The Devil with Hitler

Although this film is titled The Devil with Hitler, it does include a Japanese character, so I'm going to include it in my section on WWII propaganda. If I remember correctly, Hal Roach was a major maker of comedy films. The film is dated 1942.

Hitler is giving a speech. Fortunately, the actor speaks in English.

The plot starts out with a meeting in hell where the Board of Directors has been watching Hitler speaking. They call the Devil out of his room and tell him he is not keeping up with the times, and that they plan to replace him with Hitler.

The Devil (in the center) gets them to agree that, if he can get Hitler to do one good deed, then the Devil can keep his job.

On Earth, Hitler is getting a bath and making a speech at the same time. His valet makes a mistake and the Devil arrives. He becomes invisible, and causes the valet to goof up more until Hitler fires him, giving the Devil a chance to take over as his personal valet.

Hitler calls an astrologer to help him see what the day will be like, but the Devil fast-talks the astrologer and gets him out of the way.

As they leave the room, we have our first glimpse of Sukiyaki, the Japanese character, who is taking a picture. The guard refers to the Japanese character as “junior.”

The two Axis leaders, and the Japanese representative.

The plan is a gift for Hitler. Mussolini stole it from Sukiyaki, who now plans to demonstrate how it works.

The plane goes out of control and Mussolini and Sukiyaki run away.

Later, Hitler is talking about “his world” and what he plans to do with it as far as sharing anything goes. Sukiyaki asks Hitler for a favor. He wants the United States. Sukiyaki talks about doing an invasion, and Hitler says he shouldn't, that he had a one-man invasion of England, referring to Rudolph Hess.

Hitler gets pulled up by his map. The devil becomes invisible and cuts the map cord, dropping Hitler through the floor into the room below.

Hitler is now going to deal with some spies.

After he arranges for all of them to be put in the dungeon, Hitler falls over in his chair. The Devil tries to get Hitler to built things like hospitals that would help people and preserve his name.

However, it turns out Hitler wants a policy for Sukiyaki so when he is dead, Hitler gets the money and builds statues of himself all over the place.

The one guy says they've just received “an extra-large shipment of Japs.”

Sukiyaki then talks to the insurance agent himself. He wants to take out a policy on Mussolini.

Then Mussolini buys life insurance policies on both Hitler and Sukiyaki.

Hitler plans to blow Sukiyaki up.

Of course, Sukiyaki and Mussolini are thinking the same thing and have their own bombs.

The bombs are ticking loudly, though, so all three find them.

All three meet in one room, each carrying a bomb.

They are all in the same bed, but the bombs are still there.

The bombs explode.

Hitler tells the Devil that his secret is he used to be a painter.

The Devil locks up Hitler in his painting room and tries to pose as Hitler.

The Devil's plan to make it look like Hitler has done a good deed goes wrong.

Sukiyaki is taking more pictures.

The Devil has tricked the guards into thinking that Hitler is an imposter.

Sukiyaki and Mussolini do nothing to help Hitler, either.

Hitler twists both of their noses.

The Board of Directors know the Devil is trying to pull a fast one.

The Devil lights a bomb in a munitions room, trying to convince Hitler to let the insurance salesman and the girl go.

Sukiyaki and Mussolini try to put the bomb out.

The bomb goes off and rockets start flying through the room.

Hitler agrees to let them go, but a moment later the place explodes.

Mussolini and Sukiyaki are left hanging.

The Board of Directors congratulates the Devil, but Hitler shows up and demands all the territory in the name of the Reich. The Devil has his henchmen take after Hitler with pitchforks.



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