Murray discusses his background in performing, his response to the source material, his approach to acting, his ties to the character, memories of his costars, the challenges of the film and more.
- Trailers: There is a two-minute trailer provided for Shake Hands With The Devil. There are also trailers provided for Never Steal Anything Small, The Gallant Hours, One Two Three, and No Highway In The Sky.
Final Thoughts
Shake Hands With The Devil is an unforgiving political drama with top-notch performances from its entire ensemble. While it would easy to point to James Cagney as a standout, the work from Dana Wynter and Glynis Johns should not be overlooked for the more showy male roles. Michael Anderson has crafted a very entertaining and thrilling drama that still holds up well by modern standards. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a really great new interview. If you are looking for a memorable drama with strong performances, do not overlook this one. Recommended
Shake Hands With The Devil is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
