THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE

1997

The Devil's Advocate


DEVILS ADVOCATE
1997

Same kind of question about deals with the Devil.

One variable is whether or not the person is looking for something and Devil is called up or appears.
Other is that Devil gives something to person who does not know it is the Devil or although they suspect it reject the idea
.

Why do lawyers get bad rap?

Question of law vs. justice
What is law? What is justice?
Question of rational vs. logical

I’m a lawyer I win that’s what I do I win

Lawyers seem to be interested in law and not justice - the interest is in manipulating a logical system (legal) so as to get the guilty off

Questions of professionalism vs. personal morals: Is it morally right for a lawyer to take an oath to defend a client to the best of their ability and then reneg on it when personally the lawyer decides the client is guilty.

Part of hermeneutic tradition in a sense – Devil can quote scripture. Scripture is in some way "law"

Early line: First lets kill all the lawyers is from Shakespeare but is spoken by a bad guys

AFTER THE FILM Lines that reference the Devil

Title is a joke: Compare Crazy as Hell and One Hell of a Guy
kill you with kindness
You wouldn’t think I’m the master of he universe use subways – stay in the trenches – only way I travel Don’t see me coming speak of the devil.

Events that reference the Devil

Moyez living in a subterranean home
You wouldn’t think I’m the master of he universe
relates to having a bad father
Speaks all languages (equally Badly) final fig leaf

Biblical References

Biblical statement about Babylon
Behold send you out as sheep among he wolves

Devil’s first appearance – from back – out of focus – watching - desceneds into subway

Quick change of time somewhat fiery looking – alternation between light and dark

Rejoicing over getting someone off who is guilty

Opening deals with child molestation

Moment of Decision: Catches client being aroused and realizes he is guilty

Looks at himself in mirror

ONE SUB-TEXT: Professional vs. Provate ethics

Where does the film stand relative to the issue?
 Color Coding

Red dress on Christobel.
Changing colors in the apartment

Sets

Milton’s Office

reversal – Devil’s office is high - view different from the top. Modern décor – cold fire place

Devil’s Apartment

More traditional old materials (piece of art broken from temple) manuscripts from other cultures. What does this say perhaps subliminally about director’s ideas about pagan things. Devil is real and everywhere. Does the large silver mural look like a 666? (The mark of the beast from the book of "Revelations"?

Apartment

Questions about color schemes
Enters apartment (blue) red light comes through door

Names

John Milton (Devil) Satan (Daddy) Kevin Lomax Mary/Ann Lomax Christabella Andreoli Church of the Heavenly Hope (is the implication there is hope if Kevin does the right thing?)

VISUAL IMAGES

Balcony from Devil’s office “Top of the World”. Interesting problem – do you take heights to imply heaven or height on Earth? Context?

time lapse photography - rapidly changing lights – passage of time

DISTORTIONS

 Morphing

Things change: woman morphs in dressing room
Mary sees woman in hospital change in mirror
Final morph of reporter into devil
Mary’s hair goes between 2 styles

Viewpoints

Double cutting: Mary wakes up - the room appears vertical. We see Mary walking out and lying down: indicates dream sequence
phone beeps increase in volume in dream sequences
sees baby
 Events

Death of Eddie Barzooms Death of Mitch Weaver Justice dept.

"We knew they were guilty - kept on winning – blood money." Does this imply that they knew they were doing "wrong" all along?

How does this compare with "I am a good man" ending of Crazy as Hell?

QUESTIONS

How does he get people to acquit on a jury when they have free will?
Did he kill Barzoom and Weaver? Did he just make it on option for 2 homeless guys to do that or for the driver to hit Weaver?
Does he kill his own daughter? Reestablish justice over law
Doesn’t pull strings at first trial – Should he be judge and jury based on what he heard in dream?
What is his attitude toward the poor? Stay in the trenches be with the people – 2 homeless guys kill Barzoom
Can’t tell dreams from real supernatural – handled similarly in the film. (scene with baby has double cutting – same person in two places) supernatural maybe not. No double cutting with homeless Why does he use homeless people as attackers? Does this conflict with his "stay in the trenches" revolutionary philosophy?
Is the end a cope out?
If the film has a sub text that deals with personal vs. professional ethics where is this visually represented in the film? Is it just a "message" tacked on?
Does Kevin and Maryanne's return to Florida and the opening shots indicate the film is in his mind - that is what could happen if he continues to defend this man?
Has he been returned for a second chance because he killed himself (isn't suicide a sin?)
Why does he drop the case the second time? Does he rememebr what happened?
Is the implication that he is going to go to New York the second time around? If so is he making all the same mistales again? What's the point?