The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)
"All That Money Can Buy" (original title)

A 19th Century New Hampshire farmer who makes a compact with the Devil for economic success enlists Daniel Webster to extract him from his contract.

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

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

Stars:

Edward Arnold, Walter Huston, Jane Darwell

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited 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

Storyline

A down-on-his-luck farmer makes a deal with the devil for seven years of prosperity. When Mr. Scratch comes to collect, orator and hero of the common man Daniel Webster comes to the rescue. Based on the short story by Stephen Vincent Benet. Also known as "All That Money Can Buy."

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Plot Keywords:

farmer | devil | 19th century | deal with the devil | orator | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 October 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Certain Mr. Scratch

Company Credits

Production Co:

William Dieterle Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min 85 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Prints that have been made under the title "The Devil and Daniel Webster" also say "Originally released as 'All That Money Can Buy' ", indicating that this was the film's original title.

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Goofs

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.

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Quotes

Poker Player: You French?
Belle: [coy] No. I'm not anything.
[winks]

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Connections

Referenced in The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005)

User Reviews

My favorite movie

Why would someone who has thoroughly enjoyed movies such as "Judge Dredd" and "Wild at Heart" consider this to be "my favorite movie"?

One word - "fantasy". It's my favorite movie category, and this is the best one that I've ever seen. The 1940s was the decade in which horror melodramas and fantasies really began to ramp up, and this movie helped to set the standard. Stephen Vincent Benet's story is a bit changed, but not enough to diminish this American Gothic tale.

Aside from being superior entertainment, the movie simply has no weaknesses. Where to start? The casting and acting are extraordinary. Though both are most often remembered for other movies, Edward Arnold and Walter Huston turn in their best performances here. Simone Simon (known today for the "Cat People" movies) is exceptional as Belle. Anne Shirley, James Craig, and the stellar supporting cast are also great.

This is Bernard Herrmann's best film score. William Dieterle's direction is quirky and involving, propelling the film along at a fast clip. Admittably, the characters are caricatures, but Dieterle helps us to feel their trials and tribulations. The movie also features brilliant cinematography, exceptional production values, and truly superior editing (this was an early job for director Robert Wise). The scenes are quite stagey, but never disjointed - the logic of the story is unmistakable and riveting.

Huston is the ultimate "Mr. Scratch". I've seen this show many times, and it's a 10/10.