Very well executed

So much average

Absolutely the worst movie.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

This is one of the most original and funny comedies ever. There is a touch of genius about Peter Cook and Dudley Moore's "Bedazzled".In order to buy his soul, the very low rent Devil, George Spiggott (Peter Cook), grants hapless Wimpy short order chef Stanley Moon (Dudley Moore) seven wishes. Stanley is happy to sell his soul in order to have Margaret Spencer (Eleanor Bron), the waitress he is obsessed with, return his love - or even to notice him.I was surprised to learn that the film didn't do all that well in Britain when it was released; Pete and Dud's shift away from their well-known TV personas didn't catch on at first. However that wasn't the problem at the theatre in Sydney where I saw it in 1967; the place was packed and rocked with laughter as Stanley blew his raspberries.Nostalgia plays a huge part in the way we view movies and maybe it was easy to relate to Dudley Moore's Stanley Moon who didn't feel he was getting his fair share of the Swinging Sixties. In reality, Dudley Moore had no trouble attracting women; he even married Suzy Kendall and Tuesday Weld - at different times of course.According to Henry Thompson's "Peter Cook: A Biography", life imitated art and vice versa when it came to the making of "Bedazzled" including Dudley actually developing a crush on Eleanor Bron. More tellingly, Peter Cook's screenplay reflected the rather unequal relationship between he and Dudley Moore. It seems Dudley actually copped more sarcasm off-screen from Peter than he did on-screen and eventually broke away to have a solo career in Hollywood.Peter Cook rarely showed anger in his skits or comedy sketches. Totally deadpan, his characters patiently explain things to other characters who seem obtuse or a bit thick - often played by Dudley Moore. There is superiority and condescension, but rarely aggression. The famous "One Legged Tarzan" sketch is the classic example. In "Bedazzled", George Spiggott, the Evil One, is polite, patient and reassuring with Stanley although he tricks him at every turn.Despite the ups and downs of their lives, "Bedazzled" captures Pete and Dud forever at the top of their form; they thought it up, starred in it and Dudley even composed the music - for me, it's a masterpiece.

Sadly, my first encounter with the Bedazzled movies was watching the unfortunate Liz Hurley remake. I was a teen at the time and Liz Hurley was one of the 'It' girls of the day (the days of Austin Powers and Serving Sara). I loved the idea, and loved Hurley's devil, but that was pretty much it. I never could stand Brendan Frazer and it always pains me to watch him. A couple of years later, I came across the original Pete & Dud film and I fell in love. The story is pretty much the same. It's 1967, Stanley Moon (Dudley Moore) has a dead end job as a Wimpy's cook and is hopelessly in love with waitress Margaret Spencer (Eleanor Bron). Unable to muster the courage to ask her out, he attempts suicide but is stopped by George Spiggot aka. the Devil (Peter Cook), who grants him seven wishes in exchange for his soul. Moon agrees and all his wishes are fixated on winning Margaret's heart, however each wish is altered (courtesy of Mr Spiggot).The movie's strongest point is its' screenplay, incredibly witty and brilliantly blasphemous at the same time. The screenplay is taken to another level with Cook and Moore's undeniable chemistry, and Cook's devil is cultured, smart, charming, very English and deliciously mean. Eleanor Bron is brilliant as the many incarnations of Margaret Spencer, playing each version with comedic brilliance. Raquel Welch, despite appearing for under 10 minutes throughout the film, gives an unforgettable performance as Lillian Lust, one of the personified seven sins. Equally unforgettable is Barry Humphries as the delightfully camp Envy who also makes an incredibly brief appearance.A more personal reason why I love this film is that I love the Sixties. This movie is essentially a time capsule of 1967, set in Swinging London - technically the epicentre of the decade's cultural movement. Perhaps unknowingly, the movie's makers portrayed everything wonderful about 1967 in just over 90 minutes. The London scenery, the cars, the Pete & Dud chemistry, the fashions, the sexuality, hippies, Julie Andrews... the movie has it all. But perhaps the ultimate 60's moment in this film is Stanley's pop star wish. He is transported to a TV studio in the style of 'Ready, Steady, Go' or 'Top of the Pops' where his and Cook's performances are performed/filmed in the most 60's way possible: a crude elevated stage,a dancing teenage fan audience, leggy go-go girls, B&W screens with 60's TV effects, unusual/long band names a-la-1967 (Drimble Wedge & the Vegetation) and the very groovy titular song, composed by Moore and performed brilliantly by Cook.I absolutely loved this film. I'm not sure if this movie will cater for everyone's tastes, but if you're into Pete & Dud, British wit, clever screenplays or the Sixties in general, then this movie is definitely worth watching.

Bedazzled finds Dudley Moore as a short order cook at a Wimpy's in London trying his best to score with the lovely Eleanore Bron who comes in every day for an order. He'll do just about any old thing to make it with her and when you say that, you know that old Scratch will come up from the bowels of the earth to offer you a deal for your soul.But Moore doesn't give up that easy in fact he worms seven different chances with this girl and as the devil his partner Peter Cook comes up with a loophole every time. I have to give Moore credit, he negotiates like a Philadelphia lawyer, but Cook is up to each and every one. The way he gets out of the seventh and last is one for the books.Starring along with Moore and Cook is the city of London in the Sixties when because of the Beatles it was the pop capital of the world. For those who want a look at London back in the day, Bedazzled is definitely the film for you.The only other American on this film besides director Stanley Donen is Raquel Welch who plays the deadly sin of lust personified. And I can't think of anyone better for that time period.There is some physical comedy in Bedazzled, but the real treat is watching Moore and Cook fence for Moore's soul. It's the Faust theme with a real comic twist. Tab Hunter should have only been this cagey with Ray Walston in Damn Yankees.Moore and Cook did quite a few films together before splitting in the late Seventies. Dudley Moore of course had far greater success as a single than Peter Cook did. Then again this side of the pond did not see that much of Cook. The team did a lot of British television together that we in America never were privileged to see. I'm told some of those programs are classic. Bedazzled is yet another classic for them that is available and should be looked at.

I had seen the Brendan Fraser/Elizabeth Hurley version long before this original from director Stanley Donen (Singin' in the Rain) and written by the two leading actors. It is exactly the same premise, a guy - Stanley Moon (Dudley Moore) - wants to be with a girl - Margaret Spencer (Eleanor Bron) - and along comes The Devil, aka George Spiggott (Peter Cook), and the guy signs a contract for seven wishes in exchange for his soul. Throughout the film Stanley becomes articulate intellectual, a wealthy industrialist, a brief rock star, has an affair, a fly on the wall and a nun, oh, and gets an ice lolly. In the end though, instead of the Devil demanding he makes a final wish and it isn't for himself, Stanley uses them all, and the Devil simply turns nice to get God to take him back into Heaven. Also starring a pretty brief Raquel Welch as Lilian Lust, Alba as Vanity, Robert Russell as Anger; Barry Humphries, aka Dame Edna Everage as Envy, Parnell McGarry as Gluttony, Danièle Noël as Avarice, Howard Goorney as Sloth, Michael Bates as Insp. Reg Clarke, Bernard Spear as Irving Moses, Robin Hawdon as Randolph, Michael Trubshawe as Lord Dowdy, Evelyn Moore as Mrs. Wisby, Charles Lloyd Pack as Vicar and Lockwood West as St. Peter. In my opinion, this isn't as good as the much more lively and modern remake, this just feels too 60's, it seems much more chatty, and there was not much to laugh at. Cook is not as fun as the sexy interpretation by Hurley, Moore is not as concerned as Fraser, I think Welch would been a very seductive Devil, probably more so than Hurley, but if you like old fashioned comedy, this is worth seeing, at least once. Okay!