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She Devil is a 1957 American black-and-white widescreen science fiction horror film, shot in RegalScope, from Regal Films, that was produced, written, and directed by Kurt Neumann. The film stars Mari Blanchard, Jack Kelly, and Albert Dekker[1] and was theatrically released by 20th Century Fox on a double bill with Regal's Kronos.[2][3]

She Devil
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Kurt Neumann
Screenplay by	Kurt Neumann Carroll Young
Based on	the story "The Adaptive Ultimate" by Stanley G. Weinbaum
Produced by	Kurt Neumann
Starring	Mari Blanchard Jack Kelly Albert Dekker
Cinematography	Karl Struss
Edited by	Carl Pierson
Music by	Paul Sawtell Bert Shefter
Production company	Regal Films
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	April 1957 (1957-04) (United States)
Running time	77 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

She Devil is based on the science fiction short story "The Adaptive Ultimate" by Stanley G. Weinbaum.

Plot

Dr. Dan Scott has developed a serum that cures the ills of animals, although it did alter the color of a leopard used in one experiment. Eager to try it on a human being, despite his mentor Dr. Richard Bach's many concerns, Scott finds a consenting patient in Kyra Zelas, a woman with a meek personality who is dying of tuberculosis.

The serum seems to cure her instantly. It also dramatically affects her personality. Kyra shows a flash of temper, then jumps out of a car and runs into a shop, where she steals a dress then disguises her identity by willing her hair color to change from brunette to blonde.

Scott falls in love with her. At a party, however, Kyra seduces a guest, Barton Kendall. When his wife Evelyn objects, Kyra disguises herself again and murders her. Then she marries Kendall, but behaves monstrously toward him. The doctors use a ploy that leaves Kyra in an unconscious state, then perform surgery to reverse the serum's effect, which also restores Kyra's terminal disease.

Cast

• Mari Blanchard as Kyra Zelas
• Jack Kelly as Dr. Dan Scott
• Albert Dekker as Dr. Richard Bach
• John Archer as Barton Kendall
• Fay Baker as Evelyn Kendall
• Blossom Rock as Hannah, the Housekeeper (as Blossom Rock)
• Paul Cavanagh as Sugar Daddy
• George Baxter as Store Manager
• Helen Jay as Blond Nurse
• Joan Bradshaw as Redhead
• X Brands as Police Officer
• Tod Griffin as Interne

Reception

Critical response

Film critic Glenn Erickson discussed the production in his review of the film, "The B&W 'Regalscope' format gives this modest production a handsome look, along with Kurt Neumann's competent if not stylish direction. Cameraman Karl Struss (of Murnau's Sunrise) slightly over-lights Kyra in the party scene to make her hair seem to glow, a subtle effect for sure. The hair-color changing is a filter trick, an invention Struss first used back in the silent era. A spectacular car crash murder scene is an RKO stock shot lifted from the 1952 Otto Preminger noir Angel Face and cropped for the 'scope format. It still looks frightening. Suggesting an undeveloped noir angle, a 'haunting' portrait of Kyra becomes the focus of Dan's obsession. It's supposed to be the work of an Italian master, but looks more like a Paint By Numbers atrocity."[4]

See also

• List of American films of 1957

References

Bibliography

• Warren, Bill. Keep Watching the Skies: American Science Fiction Films of the Fifties, 21st Century Edition. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2009, (First edition 1982). ISBN 0-89950-032-3.

External links

• She Devil at the American Film Institute Catalog
• She Devil at IMDb
• She Devil at AllMovie
• She Devil at the TCM Movie Database
• She Devil information site and DVD/Blu-ray review at DVD Beaver (includes images)
• She Devil trailer on YouTube
• She Devil at the British Film Institute

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