This movie has a slow start, but stick with it. The Devil at 4 O'Clock is a great adventure drama. Like all disaster flicks, it has to show you the calm before the storm, so there's quite a bit of time dedicated to the regular island life before the volcano warning. There are lots of actors with thick accents, but if you're able to pay attention, you can hear a fascinating history of leprosy within the island. There's a shelter dedicated to leper children, headed by beloved priest Spencer Tracy. He's about to be replaced, though, because of his temper and unconventional ways (so why is he so beloved?) and on his last day, he oversees a few convicts (including Frank Sinatra) working construction.
When the volcano warning sounds, how many people will be able to make it off the island before it blows up? Incredible special effects mix with real footage of a volcanic explosion to create a very tense atmosphere. Before Dante's Inferno, there was this movie: a group of sick children, three convicts, and a priest all trying to outrun lava flow and make it to the dock by four o'clock. It's very exciting.
I'm sure you can guess my one criticism, since I make it often. Spencer Tracy was too grumpy and angry, without any real reason. Had a different actor been cast, it would have gone from a good movie to a great one. This is still very good, though, and I'll admit to tearing up at the end.
When the volcano warning sounds, how many people will be able to make it off the island before it blows up? Incredible special effects mix with real footage of a volcanic explosion to create a very tense atmosphere. Before Dante's Inferno, there was this movie: a group of sick children, three convicts, and a priest all trying to outrun lava flow and make it to the dock by four o'clock. It's very exciting.
I'm sure you can guess my one criticism, since I make it often. Spencer Tracy was too grumpy and angry, without any real reason. Had a different actor been cast, it would have gone from a good movie to a great one. This is still very good, though, and I'll admit to tearing up at the end.