The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Stephen Vincent Benet (story)
Dan Totheroh (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

29 October 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror

Plot:

A down-on-his-luck farmer makes a deal with the devil for seven years of prosperity. When Mr. Scratch comes to collect...

Plot Keywords:

Farm | Heartless | Greed | Farmer | New Hampshire

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Edward Arnold	...	Daniel Webster
Walter Huston	...	Mr. Scratch
Jane Darwell	...	Ma Stone
Simone Simon	...	Belle
Gene Lockhart	...	Squire Slossum
John Qualen	...	Miser Stevens
H.B. Warner	...	Justice John Hathorne
Frank Conlan	...	Sheriff
Lindy Wade	...	Daniel Stone
George Cleveland	...	Cy Bibber
Anne Shirley	...	Mary Stone
James Craig	...	Jabez Stone
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Alland	...	Guide (scenes deleted)
Sarah Edwards	...	Lucy Slossum (scenes deleted)
Fern Emmett	...	Wife (scenes deleted)
Jim Farley	...	Studio Gateman (scenes deleted)
Robert Emmett Keane	...	Husband (scenes deleted)
Anita Lee	...	Infant
Robert Pittard	...	Clerk (as Bob Pittard)
Ferris Taylor	...	President (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

All That Money Can Buy (USA) (alternative title)
Daniel and the Devil (USA) (reissue title)
Here Is a Man (USA) (trailer title)
The Devil and Daniel Webster (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

107 min | USA:85 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Sweden:15

Company:

William Dieterle Productions

Trivia:

Bernard Herrmann's Oscar-winning musical score included recordings of the humming of telephone wires (heard when Mr. Scratch first appears to Jabez Stone in his barn), and four violin solos of "Pop Goes The Weasel", recorded separately and laid over each other on the soundtrack to form a "single" violin solo (heard when Mr. Scratch plays his fiddle at Jabez Stone's barn dance).

Goofs:

Continuity: Shortly after filming had begun, Thomas Mitchell broke his leg and was replaced by 'Edward Arnold' . Not many scenes had been shot, none were reshot, so Mitchell is still visible in some scenes.

Quotes:

Mr. Scratch: You'll never be president - I'll see to that!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

The Devil Is No Match for an American Politician

This film could never work now, because Americans are far too cynical to accept a politician beating the Devil in a battle of morals. Now the politician would be in the Devil's hip pocket. "The Devil and Daniel Webster" is a creepy, effective little morality tale about a farmer who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for prosperity and the politician who ends up defending him and winning it back.

What seemed startling in 1941 feels mostly creaky by today's standards, but there are still some fresh moments of film making in this one. William Dieterle was obviously open to experimentation when it comes to the use of cinematography and sound, and the movie has a striking visual look. The plot is mostly connect the dots, and there are no real surprises, but I don't know that one watches a morality tale for surprises in the first place.

Walter Huston is extremely creepy as the Devil (aka Mr. Scratch). He received a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his performance even though, based on sheer screen time, he really has more of a supporting role. But he's so effective when on screen that his presence dominates the film even when he's physically absent, which probably accounts for the lead nomination.

Edward Arnold is pretty good too as Daniel Webster. Also standing out is Jane Darwell (Ma Joad in "The Grapes of Wrath") as a hardened farm mother.

Parts of this film have a wicked sense of humour, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The trial at the end (with a literal jury of the damned), is especially amusing.

On a sidenote, the film was successful in capturing the 1941 Academy Award for Best Dramatic Score.

Don't expect to see any points made that haven't already been made a thousand times in a thousand other movies, but enjoy the originality of the film technique on display.

Grade: A-