Name: De duivel te slim
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1960-04-15
Duration: 1 h 35 min
Rating: 5.5
Cast: Gaston Berghmans, Jef Cassiers, Cois Cassiers

I suppose these films existed in every country at one time: quickly and cheaply made star-vehicles for a local comedian or two, made for a domestic market, panned by critics, beloved by audiences. 

In Belgium, Edith Kiel was the undisputed queen of such films, whose early successes in the genre afforded her her very own film-studio (although apparently a small one, as all the sets have no more than two walls). Between 1952 and 1960, she churned out no less than 12 of these films, until the rising popularity of television finally did her in. 

In De Duivel Te Slim (Too Clever For Words), two men, after a fight with their wives (battle-axes both, obviously), decide to skip town and enlist on a river barge. As it turns out, the captain of the barge is involved in a smuggling ring and they soon become unwitting accomplices. 

The stars of the show, Gaston Bergmans and Jef Cassiers, are competent comedians and do their best with what little material they get. In fact, it's surprising how little they do get to work with. The film has all the outward appearances of a comedy, but is very stingy when it comes to delivering jokes, gags or witty dialogue. For instance, there is a sequence where the the two men (for no apparent reason) dress up as women, but rather than see this as an opportunity to create comedy, the film seems to think this is funny in and of itself. 

On the plus side, I was never bored, as Edith Kiel keeps the pace going steadily, and I can see how it may have been popular at one time, but today, it is little more than an old-fashioned curiosity.

Dutch cinema often combines understated realism with offbeat humor, tackling moral ambiguity and social change. It balances intimate storytelling with bold, sometimes provocative, visual styles. Dutch films combine art-house sensibility with grounded storytelling, reflecting the country's open, yet quietly complex culture.

Rutger Hauer and Monique van de Ven in Turkish Delight (1973)

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Gaston Berghmans, Cois Cassiers, Jef Cassiers, and Jenny Danella in De duivel te slim (1960)

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Gaston Berghmans, Cois Cassiers, and Jef Cassiers in De duivel te slim (1960)

De duivel te slim

Photos1

Top Cast18

User reviews1

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed