Everything about this film is delightful. It's one of the best musicals out there. Ray Walston plays the perfect Devil in this Faust inspired story about an older man, Joe Boyd, who trades his soul to the Devil so, in a younger body, he can help the Washington Senators beat those same Yankees. Stuffed with fantastic character actors its hard to believe Tab Hunter was able to shine as much as he does as the younger version of Joe. The real star of the film is its choreographer Bob Fosse, whose musical numbers pop off the screen with clever sizzle. Then there's his one-time wife, Gwen Verdon who plays the devil's Seductress, Lola. At first I thought she wasn't sexy enough. Then she danced and sang and I realized how wrong I was. She's a bolt of talent that you can't take your eyes off of and I'd include her number (with Bob Fosse) Who's Got the Pain as one of the best musical numbers in film musical history. Grade: A-.
Spoiler: There's only one reason this film doesn't get a straight A and that's its ending which is kind of anti climatic and vague. If you know the stage show, which I do because I saw it when I was in high school, you know why the Devil is powerless to take Joe's soul and that's because of how much love his wife has for him. In the film it's kind of implied but I would have liked just a little bit more, something besides Applegate rolling around the floor in defeat.
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