The Devil and Daniel Webster

Original title: All That Money Can Buy

1941
Approved
1h 47m

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

6.1K

YOUR RATING

James Craig, Anne Shirley, and Simone Simon in The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)

Theatrical Trailer from Warner Bros. Pictures

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Costume Drama Dark Comedy Period Drama Drama Fantasy Romance

A struggling farmer in 1840 New Hampshire makes a pact with Satan for economic success, then enlists famed orator Daniel Webster to extract him from the consequences of his contract.A struggling farmer in 1840 New Hampshire makes a pact with Satan for economic success, then enlists famed orator Daniel Webster to extract him from the consequences of his contract.A struggling farmer in 1840 New Hampshire makes a pact with Satan for economic success, then enlists famed orator Daniel Webster to extract him from the consequences of his contract.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

6.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 1 nomination total

Trivia
William Dieterle had a habit of directing with white gloves on. Robert Wise said that everyone thought it was because he had a germ or dirt phobia. During shooting of one scene, Dieterle noticed there wasn't enough mud on a carriage wheel. He pulled off his gloves, grabbed some mud, rubbed it onto the wheel, then wiped his hands on his pants and put the gloves back on to continue directing.

Goofs
Shortly after filming had begun, Thomas Mitchell fractured his skull and was replaced by Edward Arnold. Not many scenes had been shot, none were reshot, so Mitchell is still visible in some scenes. [Note: entries in the Trivia section indicate that all of Mitchell's scenes were reshot.]

Quotes
Mr. Scratch: You shall have your trial, Mr. Webster. But I'm sure you'll agree, this is hardly the case for an ordinary jury.
Daniel Webster: Let it be the quick or the dead, so long as it is an American judge and an American jury!
Mr. Scratch: 'The quick or the dead!' You have said it.
[he stomps on the barn floor; a door opens]
Mr. Scratch: You must pardon the leathery toughness of one or two.
Jabez Stone: [afraid] Mr. Webster!
[a line of ghosts begin entering from the trapdoor]
Mr. Scratch: Captain Kidd - he killed men for gold. Simon Girty, the renegade - he burned men for gold. Governor Dale - he broke men on the wheel. Asa, the Black Monk - he choked them to death. Floyd Ireson and Stede Bonnet, the fiendish butchers. Walter Butler, King of the Massacre. Big and Little Harp, robbers and murderers. Teach, the Cutthroat. Morton, the vicious lawyer... and General Benedict Arnold. You remember him, no doubt.
Daniel Webster: A jury of the damned...
Mr. Scratch: [laughs] Dastards, liars, traitors, knaves. Your suggestion, Mr. Webster - 'the quick or the dead.'
Daniel Webster: This is outrageous, I asked for a fair trial...
Mr. Scratch: Americans, all.

Crazy credits
For some prints released under the title "The Devil and Daniel Webster", the opening credits start with the phrase "in front of the camera..." followed by a list of names only of the primary cast (no character names) and then the phrase "in back of the camera..." followed by a list of names only of the primary production crew, without their job roles, ending with the phase "all collaborated on the picture...." Then the title card is shown, with a story credit to Stephen Vincent Benet, and the note "this picture was originally shown with the title 'all that money can buy'." The title card is all in lower case. Finally, the opening prologue is shown as noted in another crazy credit item.

Alternate versions
Over the years, this film was re-released more than once, partly because of its poor box office, and gradually cut down to 85 minutes. It remained in this form for many years, until it was recently restored to its full length. When this was done in the 1990s, it was unfortunately all too easy to tell which sections are restored... all the footage from the 85 minute version was in absolutely pristine, mint condition, while the long-lost, formerly missing footage has less than perfect sound and picture quality. However, the quality has been considerably improved on the DVD and on recent TV showings.

Connections
Featured in Ain't It Cool with Harry Knowles: Citizen Kane Is the Best Film of All Time (2012)

Soundtracks
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
(uncredited)
Music by George J. Elvey
Lyrics by Henry Alford

User reviews78

Featured review

8/10

A uniquely American take on Faust

Set in 1840s New Hampshire, the story centers on a poor farmer Jabez Stone (James Craig) who's about to lose his farm to a money lender when one bad piece of luck after another has him saying that his bad fortunes are enough to cause a man to sell his soul to the devil. Of course, the devil (Walter Huston) instantly appears and tempts a very willing Stone to trade his soul in return for "all that money can buy". The contract they sign has the devil collecting his soul seven years from the date of their agreement.

The devil then uncovers a buried treasure of Hessian gold and from that moment on, Stone prospers (to the detriment of his friends and neighbors). Local politician Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) is godfather to Stone's new baby and passes thru town regularly to socialize and imbibe with the locals. When the due date for reaping his soul arrives, it's to Webster that Stone turns to argue his way out of going to Hades for all eternity in a supernatural courtroom scene with famous disgraced and dishonored Americans - themselves in Hades - as the jury.

William Dieterle's nearly surrealistic settings and camera work (by Joseph August) add just the right touch of menace and fantasy to the stark New Hampshire settings. Simone Simon plays a seductive assistant of the devil whose purpose is to keep Stone's heart and attention away from his timid yet insightful wife who might somehow set him back on the right path.

Walter Huston was Oscar nominated for his performance as the devil and Edward Arnold plays Webster as big as all outdoors - a man with appetites and a love of life to match his girth. New England is portrayed as a rural place not too far from its Puritan roots.

Made in 1941, and dealing in themes of religion and patriotism, it might have been a shrill production had it been made any later once the war years had lots of films getting heavy handed when dealing with either of those subjects.