Shake Hands with the Devil (1959)
A story of love and hate...and the sudden sound of guns!
In 1921 Dublin, the IRA battles the "Black & Tans," special British forces given to harsh measures. Irish-American medical student Kerry O'Shea hopes to stay aloof, but saving a wounded friend gets him outlawed, and inexorably drawn into the rebel organization by his former professor Sean Lenihan, who has "shaken hands with the devil" and begun to think of fighting as an end in itself. Complications arise when Kerry falls for a beautiful English hostage, and the British offer a peace treaty that is not enough to satisfy Lenihan.
Director: Michael Anderson
Genre: Action, Drama, War, History
Runtime: 111 min
Release Date: June 24, 1959
Cast
- James Cagney - Sean Lenihan
- Don Murray - Kerry O'Shea
- Dana Wynter - Jennifer Curtis
- Glynis Johns - Kitty Brady
- Michael Redgrave - The General
- Sybil Thorndike - Lady Fitzhugh
- Cyril Cusack - Chris Noonan
- Marianne Benet - Mary Madigan
- John Breslin - Timmy McGrath
- Harry Brogan - Tom Cassidy
Screenplay
- Marian Spitzer (Adaptation)
- Rearden Conner (Novel)
- Ben Roberts
- Ivan Goff
Music: William Alwyn
Cinematography: Erwin Hillier
Editing: Gordon Pilkington
Production: Troy Films, Pennebaker Productions
Country: Ireland, United States of America
Language: English
Original Language: en
Keywords
ira (irish republican army), ireland, irish history, irish, british crimes
Trailer
Shake Hands with the Devil TrailerSimilar Movies
More Films by Director: Michael Anderson
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Shake Hands with the Devil about?
- In 1921 Dublin, the IRA battles the "Black & Tans," special British forces given to harsh measures. Irish-American medical student Kerry O'Shea hopes to stay aloof, but saving a wounded friend gets him outlawed, and inexorably drawn into the rebel organization by his former professor Sean Lenihan, who has "shaken hands with the devil" and begun to think of fighting as an end in itself. Complications arise when Kerry falls for a beautiful English hostage, and the British offer a peace treaty that is not enough to satisfy Lenihan.
- Who directed Shake Hands with the Devil?
- Shake Hands with the Devil was directed by Michael Anderson.
- Who stars in Shake Hands with the Devil?
- Shake Hands with the Devil stars James Cagney, Don Murray, Dana Wynter, Glynis Johns, Michael Redgrave, Sybil Thorndike.
- How long is Shake Hands with the Devil?
- Shake Hands with the Devil has a runtime of 1h 51m (111 minutes).
- What genre is Shake Hands with the Devil?
- Shake Hands with the Devil is a Action, Drama, War, History film.
- Where was Shake Hands with the Devil produced?
- Shake Hands with the Devil was produced in Ireland, United States of America.