Bedazzled DVD Review:

Perhaps prompted by the reaction to the American remake in 2000 the 1967 original of “Bedazzled” is being released on DVD – the first time it has been available on any format for ten years.

The story is a comic reworking of the Faust legend. Stanley Moon (Dudley Moore) is desperately infatuated with a waitress in the burger bar where he works (Margaret Spencer played by Eleanor Bron).Yet again unable to summon up the courage to ask her out and seeing her whisked away by another he decides that life is not worth living. He tries to end it all but even fails at this.

Cue the arrival of George Spiggot aka the Devil (Peter Cook) who offers Stanley seven wishes in exchange for his soul. Stanley signs the contract (in blood of course - but only at his request!) and starts to use his new powers to fulfil his desire to be with Margaret.
Unfortunately the Devil has ulterior motives and exploits Stanley’s badly defined wishes. Each attempt at finding happiness is thwarted forcing Stanley to use his escape route back to his normal sad life (this is done by him blowing a raspberry).
In between each of these cameos Stanley meets some of the Devils’ sidekicks - the Seven Deadly Sins – notably Barry Humphries as Envy and a rather wooden but beautifully formed Raquel Welch as Lust.

Left with one wish he covers all possible angles to ensure that he cannot be tricked again. Will he finally find happiness?

When “Bedazzled” was released Peter Cook and Dudley Moore were among the elite of British comedians. Ground breaking television such as “Not Only…But Also” and the salacious “Derek and Clive” albums has influenced much of the comedy of the last four decades. However this film falls between two stools. There is much black comedy with some irreverent jibes at Christianity but it does not have the edge of many of their performances.

There are some very funny moments but these are interspersed with much that is predictable and sometimes over long. It also shows its age as it is very much seated in the “Swinging Sixties”.

The soundtrack (performed by the Dudley Moore Trio) is enjoyable and there are two extras – a recent interview with Barry Humphries and some archive on location footage – which are really not that interesting.

For fans of Pete n’ Dud the films’ flaws will be forgiven but, over forty years on, there will be many who do not approach the film with any preconceived reverence. It is definitely more fun than funny leaving you with a warm glow rather than aching sides.



Keith & Aicha Yaxley