On Christmas Eve, a trio of escapees from Devil’s Island prison arrive in a French colonial town and prove to be… very affable and helpful, actually. Holing up in a struggling store with the proprietors, the crew sets to work helping them out—both intentionally and by accident—as they are battered by misfortune during the holiday. Michael Curtiz (Casablanca) brings a gentle touch to this often-dark comedy and is ably assisted by the charm of his three stars—particularly Ustinov, for whom this was something of a breakout role.

Double Feature with WE’RE NO ANGELS (1989)