This week’s mystery movie has been the 1952 MGM picture “The Devil Makes Three,” with Gene Kelly, Pier Angeli, Richard Rober, Richard Egan, Claus Clausen, Wilfried Seyferth, Margot Hielscher and Annie Rosar. The screenplay was by Jerry Davis, based on a story (“Autobahn”) by Lawrence Bachmann. Photography was by Vaclav Vich, art direction by Fritz Maurischat and Paul Markwitz, musical direction by Rudolph G. Kopp, and songs by Bronislau Kaper and Jupp Schmitz. it was directed by Andrew Marton.
It is available on DVD from Warner Archive for $15.49.
“My Man and I,” with Ricardo Montalban and Shelley Winters, which was on the original double bill, is also available from Warner Archive for $15.49.
The Los Angeles Times reported (Dec. 31, 1951) that it was Kelly’s first non-musical role since the 1950 film “Black Hand” and said he wanted to take on more dramatic roles. The Times said Kelly delayed “Invitation to the Dance” to shoot “The Devil Makes Three,” based on a story titled “Autobahn.”
New York Times film critic H.H.T. said (Aug. 30, 1952):
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has gone to a great deal of trouble to authenticate “The Devil Makes Three,” a curiously disappointing melodrama of Occupied Germany and Austria which opened yesterday at the Globe…. the film remains, on the whole, a synthetic, pallid and erratic endeavor. Perhaps the source, a novel by Lawrence Bachmann, was another matter entirely. But Jerry Davis’ script is a predictable and rather sluggish account of a tender post-war romance, that of an American Army captain and a young night club “hostess” who is forced to help some Nazi smugglers, which sags tediously in a welter of starry-eyed conversation and adds up to little more than a Continental Western.
The film opened in Los Angeles on Sept. 24, 1952, with “My Man and I” at Loew’s State and the Egyptian theaters.
Los Angeles Times film critic Philip K. Scheuer said (Sept. 25, 1952):
“The Devil Makes Three” is essentially a gangster melodrama enacted against postwar Munich, Salzburg and Berchtesgaden. The gangsters are members of an ugly neo-Nazi party, soulful-eyed Miss Angeli is their child dupe and Kelly is the Yank Army captain caught in the toils…. Kelly is ill at ease even beyond the requirements of Jerry Davis’ screenplay.
Dec. 24, 1952, “The Devil Makes Three” opens in Los Angeles with “My Man and I.”
For Monday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Charlotte Flemming.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery gent.
Update: This is Otto Gebühr.
For Wednesday, we have a rather upset mystery gent.
Update: This is Claus Clausen.
So far, we have stumped the Brain Trust. But Thursday’s mystery lady should be a big clue.
Update: This is Pier Angeli, who likes to remind Daily Mirror readers to adjust their clocks when we go on and off of Daylight Saving Time.
For Friday, we have our non-mystery leading man and Thursday’s mystery woman.
Update: This is Gene Kelly and Pier Angeli.
Brain Trust roll call: Dewey Webb (Thursday’s mystery woman), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery woman), Benito (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery woman), Jenny M (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery woman), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests) and Sarah (mystery movie, Thursday’s mystery woman).
ladailymirror.com 
Nanette Fabray or, in the alternative, Ann Revere (likely too old for this photo).
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Interesting guesses… But alas, I’m afraid not.
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I believe the back of the car indicates that it is a Humbler and so this scene at least takes place in England.
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Though not visible in this shot, the grille of the car shows that it is a LaSalle.
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Betty Lou Gerson.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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I think we might be looking this week at a British film from the looks of that phone booth and the hand set.
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We can rule out the Brits in this film. 🙂
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Harry Davenport.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Fay Baker and TELL IT TO THE JUDGE.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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From the bumper, that looks like a 1939 or 1940 LaSalle.
The mystery lady resembles Luana Walters, but I can’t think of what film of hers it would be…
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It is definitely a LaSalle. But it is definitely not Luana Walters.
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I bet it ran great, too. 😉
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Pier Angeli
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Pier Angeli.
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Pier Angeli in THE DEVIL MAKES THREE [1952]. Weird Gene Kelly movie!
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Pier Angeli
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Comes the dawn! THE DEVIL MAKES THREE
Monday: Margot Hielscher
Tuesday: Otto Gebühr
Wednesday: Claus Clausen
Thursday: Pier Angeli
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Movie is the Devil Makes Three.
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Thanks for Pier Angeli today. It has to be “The Devil Makes Three” (1952).
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That did not look like Pier Angeli to me …and I checked against the Google photos …Devil Makes Three. Even with a cast list I can’t name any of the others. Tuesday is…?
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Gene Kelly and Pier Angeli.
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DEVIL MAKES THREE. Gene Kelly and Pier Angeli today. Claus Clausen Wednesday. Charlotte Flemming Monday.
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Otto Gebuhr Tuesday.
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Could Monday’s guest possibly be Virginia Gregg?
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How embarrassing, I have never seen DEVIL MAKES THREE w/Gene Kelly.
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Hate to come in on a Friday but Pier Angeli + Gene Kelly = The Devil Makes Three from 1952.
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Thurs is Pier Angeli and Friday is Pier with Gene Kelly – the movie is The Devil Makes Three
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Wen must be Claus Clausen
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Monday = Charlotte Flemming?
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Tues = Otto Gebuhr
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The devil makes threee
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Is this film The Devil Makes Three (1952)?
Thursday’s mystery woman is Pier Angeli!
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Well, I knew Pier Angeli, just couldn’t place the movie til Gene Kelly showed up, it’s The Devil Makes Three. Charlotte Flemming is the girl in the telephone booth.
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