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Poor Devil

  • TV Movie
  • 19731973
  • 1h 13m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
176
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Poor Devil (1973)
  • Comedy
  • Fantasy
A young down on his luck resident of Hell (Sammy Davis, Jr.) is given a chance to redeem himself by signing up a down on his luck retail accountant to sell his soul to Lucifer.A young down on his luck resident of Hell (Sammy Davis, Jr.) is given a chance to redeem himself by signing up a down on his luck retail accountant to sell his soul to Lucifer.A young down on his luck resident of Hell (Sammy Davis, Jr.) is given a chance to redeem himself by signing up a down on his luck retail accountant to sell his soul to Lucifer.
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
176
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Robert Scheerer
  • Writers
    • Richard Baer(story)
    • Earl Barret(screenplay)
    • Arne Sultan(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Sammy Davis Jr.
    • Christopher Lee
    • Jack Klugman
Top credits
  • Director
    • Robert Scheerer
  • Writers
    • Richard Baer(story)
    • Earl Barret(screenplay)
    • Arne Sultan(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Sammy Davis Jr.
    • Christopher Lee
    • Jack Klugman
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Adam West in Poor Devil (1973)
    Jack Klugman and Sammy Davis Jr. in Poor Devil (1973)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sammy Davis Jr.
    Sammy Davis Jr.
    • Sammyas Sammy
    Christopher Lee
    Christopher Lee
    • Luciferas Lucifer
    Jack Klugman
    Jack Klugman
    • Burnett J. Emersonas Burnett J. Emerson
    Adam West
    Adam West
    • Dennis Crawfordas Dennis Crawford
    Gino Conforti
    Gino Conforti
    • Blighas Bligh
    Emily Yancy
    • Chelseaas Chelsea
    Madlyn Rhue
    Madlyn Rhue
    • Frances Emersonas Frances Emerson
    Alan Manson
    • Mr. Marleyas Mr. Marley
    Ken Lynch
    Ken Lynch
    • Desk Sergeantas Desk Sergeant
    Byron Webster
    Byron Webster
    • Blackbeardas Blackbeard
    Buddy Lester
    Buddy Lester
    • Al Caponeas Al Capone
    Owen Bush
    Owen Bush
    • Tomas Tom
    Nicholas Georgiade
    Nicholas Georgiade
    • Bob Youngeras Bob Younger
    Don Ross
    Don Ross
    • Eddieas Eddie
    Lila Teigh
    • Womanas Woman
    Stephen Coit
    Stephen Coit
    • Father-In-Lawas Father-In-Law
    Jo de Winter
    • Ellen, Crawford's Secretaryas Ellen, Crawford's Secretary
    • (as Jo De Winter)
    George Kramer
    • Cole Youngeras Cole Younger
    • Director
      • Robert Scheerer
    • Writers
      • Richard Baer(story)
      • Earl Barret(screenplay) (story)
      • Arne Sultan(screenplay) (story)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    A bumbling assistant to Satan (Sammy Davis, Jr.) hasn't gotten a soul for him for 1,400 years. He gets one last chance when he's assigned get the soul of a down and out retail department store accountant (Jack Klugman). —frankfob2@yahoo.com
    • psychotronic film
    • soul
    • two word title
    • deal with the devil
    • unsold tv series pilot
    • 2 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Sammy at his comic best as the most inept Devil's messenger this side of Hades!
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Fantasy
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Nancy Sinclair's debut.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Greatest Show You Never Saw (1996)

    User reviews7

    Review
    Top review
    3/10
    Rejected NBC pilot has some '70s kitsch value...little else
    Sammy Davis Jr. mugs outrageously in this tepid TV-made comedy which the producers hoped would evolve into a weekly series. Davis is one of Satan's disciples from "down there" who believes an overlooked accountant in San Francisco is ready to sell his soul to the Devil in exchange for success. The main problem with this Faustian teleplay (poorly-written by Earl Barret and Arne Sultan from a treatment by Barret, Sultan, and Richard Baer) is that eager salesman Sammy is bestowed with no special powers other than the occasional "Bewitched"-like entrances and exits. Since client Jack Klugman has been promised a life of luxury, it's never made clear how Davis will actually provide this for him (they empty out a department store--in a misguided bid for revenge--with help from other clients, who don't appear to gain anything from this exhausting, thankless venture). Christopher Lee is good (and almost unrecognizable) as the Prince of Darkness, Jack Klugman is as smooth as ever, but Sammy Davis is trying too hard. Bereft of an accomplished comedic actor's canny sense of timing, Davis wings it--often relying on painful exaggeration to get through a scene. The star looks out of his element, and is at times distinctly uncomfortable in front of the camera. The production is fine (with a cushy-looking Hades), but the pacing is too slow and the laugh-lines ever infrequent.
    helpful•8
    4
    • moonspinner55
    • Aug 20, 2010

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 14, 1973 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Stackars sate!
    • Filming locations
      • San Francisco, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 13 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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