Original artwork, not a still
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
— The Usual Suspects • 1995
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the film's own twist hidden in plain sight: a man selling the legend of an unseen devil is the one thing the interrogator has failed to notice. Fans quote it for any villain who thrives on being underestimated, and, thanks to the ending, most now say it with a knowing wink at the person who has just heard the line for the first time.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Usual SuspectsShow the scene
The Usual Suspects (1995, directed by Bryan Singer, written by Christopher McQuarrie). Roger Verbal Kint, a small-time con man with a limp, is one of two survivors of a massacre on a ship in Los Angeles harbour. Customs agent Dave Kujan interrogates him in a borrowed police office. As Verbal spins the story of a near-mythical crime lord, Keyser Soze, he gives this line about the devil. It is a rewording of an older saying often credited to Charles Baudelaire, about the devil persuading people that he does not exist.
Sources (2)
- Wikiquote: The Usual SuspectsVerbal Kint quotesReference checked
- Wikipedia: The Usual SuspectsPlotReference checked
Context reviewed
