Bedazzled (1967)

Bedazzled (1967)

6/10

Starring

Peter Cook

Dudley Moore

Eleanor Bron

Directed by Stanley Donen

The Brendan Fraser and Elizabeth Hurley fun 2000 movie Bedazzled is based off a cult classic movie of the same name done in 1967 staring acting pair Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. The movie is based on a Faust legend, with a huge significant change.

The movie is not half bad, and the way the journey went is very different from the Brendan Fraser Bedazzled. I did see the 2000 remake first, so I was very cautious expecting myself to either hate the original version or completely dislike the later.

To be honest both movies for me are just on different sides of the same story.

Now the plot is simple, in this 1967 version Stanley Moon (Moore) is in love with Margaret (Eleanor Bron) a waitress in a restaurant which he works as a chef. This love tale is like Fraser’s Elliot being in love with his coworker Allison in the remake.

Moon has never been able to say a word to Margaret and even when he sums up the courage to say hi, he never quite finishes with a sentence that ends with can we go on a date.

In church, one day he takes the time to pray to God for courage, and after he still couldn’t find the guts to ask Margaret out. He decides life is not worth living and killing himself was best. He left a love note for her, but his suicide attempt failed, and the devil (Peter Cook) shows up.

First, he seems like a crazy person, and his first trial wish run was very very odd in the way it came true. and Moon was convinced that this person before him is a looney.

Then the devil takes him to his office with the snap of his fingers they vanished and appeared there (now Moon believes). The devil gives him a contract to sign, saying that he will get seven wishes that he desires if he will give the devil his soul in return.

The movie then goes down a comedic path, with Moon making wishes and trying his best to best the devil, but none of the wishes always workout the way he wants as he loses out in the end.

Even when he tries to be specific to the core description of what he wants, tiny twists that the devil will turn to make sure his wish never works out well.

In the end he finds out the devil had another game he was playing with God, so he can get back to heaven and he is just a soul in the path.

Good movie, not as funny or exciting as the 2000 remake, but the way it ends puts the movie in par with the 2000 remake.