Film Intro"The Devil and Max Devlin" is a 1981 film by Steven Hilliard Stern. The narrative mostly focuses on Max Devlin, a sleazy property manager, and his unexpected journey into the underworld and subsequent handle the devil himself, portrayed by Bill Cosby.
Plot OverviewMax Devlin (Elliott Gould), a proprietor with an unfavorable credibility due to his unethical management, dies abruptly when he's hit by a bus. He awakens in Hell, where he satisfies the devil Barney Satin (Bill Cosby). Instead of suffering the tortures of Hell, Max is provided a way out by pursuing a devilish task. Barney proposes that Max return to Earth and protect the souls of 3 innocents to replace his in Hell.
Max's Sinister MissionMax handles the challenge and reemerges in the mortal world, where he targets three people. The first is Stella Summers (Julie Budd), a grocery checkout clerk with dreams of becoming a pop star. Second is nerdy Toby Hart (David Knell), who wishes to catch the love of a lovely lady. The last is Nerve Nordlinger (Adam Rich), a frustrated young boy who yearns to race motorcycle professionally. Max cunningly prepares agreements for each, promising their dream will become a reality at the expense of their souls.
Doubts and RedemptionHowever, Max starts to have doubts about his mission as he forms psychological connections with his targets. He establishes a father-like relationship with Nerve, has compassion with Toby's innocent love, and respects Stella's ambition. His morality sparks and he decides to outsmart Barney and conserve the innocent souls.
ConclusionThe climax pertains to Max's clever confrontation with Barney, wherein he divulges the fraudulent nature of his contracts prior to an Infernal Court. The Court rules in favor of the innocents, while signaling a failure for Barney. Max, in spite of his previous deviousness, redeems himself and manages to avert damnation.
The movie ends on an enthusiastic note, with Max returning to life, having actually learned a great deal about himself, the nature of genuine care and the value of 2nd opportunities.
Important Reception"The Devil and Max Devlin" is a movie that blurs the lines between funny and drama, with a distinct plot revolving around the continuous battle between good and evil. It garnered blended responses from the audience and critics. Some appreciated the movie's moral undertones, amusing context and the performances of Gould and Cosby. Others felt the storyline was a bit irregular with a predictable ending. Overall, the motion picture is considered a distinct take on the historic cinematic analysis of the Devil and his negotiations with human souls.
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