The Devil & Daniel Webster (All That Money Can Buy) (1941)

100% of critics liked it
(16 reviews)
81% of users liked it
(1,837 ratings)

This classic fantasy was based on a story by Stephen Vincent Benet. Jabez Stone (James Craig) is a simple New England farmer who has been suffering from a long run of bad luck. One day he mutters that he'd sell his soul for a little money and a decent crop. Moments later, who should appear but The… More This classic fantasy was based on a story by Stephen Vincent Benet. Jabez Stone (James Craig) is a simple New England farmer who has been suffering from a long run of bad luck. One day he mutters that he'd sell his soul for a little money and a decent crop. Moments later, who should appear but The Evil One himself, Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston). Scratch offers Stone seven years of wealth and good fortune in exchange for his soul; Stone, assuming it's some sort of joke, agrees. Soon Stone's fields are plentiful and money is rolling in, but his financial success comes with a price; he becomes a cold and greedy tyrant, losing the affection of his family and the respect of his peers. In time, Stone realizes that he's made a terrible mistake and that Scratch won't let him out of their deal without a fight. Desperate to regain his soul, Stone turns to the greatest legal and oratorical mind of his day, Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold), who challenges Scratch to put his contract with Stone to the test in a fair trial. While a critical success and a favorite of film buffs, The Devil and Daniel Webster fared poorly at the box office; it was eventually released under five different titles and clipped to 85 minutes in hopes of winning a larger audience, though it was restored to a 107-minute length for release on home video. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 46 min.
Directed By: William Dieterle
Written By: Stephen Vincent Benét, Dan Totheroh
Genres: Drama, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Oct 29, 1941 Limited
On DVD: Sep 30, 2003
Studio: Criterion Collection

Critic Reviews

Anton Bitel, Little White Lies
Juxtapose the name of a true-life nineteenth-century orator, attorney and senator with the Biblical personification of evil, and you capture something of the strange mix here of social realism and moralising mythology
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's the heavy Teutonic Faust, but made American lite in this supernatural tale.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Excellent, high-class genre film.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
William Dieterle's entertaining version of the noted Stephen Vincent Benet's story, about the Devil and Daniel Webster features a strong, Oscar nominated performance by Walter Huston.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
A wonderful masterpiece. Walter Huston has a devilishly good time!
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International
First-rate Americana
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
Huston and Arnold are superb in this stirring blend of American and Faust.
Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing
Craig's performance is downright terrible, but old pros Arnold and Huston (who scored a Best Actor nomination) pick up the pace.
Jake Euker, Filmcritic.com
Spooky, light-hearted, and never less than a joy to watch

Read all 9 critic reviews

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moon r

A New Hampshire sodbuster is up against the ropes and feeling it when he makes an errant oath: "I'd sell my soul for two cents if I could!" Enter His Most Despicable Oneness (charmingly sleezy as rendered by Walter Huston) and trouble comes with him. Who can save the… More
A New Hampshire sodbuster is up against the ropes and feeling it when he makes an errant oath: "I'd sell my soul for two cents if I could!" Enter His Most Despicable Oneness (charmingly sleezy as rendered by Walter Huston) and trouble comes with him. Who can save the day? Very nearly post expressionist German in style and substance this creative fantasy has stood the test of time gracefully.
First L

Edward Arnold comes through again, this time as the legendary Daniel Webster, a lawyer and statesman who seemed more myth than man. Unfortunately, the bulk of the movie is about Jabez Stone, a simple farmer with a deep voice who likes to say "consarnit!" alot (and I do mean… More
Edward Arnold comes through again, this time as the legendary Daniel Webster, a lawyer and statesman who seemed more myth than man. Unfortunately, the bulk of the movie is about Jabez Stone, a simple farmer with a deep voice who likes to say "consarnit!" alot (and I do mean alot). Early in the movie, he makes a deal with the devil to become wealthy and have good fortune, and from that point on, we're shown the evils that money brings. Anne Shirley is the really beautiful actress playing his wife Mary, and Jane Darwell (Ma Joad from "the Grapes of Wrath") plays his loudly concerned mother. There's very little in the way of character development going on, outside of the typical 1940s hayseed dialogue (at one point, one of the characters cringe-inducingly says to another "that's mighty white of you"). Perhaps the only element with any sort of shocking undertone was the character "Belle" (as played by Simone Simon). As the devil's seductress, she basically kicks the wife out of the house and steals her son away. Jabez even builds a mansion just for her. Surely risque business for the 40s. It's not until the last 20 minutes that Daniel Webster and the devil actually duke it out, and it's a little anti-climactic at that. On the plus side, there's some outstanding direction and use of lense-smudging to create an eerie effect on the "jury of the damned". In spite of some corny cheesiness, it's still a worthy classic.
Anthony V

Well made film with powerful imagery that somehow sticks in your mind for days. Still holds up.

Cast

            Edward Arnold as Daniel Webster

            Walter Huston as Mr. Scratch

            James Craig as Jabez Stone

            Jane Darwell as Ma Stone

            Simone Simon as Belle

            Anne Shirley as Mary Stone

            Gene Lockhart as Squire Slossum

            John Qualen as Miser Stevens

            Lindy Wade as Daniel Stone

            George Cleveland as Cy Bibber

            Frank Conlan as Sheriff

            Frank Austin as Spectator

            Walter S. Baldwin as Hank

            Sonny Bupp as Martin Van Aldrich

            Jeff Corey as Tom Sharp

            Alec Craig as Eli Higgins

            Eddie Dew as Farmer

            Patsy Doyle as Servant

            Robert Dudley as Lem

            Sarah Edwards as Lucy Slossum

            Fern Emmett as Wife

            James Farley as Studio Gateman

            Charles Herzinger as Old Farmhand

            Robert Emmett Keane as Husband

            Stewart Richards as Doctor

            Sherman Sanders as Caller

            Carl Stockdale as Van Brooks

            Robert Strange as Clerk of Court

            Ferris Taylor as President

            Jim Toney as Another Farmer

            H.B. Warner as Justice Hawthorne

            William Alland as Guide

            Hazel Boyne
            
            Harry Humphrey as Minister

            Anita Lee as Infant

            Bob Pittard as Clerk
See full cast