What makes it different from others?

Sorry, this movie sucks

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The Devil is a Woman (1935) *** (out of 4)Captain Pasqual (Lionel Atwill) is sitting with an old friend (Edward Everett Horton) when he tells him the story of the beautiful Concha Perez (Marlene Dietrich). It seems that Pasqual runs into the woman every so often and her charms seduces him out of money and also takes away his ability to think clearly as he falls for it every time.Joseph von Sternberg's THE DEVIL IS A WOMAN is without question a very charming and rather beautiful looking film that certainly manages to keep you entertained throughout it's rather short running time. Obviously the story itself is a rather good one and it certainly doesn't hurt when the two leads are so wonderful at what they're doing. This is certainly a black comedy that has plenty of nice laughs throughout, although there's no question that Luis Bunuel's THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE is the greatest version of this story.With that said, there's no question that it's Dietrich, Atwill and the cinematography by von Sternberg that makes this film so memorable. Dietrich is as striking as always and there's no question that the director knew how to capture that beauty and seduction. I was really impressed with the goofy charm and seduction that Dietrich shows off here and the way she played with the men's emotions was just priceless. Atwill also gets one of his greatest roles here and he really does deliver a great performance. He's sly and rather dry humor perfectly captures his heartbreak but also his dumbness is getting taken advantage of.The cinematography is also quite remarkable and the entire film has a terrific look to it. The director really makes the black comedy work but the darkness to the cinematography also makes the film seem as if it's some sort of tragic drama. The film really is a lot of fun thanks to these three people and it's certainly worth watching.

As has been pointed out, "The Devil is a Woman" from 1935 is a feast for the eyes with its settings, costumes, and Marlene Dietrich.The film is told in partial flashback and takes place at the beginning of the 20th Century.During carnival in Spain, Antonio (Cesar Romero), a republican revolutionary, who has been exiled, arrives from Paris to participate in the festivities. He also visits with his friend Captain Don Costelar (Lionel Atwill), known to his friends as Pasqualito.Antonio meets Concha, a nightclub singer, and arranges to meet her later. Pasqualito, however, tells him that he had a relationship with Concha, and she ruined his life. Thus begins the flashback, where he tells Antonio what happened and makes his friend promise that he will never approach the greedy, heartless, cold Concha.This was the last von Sternberg-Dietrich collaboration. von Sternberg fills the screen with confetti, balloons, crowds, and people wearing outrageous masks. It's all very frenzied and filled with excitement.This little story is from a novel called "The Puppet Woman." Which she is. Dietrich is stunning as Concha, who flirts, cajoles, and indulges in dramatics in order to get who -- and what -- she wants. It's usually an older man with money, whom she corrals, takes up with a younger man, and leaves the older one. She is costumed in the most outlandish way tilted hats with brims that go out three feet, lace gowns. She's amazing.Both Cesar Romero and Lionel Atwill as her suitors are wonderful - Romero, as Antonio, is wanted by the police so he walks around a lot of the time resembling Zorro.Edward Everett Horton is the Mayor, also madly in love with Concha. He's hilarious as he yells at the police and is disgusted by the carnival. This film is only 80 minutes and well worth seeing. If you have read Maria Riva's book about her mother, there was an incredible amount of time taken with closeups and lighting, and she could hold a position for an unheard of amount of time. You'll see how immaculately she is photographed in this film.

"The Devil is a Woman" marks the end of the celebrated collaboration between Dietrich and von Sternberg and -- if rumor be true and the evidence of this film does tend to bear it out -- it came not a moment too soon for either one. As cold-hearted vamp Concha Perez, Dietrich spends a great deal of screen time pouting, posturing and being photogenically evil, while working her wiles on the likes of Lionel Atwill and Cesar Romero. But there's no heat in it, really; when Dietrich isn't acting mildly amused she appears to be mildly bored. Maybe she's thinking about the next costume change, which is perhaps understandable since she changes costumes about 2 million times during the course of this 75 minute movie. And what costumes they are! Like something out of a drag queen's fever dream. Being Dietrich, of course, she wears them beautifully and director von Sternberg makes sure she is photographed to a fare-thee-well while she's enswathed in them. But costumes and a star and beautiful cinematography (also credited, in part, to von Sternberg) really isn't quite enough to make this 1935 flick fly. John dos Passos is credited with writing the screenplay and it isn't much more than an excuse for Marlene to play the clotheshorse and blow smoke in a lot of mens' faces. This Woman, unfortunately, isn't the Devil; just a minor imp with a wardrobe the size of a Hollywood backlot.

This is not a review of the movie itself but a revelation of the fact behind the title of the movie. The Devil or the Great Dragon or the old serpent or Satan (Revelation 12:7-9), according to the Holy Spirit who we (plural) talk to, is a woman, a female. She is the twin sister of Michael, and the only woman of eight archangels. In Heaven, she was called Lucibel or "Light of Heaven" but when she was cast out of Heaven, she became Lucifer on earth.In the spiritual world, there are no more sex organs, no more "twin peaks" but the beings are either male or female.The movie is an eye-opener for the truth of what the Devil offers. She is a cold-hearted harlot who is alluring and seductive in offering worldly possessions – beauty, fame, power, material wealth – in which people of this world fall into. Even if we have been warned of these, like what the elder Don Pasqualito told the young Antonio, still people fall into her traps and leave people betrayed and helpless. Later, they realize that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4, King James Version). These worldly possessions are fleeting things only. What we should acquire are those that we can take with us in the afterlife.Concha says, "Mother says no flies enter a closed mouth." The Holy Spirit told us, "Mouth that is not opened is far from sinning."