Beat the Devil
 

Anyone out there a fan of the great John Huston movie "Beat the Devil"? It's my all-time favorite film, one of Bogart's last, with an incredible cast and hilarious dialogue by the young Truman Capote. So why am I discussing it here? It was filmed in and around a small Italian port, and I'd like to find out what town it was. In the film I think the name is only mentioned once, and I suspect it's a fictional name; sounds like "Port Everto" or "Porto Verto", and I find nothing similar on the map. It's a landscape where the mountains come right down to the sea, so I suspect Liguria, but that's just a guess. Any info much appreciated.

When I was staying in the Villa Palumbo hotel in Ravello I was told that Bogart and Bacall stayed there when he was filming "Beat the Devil." So there's a good chance that the film came from around there, unless of course they were just visiting after filming. Mountains definitely meet the sea on the Amalfi Coast. Good luck in finding more info.

<BR>John - if you do find out elsewhere, can you post it here Please? I'd like to know too.

Iola, thanks for that tip. I don't think they'd make that up, so the Hotel's story seems likely to be true. Incidentally, there's a character in the film named Ravello. Huston and Capote were writing the script as filming proceeded, and naming a character after a town seems like the sort of little joke they'd engage in.

John- This kind of thread is what makes the forum so much fun. Glad to have helped.

Yes, it was filmed in Ravello. How could you possibly describe the move to someone? It was so wonderfully off-the-wall. I was told that they "made it up as they went along".

Was curious, so I rented the movie--truly off-beat, and definitely filmed in and around Ravello. Recognized many landmarks, and no where else has such "views of infinity." Even in black and white the beauty of the Amalfi coast is breathtaking. Thanks for asking the question and inspiring me to see for myself.

What fun! We are leaving for the Amalfi coast in April and I can't wait to run out and rent the movie for a preview of the area. Thanks!

Must reading! A fabulous article on Ravello in the today's (Sunday 2/27) New York Times. It's in one of their "Sophisticated Traveler" magazines. It will mentally transport you there! For someone like Nan, who will be traveling there soon, you will be thrilled with anticipation. I (never a good sport) am miserably envious.

I just bought Beat The Devil and it has scenes of Ravello and along the Amalfi Drive. It is so much fun to see the Drive with just the tiny rock railing and parts of the road look like they are still dirt and wait until you see the old SITA busses blowing the same tune!!.

It was shot in 1954.

I love these kind of posts: fun, informative and,usually nice posters.

The scene with Bogart and Jones on the terrace with the statues, is in:
Terrazza dell'Infinito, Villa Cimbrone, Ravello
Use Google maps location: 40.642570, 14.610604
and then you use street view to see a photo right at the green arrow.

The beach scene, when the two ladies are informed of Billy's death, is near here: 40.634935,14.608503
You use street view and in the distance, across the beach, are some brick arches and identifiable rocks. They are seen in the background, across the small bay. It must have been high tide during filming, because it's all water in the film, not beach.

For the town square, you can identify it using a church. Use Google Search for "Hotel Palumbo, Via San Giovanni del Toro, 16, Ravello Salerno, Italy".
Just southwest of Google's 'A' marker, use streetview and rotate to find a church with a stairway, with a white truck to the left of it. This church is seen a few times in the film, during outdoor cafe moments.

One time is when Bogart and Jennifer Jones return from their visit to the villa terrace with the statues. They get out of the limousine and walk from left to right in the frame, with the three "associates" in the foreground at a cafe table. When Bogart passes to the right of their table in the frame, you can briefly see this church with the stairway in the background. The doorway details on different floor levels, to the right of the stairway, make it a match.

This stairway is also visible just after the Galloping Major arrives in the film. You see it in the background as the three "associates" enter the square, walking left to right in the frame.

Enjoy!

Welcome to Fodors ElAurens. cigalechanta may enjoy these old threads, but nearly <i>13 years old</i> is probably a bit moldy even for her :)

ElAurens, Actually, I enjoyed it too, so thanks for bringing it up. It was new to me. Made me want to see the film and to visit Ravello. All the times I've been to the AC, and I've not been to Amalfi or Ravello.

Hi ElA,

How nice of you to update this old thread.

((I))

Ravello is so relaxing and beautiful. It is fun to see it as it used to be on that movie.

We loved the movie when it came out because it was so bad. I suspect the cast was also drunk a good deal of the time.