How is the Grinch? He plays chess with his dog Max in "The Grinch". It's low!(Photo: Universal and Illumination)

If you want to do Benedict Cumberbatch goes very badly, just mentioning Max, the adorable canine companion of the naughty Grinch.

"These are pretty puppy eyes, it's all about the eyes," said Cumberbatch, who plays the green-skinned creature who hates Christmas, in the new animated movie "The Grinch" (currently theatrical). ). "Max is the biggest dog in the world, not to mention the best Grinch mate, no matter who should be so lucky to have a Max in his life."

Host Chuck Jones made Max a major player in the beloved television series of 1966, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" (broadcast Friday on NBC). The cabot played a major role in the 2000 animated film alongside Jim Carrey's Grinch.

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In the new movie "The Grinch", Max's central role is further fleshed out. He continues to bear the brunt of a good deal of Mr. Grinch's bad mood, but his grumpier master loves him more and more.

"Without Max, Grinch's heart would not be just too small, it would not exist," said director Scott Mosier. "The Grinch really likes the dog, he's just not as open about that love, but you can see there's someone in there."

Maybe it's just that Max is a good dog. But in the movie, Max shows that there must be some good in the Grinch under all these crispy layers.

"Max sees something that the public does not see, he knows this guy," says Mosier. "It's this unconditional love that makes Max so attractive."

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