
Shortcut to Happiness
Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
In Manhattan, the aspirant writer Jabez Stone is a complete loser: he is not able to sell his novels, he lives in a lousy apartment and he does not have success with women. When one of his friends Julius Jenson sells his novel for US$ 190,000.00 to an editor, Jabez fells envy and promises to sell his soul to the devil for success and accidentally kills a woman with his typing machine. The Devil knocks on his door, fixes the situation and seals a contract with Jabez. His low quality novels have bad reviews but become best-sellers; Jabez enriches; has success with women, but has no time for his friends. Jabez meets with the publisher Daniel Webster who offers him a chance to break the contract with the devil.
View on IMDbAppeals to viewers who enjoy fable-like comedies about artistic ambition, worldly success and the price of getting what one wants.
- Tone
- darkly comic, satirical, playful
- Payoff
- amusement, reflection
- Pacing
- steady
- Intensity
- moderate
- Structure
- linear
- Themes
- ambition, envy, moral compromise, fame, friendship
- Setting
- contemporary, Manhattan apartments, publishing offices and courtrooms