All That Money Can Buy (1941)

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

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

Release Date:

29 October 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | History | Horror

Tagline:

A GREAT MOTION PICTURE DARES TO BE DIFFERENT! (original print media ad - all caps)

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:

Farmer | Orator | Devil | Deal With The Devil | Carriage

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 28

8:00 PM

TCM

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:

The Devil and Daniel Webster (International: English title) (USA) (reissue title)
A Certain Mr. Scratch (USA) (alternative title)
Daniel and the Devil (USA) (reissue title)
Here Is a Man (USA) (trailer title)
Mr. Scratch (USA) (alternative 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:

USA:Approved (PCA #7238) | Sweden:15

Company:

William Dieterle Productions

Trivia:

The stage version opened at the Martin Beck Theater on May 18, 1939 and ran for six performances.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The young boy who climbs onto Daniel Webster's carriage to see if Webster has horns and a tail tells Webster that his name is Martin Van Buren Aldrich, son of the only Democrat in town. Obviously, he is supposed to have been named after President Martin Van Buren, a Democrat. However, the chronology of this doesn't add up. This scene takes place in 1840, which was Van Buren's last full year in office in his single four-year term as President (1837-1841). The child is clearly about 12 or so (actor Sonny Bupp, who played the role, was 13 at the time of filming). It is almost inconceivable in these circumstances that a man in New Hampshire would have named his son after Martin Van Buren since, at the approximate time of the boy's birth in the late 1820s, Van Buren was a successful but still relatively obscure politician who would have been little known and of no particular consequence to anyone living outside his home state of New York.

Quotes:

Mr. Scratch: [Jabez, after noticing that one of Mr. Scratch's victims is now the size of a fly, asks him how big their souls are] Oh, I see what you mean; why, they vary... Now, in your case, I could probably keep you in my vest pocket.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Tripping the Rift: The Devil and a Guy Named Webster (#1.5)" (2004)

Great script, great acting, great effects, it is funny, creepy and sexy.

What a sweet piece of work. Really good dialogue, and many well written and acted parts besides the obvious titular characters. Miser Stevens and Stone's mother were very good, and especially Simone Simon as the nursemaid/mistress. Three emotional qualities really stand out to me:

Funny: Huston as ol' Mr. Scratch was SO good. Very funny, cynical wit. Lots of little things that stand out from him, all the odd places he turns up. He's everywhere, leading the band at the parade for Dan'l, in Washington whispering in the senator's ear, playing a mean fiddle at the barn dance. His insults to Jabez Stone were priceless. The bit at the end of him ravenously devouring this huge pie was a really funny demonstration of his greed, and the final moments of examining his book for the next target are priceless.

Creepy: Between all the funny stuff were the implications of hell and damnation, but especially terror and hopelessness (Stone and Miser Stevens). The visitors at Stone's new mansion really creeped me out good. Also creepy was the infamous scene where Miser Stevens recently harvested soul comes flying out of Scratch's jacket pocket screaming for help. This also counts as funny, at least when my five year old nephew and I go around effecting high-pitched squeals begging "Help me Neighbor Stone."

Sexy: Belle, the French nanny/whore that Scratch sent Jabez was hotter with her clothes on and no direct sexual behavior than the hookers making out in the elevator to entertain Al Pacino in "The Devil's Advocate." Note the exact tone and body language of her mocking rebuff to Stone at the barn dance saying "Oh, NO Mr. Stone- your place is with your WIFE."

The hottest thing in the movie (and one of the creepiest things) is the scene where she is singing some evil otherworldly lullaby to Stone's infant son. Rewind and watch it closely a couple of times. What was she singing?

Surely this is one of the greatest forgotten movies of the era. This should be making some of those AFI top 100 list thingeys.