THE DEVIL AND MAX DEVLIN

US, 1981, 91 minutes, Colour.
Elliot Gould, Susan Anspach, Bill Cosby, Adam Rich.
Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern.

An offbeat Disney comedy. It harks back to 1940s fantasies like The Devil and Daniel Webster, Heaven Can Wait and Here Comes Mr Jordan. It fits into the 1980s pattern with echoes of films about the occult. However, the tone is both comic and moralising. There is a vivid red presentation of Hell and hellfire presided over by a fearsome council. On the other hand, Bill Cosby as Barney Satin is a rather pleasant Devil.

Hero is Elliott Gould, who appeared in Disney's The Last Flight of Noah's Ark. The film is geared to young audiences by seems more particularly for teenagers with a focus on a would-be pop singer and motor cycle star. Adam Rich of Eight Is Enough is the drawcard for the young audience. Julie Budd is very good as Stella the pop singer - and seems in appearance, comedy style and singing, a younger version of Barbra Streisand. Pleasant and enjoyable - but not typical Disney.

1. The Disney tradition of comedy and the appeal for the family audience? This film geared towards adolescents? Successfully?

2. The film as a piece of Americana: the focus on family values, social questions and traditional answers, the racing scene, the pop star world? The contrast with Hell and its traditional style? The colour photography, the special effects for magic and for Hell?

3. The prestige songs - the contribution of Marvin Hamlisch and Carol Bayer Sager? Their presentation, Streisand style, by Julie Budd?

4. Fantasy and its traditions? The moral fable? Evil life, sudden confrontation with the Devil in death? The possibility of redeeming one's soul? Selling one's soul? Love and redemption? A variation on the Faust and the Devil theme?

5. The picture of Max and his selfishness: his tenants and his hard-heartedness, antagonism towards children, his preoccupation with money. his cavalier treatment of people, the suddenness of his death?

6. The picture of Hell and the devils? The special effects. colour, fire? The pantomime presentation - and pantomime fear? The committee? Barney and Bill Cosby's comic style as a devil's aide? His presentation of the bargain to Max? The focus on the kids and the need for their corruption and winning their souls? The magic powers? Max’s agreeing?

7. Stella and her wanting to be a star? Max appearing in the ladies' room? The poor audition? Her hopes? Max's Presence and her improvement? Her elation with success? Her recording attempts and their failures - and success with Max's presence? Her growing popularity, the concerts. the tours? Her personality changing? Max and his desperation trying to get her to sign her contract? Her growing loneliness? Her not signing the contract? The razzamatazz with the Grammy Awards - and her self-centred speech? Her selling her soul and getting a new chance? The concert for her parents? Her being freed and wanting to go home? The credibility of her giving up her career? The contribution of the songs and the lyrics? Roses and Rainbows? Any Fool Could See?

8. Nerd and his being despised by his peers, his reading racing magazines at home, his trying to ride, Max and the offer to coach, his training and falling when he was out of Max's sight. the build-up to success. winning. acclaim. his success going to his head? His not being willing to sign - and commenting on the spelling? His being tripped? The reaction of his peers? His girlfriend and her devotion? His final self-acceptance?

9. Toby and his relationship with his mother? Her work for the children? Encountering Max at the fair and their enjoying themselves? Growing fondness? His wanting Max for his father? His mother's suspicions? The presence of Max and his sudden disappearances to help Nerd and Stella? The walk along the beach and the bargain? The build-up to the marriage and Penny's acceptance of Max?

10. The importance of comic timing - now you see him, now you don't? Audience response to this kind of magic?

11. The effect on Max, his desperate control of the situation, his wanting his clients to sign? The build-up to the marriage? Barney's continued reappearances?

12. His winning and the clients turning monstrous. especially Toby? His confronting the hellish council and bargaining with them? His being released and going back to his ordinary life?

13. His confession to Penny, seeing himself in the mirror, the happy ending?

14. The film as a moral fable - at what level? Sin, death, purgation? Love. self-affirmation. self-confidence?