The Devil and Max Devlin
| The Devil and Max Devlin | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Directed by | Steven Hilliard Stern |
| Produced by | Jerome Courtland |
| Written by | Mary Rodgers |
| Story by |
Mary Rodgers Jimmy Sangster |
| Starring |
Elliott Gould Bill Cosby Susan Anspach Adam Rich Julie Budd Sonny Shroyer David Knell Chuck Shamata |
| Music by | Buddy Baker |
| Cinematography | Howard Schwartz |
| Edited by | Ray de Leuw |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
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Release date
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March 6, 1981 (USA) |
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Running time
|
96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $16 million (USA) |
The Devil and Max Devlin is a 1981 American fantasy-comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions, directed by Steven Hilliard Stern and starring Elliott Gould, Bill Cosby and Susan Anspach.
The film was considered to be controversial for a Disney film at the time because of the subject matter and the fact that Bill Cosby was featured as a character of evil. It was also the first Disney film to actually contain profanity (in non-religious connotations) such as "damn" and an unfinished "son of a bitch". This film was one of three films that influenced Disney to establish Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Pictures, as a method to produce and release films for mature audiences.
Max Devlin (Elliott Gould) is a shady landlord of a rundown tenement in Los Angeles who is rather jaded and callous towards his fellow man. One day while chasing an errant tenant, he is run over by a bus and killed. He descends into hell (which resembles a corporate business) and meets the Devil's chief henchman Barney Satin (read: Satan) (Bill Cosby). He is told of his life of sin and the fact that he is doomed to spend eternity at a section called Level 4. However, he is given a chance to save himself by convincing three other people to sell their souls in exchange for his. Max returns to Earth and begins his frantic quest with two months (ending on May 15) to complete his mission. Barney appears frequently throughout the movie to check up on Max's progress as well as both taunt and persuade him to carry out the plans. A running joke is that nobody, except Max, can see or hear Barney.
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