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AdventureDramaThriller

The Devil at 4 O'Clock

- They jumped into hell to save part of heaven.

A crusty, eccentric priest recruits three reluctant convicts to help him rescue a children's leper colony from a Pacific island menaced by a smoldering volcano.

Release Date : 1961-10-18

Language :EnglishFrench

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Columbia Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Spencer Tracy

Character Name : Father Matthew Doonan

Original Name : Spencer Tracy

Gender : Male

Frank Sinatra

Character Name : Harry

Original Name : Frank Sinatra

Gender : Male

Kerwin Mathews

Character Name : Father Joseph Perreau

Original Name : Kerwin Mathews

Gender : Male

Jean-Pierre Aumont

Character Name : Jacques

Original Name : Jean-Pierre Aumont

Gender : Male

Grégoire Aslan

Character Name : Marcel

Original Name : Grégoire Aslan

Gender : Male

Alexander Scourby

Character Name : The Governor

Original Name : Alexander Scourby

Gender : Male

BarBara Luna

Character Name : Camille

Original Name : BarBara Luna

Gender : Female

Bernie Hamilton

Character Name : Charlie

Original Name : Bernie Hamilton

Gender : Male

Cathy Lewis

Character Name : Marguerite

Original Name : Cathy Lewis

Gender : Female

Martin Brandt

Character Name : Doctor Wexler

Original Name : Martin Brandt

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2025-06-06

Idealistic priest “Fr. Joseph” (Kerwin Matthews) has arrived on a remote French Polynesian island to take over from the weary and cantankerous old “Fr. Matthew” (Spencer Tracy) whose congregation consists of a leper colony and a prison. When the priests manage to recruit a few reluctant convicts to help out with some repair work in the leper village, they - led by “Harry” (Frank Sinatra) prove to be a bit bigoted and recalcitrant, but things soon change when their very own version of Krakatoa decides to make it’s presence felt putting everyone into a spin and giving the cons an idea as to how they might just escape. Of course, “Fr. Matthew” can’t just abandon his flock, nor their hospital, and with lava lava everywhere he has to convince as many as he can to help him mount a very daring rescue mission into the mountains to see if there is anyone left to evacuate. This is a perfectly competent vehicle for Tracy and Sinatra that doesn’t look remotely realistic until a bit of volcanic activity at the end. The forest scenes don’t quite involve potted plants, but this isn’t anyone’s most convincing south sea island adventure as it takes it’s time to get going. For my money, it’s Grégoire Aslan who steals what limelight there is, and Jean-Pierre Aumont adds a bit of low-key eye candy as the seaplane pilot “Jacques” but the rest of the acting and the writing aren’t up to very much. Some more judicious editing could have tightened up the pace a little but ultimately this is just standard afternoon fayre where most of the cash went on the stars, and very little on giving them much of substance to work with. Watchable, but forgettable, sorry.