We're No Angels (1955)

Intro
"We're No Angels" is a 1955 American Christmas funny film directed by Michael Curtiz and starred Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Aldo Ray, Joan Bennett, and Basil Rathbone. Adjusted from the play "My Three Angels" by Samuel and Bella Spewack, this film tells the amusing and all of a sudden charming tale of three convicts who assist a store owner and his family during the Christmas season.

Plot
The film's story is set in 1895, during the Christmas season. 3 convicts - Joseph (Humphrey Bogart), Albert (Aldo Ray), and Jules (Peter Utnov), escape from Devil's Island to a French seaside town. They choose to hide at a store owned by the pleasant Ducotel family. The family includes Felix Ducotel (Leo G. Carroll), his wife Amelie (Joan Bennett), and their stunning daughter Isabelle. The trio plans to rob the shop and ship out prior to dawn however their scheme shifts as they grow fond of the household.

Connection with Ducotels
The convicts find themselves empathizing with the household's struggles. Felix Ducotel, suffering financially, fears the go to of his insensitive and dishonest cousin Andre Trochard (Basil Rathbone). Andre, who has actually lent money to Felix, prepares to take control of the store due to Felix's inability to pay back the loan. Moreover, Isabelle is enamored with Andre's nephew, Paul, who is thoroughly uninterested in Isabelle, triggering her heartache.

U-Turn
However, as the convicts familiarize themselves with the family's circumstance, they discover it increasingly tough to stay with their preliminary strategy of robbing them. Surprisingly, they start to help the Ducotels instead, using their criminal skills for great. They manipulate Paul to win Isabelle's heart, fix the shop's accounts, and even cook a Christmas supper for the family while doing minor repair work around the home.

Climax
The lives of the Ducotels take a U-turn when Andre fires Felix, choosing to run the shop himself. However, the found guilty trio decides to trick the unflinching Andre. They con him into signing a document that transfers the shop back into Feliz's belongings right prior to Andre supposedly "leaves" the island, never ever to be seen once again.

Conclusion
In the end, the Ducotel household's Christmas turns from misery to joy, unaware of the actions of Joseph, Albert, and Jules, who have inconspicuously solved their problems. Discovery of their escape causes a manhunt, but the convicts are stated dead, permitting them to settle in the town. They choose to remain on the island, spending their 'posthumous' life assisting around in the Ducotels' store - a far cry from their preliminary objective. The film ends with a strong sense of paradox and humor when they enjoy the police collecting the benefit issued for their capture, leaving audiences delighted.

Viewpoint
"We're No Angels" presents a heartwarming and humorous tale of paradox, redemption, and unexpected Christmas miracles. With a sharp, witty script and impressive performances, specifically from movie theater legend Humphrey Bogart, the movie is a classic vacation movie filled with laughter and unanticipated kindness. The movie wonderfully portrays the transformation of the found guilty trio from scoundrels to benefactors, making it an enjoyable watch.

Top Cast