Max Devlin is the shady landlord of a rundown slum in Los Angeles. This was the second of two films Elliott Gould made for Disney after The Last Flight of Noah's Ark. This film was one of three that influenced Disney to establish Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures as an avenue to produce and release films for mature audiences. Anti-censorship campaigner Liam T. Sanford wrote a letter to the police watch committee about the film just to make a point about their criteria for pulling films, and they actually pulled it. When Max dies in an accident, he goes straight to hell. In The Devil and Max Devlin, Gould plays Max Devlin, a greasy California landlord who has few scruples but many angry tenants who don't appreciate his unwillingness to deal with their problems or his firm stance prohibiting children and pets from his apartments. The Devil and Max Devlin Elliott Gould (Actor), Bill Cosby (Actor), Steven Hilliard Stern (Director) But this time, there is a special exception-Barney, the devil's right-hand man, makes Max a deal. Using his gadgets he helps a Soviet spy defect to the West. Max accepts, and returns to earth, equipped with special powers. Max accepts, and returns to earth, equipped with special powers. However, his task is harder than expected, especially when 7 years old Tobi demands that he marry his mother. A widowed father tries to support his children after he becomes a ghost in an accident. THE STORY: Max Devlin (Elliot Gould) is an asshole. Bill Cosby sentenced to three to 10 years for sexual assault, Bill Cosby sentenced three to 10 years for sexual assault, Steven Hilliard Stern, Director of 'The Devil and Max Devlin,' Dies at 80, 40 Movies dealing in some way with the afterlife, Tom Zoerner , Sneak Previews: Melvin and Howard, Fort Apache: The Bronx, The Incredible Shrinking Woman, The Devil and Max Devlin, Hangar 18. "[8] Variety wrote, "Though starting out well, film falls on its face fast, and never recovers. Shop The Devil and Max Devlin [DVD] [1981] at Best Buy. When ruthless landlord Max Devlin (Gould) is struck by a bus, he meets a diabolical "soul manager" with an offer he can't refuse. Max agrees and is returned to life, but Barney retains Max's soul, and consequently Max cannot see himself in a mirror. 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. He looks toward Heaven and gives thanks as he attends one of Stella's concerts with Penny and Toby. Co-written by Freaky Friday novelist Mary Rodgers and Hammer horror scribe Jimmy Sangster, The Devil and Max Devlin has to be one of Walt Disney Productions' weirdest properties. [7], The film was met with very negative reviews from critics, many of which were heavily critical of its satanic imagery and Cosby’s performance. "[9] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune was positive, giving the film three stars out of four and calling it "a surprising success. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. VHS. It’s got Hell. 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. If he can trick three good, innocent people out of their souls in two months, he can return to Earth. Max's three targets are Stella Summers, a high school dropout and aspiring singer; Nerve Nordlinger, a student who dreams of being popular; and Toby Hart, a child who longs for his widowed mother Penny to find happiness again. He meets souls manager Barney Satin, the devil's chief henchman, who tells him that he will set him free if he can get three innocent youngsters to sell their souls in exchange for his own. Cover Released Notes January 17, 2006: v - e - d Walt Disney home video releases; Editions: But this time, there is a special exception-Barney, the devil's right-hand man, makes Max a deal. In the U.K., ironically considering the film's English origins, its 1981 videocassette debut caused a minor stir as it coincided with the growing uproar over "Video nasties," the press-generated term for films with gory violence and explicit sex. Believing himself still damned, Max leaves his wedding reception to say goodbye to Nerve and Stella, and finds that their personalities have returned to normal. Publication date 2017-08-30 Topics Created By Windows. Watch all the fireworks as Elliott Gould and Bill Cosby star in this delightfully devilish adventure. Let’s get going. Coincidentally, that film's plot line was also related to religion. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Devil and Max Devlin (VHS, 1998) at the best online prices at eBay! [15] The suspension was only temporary; the film had already passed the BBFC classification with an A rating in cinemas in 1981[16] and again with a PG in 1987 for videocassette and 2003 for DVD. Title: Max, a dead corrupt businessman, makes a Faustian pact with Satan's henchman to drive three people to Hell in exchange for longer life. It’s got Elliot Gould. The Devil and Max Devlin is a 1981 live-action Disney comedy film starring Bill Cosby as the Devil and Elliott Gould as Max Devlin.. Max is a selfish man who dies after being hit by a bus, and finds himself in Hell. If Max can get three innocent youth to sign over their souls to the Devil, he'll get to live again. Tom Zoerner . Alive again, Max begins his frantic quest, and Barney, whom only Max can see, appears frequently to check on Max's progress – and to taunt him. When a frequent sinner named Max Devlin dies, he goes to hell, as all bad souls do. Max accepts, and returns to earth, equipped with special powers. Free shipping for many products! The devil's helper (Bill Cosby) will let a slumlord (Elliott Gould) go free if he can lure three innocents to the bad place. History Talk (0) Comments Share. Julie Budd - Wikipedia Dunlop gained national attention appearing in such television series and films as Make Me Laugh , The Richard Pryor Show , Harper Valley PTA , Skatetown, U.S.A. If he can trick three good, innocent people out of their souls in two months, he can return to Earth. Was this review helpful to you? However his task is harder than expected, especially when 7 years old Tobi demands that he marry his mother. In fact, he allowed characters to use the word "hell" in the feature films 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Sleeping Beauty, and 101 Dalmatians and depicted it as a place in the short cartoon Pluto's Judgement Day. When a frequent sinner named Max Devlin dies, he goes to hell, as all bad souls do. In the 1930s, a tomboy runs away from her guardian to join her single father who is 2,000 miles away, where he has found work. The Devil and Max Devlin (video) View source. However his task is harder than expected, especially when 7 years old Tobi demands that he marry his mother. The Devil and Max Devlin Photos View All Photos (10) Movie Info. Gould praised this film in interviews as the finest he ever did (along with the other Disney film The Last Flight of Noah's Ark). While running to escape his angry tenants after one of them blurts out that he owns the building, Max is killed by a bus and descends into hell, which resembles a corporate headquarters. Disney already did that with "The Devil and Max Devlin, 'Bad Timing': Shocking look at male-female affairs, "Box Office Mojo 1981 Yearly Box Office Results", "Video Nasties: The Illustrated Checklist", Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story, City Dump: The Story of the 1951 CCNY Basketball Scandal, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Devil_and_Max_Devlin&oldid=1010178721, Articles needing additional references from March 2014, All articles needing additional references, Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 March 2021, at 04:56. Max begins to care for all three of his subjects and discovers his innate decency. [6] To date, neither the two singles nor the film's underscore have received any kind of release on CD, but Julie Budd rerecorded the latter song for a 2005 album called The New Classics. Charlie McCready is a worried father. But the devil Barney makes him an offer: if he manages to get three innocent youths to sell him their souls in the next two months, he may stay on earth. It was considered controversial for Disney, particularly for its darker subject material and Cosby’s portrayal of a villainous character. Watch all the fireworks as Elliott Gould and Bill Cosby star in this delightfully devilish adventure. In addition to the musical score by Buddy Baker, the film features two songs composed by Marvin Hamlisch and sung by Julie Budd: "Any Fool Could See" (lyrics by Allee Willis) and "Roses and Rainbows" (lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager). Storyline When Max dies in an accident, he goes straight to hell. I miss these dark days of Disney. She starred in the 1981 Walt Disney film The Devil and Max Devlin as a 19-year-old high school dropout and aspiring singer. 11 of 15 people found this review helpful. It’s got Bill Cosby. The film was shot on Soundstage 3 at Disney's Burbank studio where the underworld set used so many butane furnaces, dry ice, and smoke machines pushing the heat up to 100 degrees, the cast and crew could only stay inside for a limited time while shooting. Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote that the film "is neither the worst nor, certainly, the best of the lot. Gould praised this film in interviews as the finest he ever did (along with the other Disney film The Last Flight of Noah's Ark). Soon Max realizes that there still may be good in him. When Max dies in an accident, he goes straight to hell. If he can trick three good, innocent people out of their souls in two months, he can return to Earth. Max is a shady landlord who dies and goes to hell where the Devil (Bill Cosby) makes him a deal. ", "To Hell With Bill Cosby? A small-time talent agent discovers an amazing boxing kangaroo and figures to use it as his stepping-stone into the big time. View production, box office, & company info. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? An astronaut and his android double travel back to the time of King Arthur. Price Match Guarantee. [5] Part of Max Devlin's initial descent into Hell also incorporated footage of bodies marching from 1979's The Black Hole. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. The Devil and Max Devlin Would that his daughter had been as good a screenwriter as her father was a musician."[4]. I miss these dark days of Disney. Discover something for everyone this month with some choice picks for the best movies and TV to stream in April. The Devil And Max Devlin 1999 VHS Cover. He even falls in love with Penny, but finds it difficult to get them to sign away their souls. It was also not a sizable moneymaker for the studio; it came in 45th place in the yearly U.S. box office race with a $16,000,000 gross,[14] but an August 1981 article in the New York Times quoted Ron W. Miller as saying that it lost money. It's not that there's anything particularly wrong with this film, it's just that there's nothing particularly good about it either and it wastes a potentially interesting leading duo.The best thing that can be said about it is that it's inoffensive and easy to take but it's also totally forgettable and one of the more uninventive films you're likely to come across. His daughter Wendy will be attending college in the fall, and he feels the crowd she's hanging out with has no ambition, especially her boyfriend, Bart... See full summary ». But the devil Barney makes him an offer: if he manages to get three innocent youths to sell him their souls in the next two months, he may stay on earth. The Devil's assistant, Barney Satin (Cosby) offers to spare him if he can get three other people to take his place (by tricking them into signing contracts for their souls). Home video releases of The Devil and Max Devlin. Use the HTML below. Though Jimmy Sangster received on-screen credit for the film's story but not the screenplay, he said of the experience: "My only consolation in the affair (apart from the money) was the fact that I got to share a screen credit with the daughter of Richard Rodgers ... that's the Richard Rodgers who wrote all the great musicals. You May Also Like Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. The title changed to The Devil and Max Devlin to reflect both its Faustian origins and the studio's desire not to be perceived as making movies that are only for children, while bike racing and music replaced the theater (despite that being what Rodgers' father, composer Richard Rodgers, was most famous for), and instead of just children, the Devil wanted adults' souls as well. Knowing he is already condemned, Max throws the papers into a nearby fire, but he is quickly returned to life. 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. Max can return to life on earth if he can convince three innocent people to sign their souls over to the devil within two months. When he comes back to say goodbye to Toby and Penny, he is overjoyed when he can again see himself in a mirror, surmising that by his self-sacrifice he has been redeemed and Barney is defeated. Does Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, and 50+ streaming services have The Devil and Max Devlin (1981)? [4] Studio head Ron W. Miller hired Mary Rodgers to rewrite it based on the fact that Freaky Friday (1976), whose screenplay she adapted from her own novel, had been one of the studio's biggest hits of a decade for which profitable and critically well-received new films were few and far between for them. Newspapers have been filled with stories commenting of the demise of the Disney magic, but 'The Devil and Max Devlin' shows signs that someone is living in the 1980s on the Disney Burbank lot. But the devil Barney makes him an offer: if he manages to get three innocent youths to sell him their souls in the next two months, he may stay on earth. 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