Word: mephisto
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...action opens in the latter region, where His Satanic Majesty has acquired a painful sty in his evil little eye. This, his ministers agree, is when a fellow needs a fiend. They remind Mephisto that "a woman's chastity is a sty in the Devil's Eye.'' and point out the perfection that has caused his infection-the virgin daughter (Bibi Andersson) of an innocent country parson (Nils Poppe). "Where innocence is greatest.'' Mephisto murmurs wickedly, "evil is nearest...
...evening clothes, redlined Inverness cape, with top hat and cane. Three grips stand ready at the trapdoor platform. Another maestro, with a score on his lap, sits near by. Mephistopheles clears his throat, begins la-la-la softly. The maestro, straining to hear the orchestra, says, "Ready!" and Mephisto steps onto the platform...
...Faust sings, "A moi, Satan, à moi!" and throws his book into the fireplace. An electrician switches on a fan, which sends flame-colored paper streamers upward into sight of the audience. The basement maestro makes an abrupt pronouncement: "Up with him!" The stagehands lift the platform and Mephisto into the air. The audience first sees him sitting on the arm of the chair that screens the trapdoor, nonchalantly swinging his foot and cane. Meanwhile, behind the rear study wall. Marguerite (Soprano Nadine Conner) is climbing a narrow set of stairs to a platform, aided by a stagehand...
...Mephisto flourishes his cane. Behind the scenery, backstage spots begin to glow, lighting Singer Conner; as a result, Faust and the audience see the vision of Marguerite through a scrimmed hole in the middle of Faust's bookcase. Faust, enraptured, signs away his soul to the Devil, drinks the potion to restore his youth. While Mephisto struts about flashing his cape to distract the audience, Faust rips off his old-man disguise and springs forward as a young...
...lighter mood is due mainly to M. Clair's revolutionary conception of Mephistopheles. Played by Michel Simon, the Devil's agent now appears as a wonderfully impish, intriguing, and incompetent procurer of souls--sort of a dumb burglar on a metaphysical level. Faust himself capitalizes on Mephisto's bumbling diabolicalness to lead a love life that seems well worth anyone's soul. He is portrayed by Gerard Philipe with just the right combination of gallantry and naivete. But it is M. Simon's performance that sets the mood for the movie; merely the lascivious wink of his eye, coming devilishly...