The Devil and Max Devlin
A new high in being lowdown.
1981 | 96m | English
Popularity: 1 (history)
| Director: | Steven Hilliard Stern |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Mary Rodgers, Jimmy Sangster |
| Staring: |
| When Max dies in an accident, he goes straight to Hell. 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. Max accepts, and returns to Earth, equipped with special powers. However, his task is harder than expected, especially when seven year old Tobi demands that he marry his mother. | |
| Release Date: | Mar 06, 1981 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Steven Hilliard Stern |
| Writer: | Mary Rodgers, Jimmy Sangster |
| Genres: | Comedy, Fantasy |
| Keywords | |
| Production Companies | Walt Disney Productions |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $16,000,000
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Aug 09, 2025 Entered: Apr 20, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Elliott Gould | Max Devlin |
| Bill Cosby | Barney Satin |
| Susan Anspach | Penny Hart |
| Adam Rich | Toby Hart |
| Julie Budd | Stella Summers |
| Sonny Shroyer | Big Billy Hunniker |
| David Knell | Nerve Nordlinger |
| Chuck Shamata | Jerry Nadler |
| Sally Marr | Mrs. Gormley |
| Reggie Nalder | Chairman of Devil's Council |
| Lillian Müller | Veronica |
| Denise DuBarry | Stella's Secretary |
| Helene Winston | Agent Hargraves |
| Tracie Savage | Pammy |
| Mukunda Goswami | Hare Krishna |
| George Sasaki | Wedding Guest (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Mary Rodgers | Screenplay, Story |
| Buddy Baker | Original Music Composer |
| Howard Schwartz | Director of Photography |
| Ray de Leuw | Editor |
| Steven Hilliard Stern | Director |
| Jimmy Sangster | Story |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Jerome Courtland | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 3 |
| 2024 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 3 |
| 2024 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 3 |
| 2024 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 3 |
| 2024 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 3 |
| 2024 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| 2024 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 3 |
| 2024 | 11 | 6 | 15 | 3 |
| 2024 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Trending Position
With Bill Cosby's life and career in tatters these days with a myriad of past date-rape accusations against the actor/comedian, I have been intrigued to investigate both his earlier filmic oddities and the comedic albums of his stand-up routines from years gone by. This was a decent, Disney (to add ... a touch of irony) comedy just before he was going to hit a purple patch in his life with the mega-success of 'The Cosby Show'. I wish when I came across them in a London music store a few years back, that I had pulled the trigger and bought a pair of jazz albums he had made with Quincy Jones. I have a feeling they would have proved a lot more interesting than this was.
I'd recommend <em>'The Devil and Max Devlin'</em>. Of course it is slightly hampered by the fact it's a Disney film, but I feel it manages to leave a mark in what it does tackle in regards to the premise. I felt attached to the dilemma that Max (Elliott Gould) faces, despite it being a fairly pre ... dictable situation. Gould is good in the lead role. He is joined by, um, Bill Cosby, who suitably plays a character from the less appealing afterlife. Julie Budd (Stella) is the best of the rest, especially when it comes to the music; she's got a great voice. Disney's best film up until this point of the 1980s, which they begin poorly. Happy with this one though, I like it.