Overall, this is an absolutely superb film and one that must become more seen. Comparison between The Devil and Daniel Webster and the earlier preview version of the film, Here Is a Man; The Columbia Workshop’s radio dramatizations of Stephen Vincent Benét’s short stories “The Devil and Daniel Webster” and “Daniel Webster and the Sea Serpent,” both featuring music by … A down-on-his-luck farmer makes a deal with the devil for seven years of prosperity. Horrified, Jabez flees and chases after Mary. The Devil and Daniel Webster Questions and Answers. This FAQ is empty. I don't know why this film isn't more widely seen, as it's at least as good as well renowned classics from the same era such as The Picture of Dorian Gray, and a lot of the films produced by Val Lewton. In a few more years, Jabez is one of the richest men in the country: he has built a lavish mansion and throws a huge ball, but it ends in disaster: after a nightmarish dance between Belle and Miser Stephens (whose ruthless standards of debt repayment were a driving force in Jabez's decision to accept Scratch's offer), Jabez finds Stephens dead on the floor. As Daniel grows, he too falls under Belle's malign influence, and she turns him into a spoiled, disobedient brat. Webster’s eloquence in swaying this supposedly unswayable jury is remarkable, but would have gone to no effect without the devil’s pride-induced mistake in giving Webster a chance. Webster, the most renowned lawyer in the country, agrees to take his case. The story flows very well throughout; director William Dieterle does an excellent job of ensuring that the characters are always the principle element, which ensures that the film is always interesting. Bernard Herrmann was chosen to compose the film, having composed music for Charles R. Jackson's 1938 radio adaptation that had aired on The Columbia Workshop. After the success of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), William Dieterle founded his own production company and signed a contract with RKO Radio Pictures, the studio that had produced the film. The story had been adapted to the stage in 1939 at the Martin Beck Theater to great acclaim, but only ran for six performances because the production proved to be expensive. It has also been released under the titles Mr. Scratch, Daniel and the Devil and Here Is a Man. A man needing money agrees to impersonate a non-existent person who said he'd be committing suicide as a protest, and a political movement begins. A nineteenth-century New Hampshire farmer who makes a pact with Satan for economic success enlists Daniel Webster to extract him from his contract. Expecting the usual loss, a boxing manager takes bribes from a betting gangster without telling his fighter. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. (1941). Certificate: Passed The Question and Answer section for The Devil and Daniel Webster is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. It was a critical, but not a box-office, success, recording a loss of $53,000 on its initial run. Now desperate and realizing that his own time is almost up, Jabez tries to erase the deadline Mr. Scratch has burned into the tree outside the barn, but Scratch appears and again tempts Jabez, offering to extend his deal in return for the soul of his son. The Devil and Daniel Webster is a 1941 fantasy film, adapted by Stephen Vincent Benét and Dan Totheroh from Benét's 1936 short story, "The Devil and Daniel Webster". Examine a recursive sequence in a game between the devil and Daniel Webster. The writers also cut out Scratch's other predictions involving Webster's last speech and his sons' deaths in the Civil War. "The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benét “It’s a story they tell in the border country, where Massachusetts joins Vermont and New Hampshire.”* * “The Devil and Daniel Webster” by … When Mr. Scratch comes to collect, orator and hero of the common man Daniel Webster comes to the rescue. Newlyweds Gil and Lana Martin try to establish a farm in the Mohawk Valley but are menaced by Indians and Tories as the Revolutionary War begins. Thomas Mitchell was the original choice for Daniel Webster, but he suffered a skull fracture while filming the carriage scene and was replaced by Edward Arnold. He decided to adapt Stephen Vincent Benet's short story of the same name as the first film he would make under the contract with the studio. Any film featuring a character representing The Devil is bound to be more than a little camp, but director William Dieterle compliments this nicely with a distinct streak of humour running through the film, and this combined with a devilish performance from Walter Huston means that the film is a lot of fun to watch, and makes it's audience think at the same time. It was also later adapted as an opera that was performed during World War II by USO troupes. Webster himself is being tempted by Mr. Scratch to sell his soul, in return for fulfilling his ambition to become President of the United States. Scratch, who has stolen a pie from the Stone kitchen window, sits alone wolfing it down, resignedly thumbing through a notebook. The moral lessons are well complimented by themes of what it is 'to be an American', and while I'm not American myself, the two bode well with one another. When Mr. Scratch shows up to claim his due, Webster has to wager his own soul before his fiendish opponent will agree to a trial by jury. However, the title has remained The Devil and Daniel Webster. In the original story, Webster regrets Benedict Arnold's absence; in the film, Arnold is present and Webster objects, citing him as a traitor and therefore not a true American, but his objection is dismissed by the judge, and Asa the Black Monk is made up for the film, along with John Smeet, who appears in a deleted scene. The Devil and Daniel Webster is a 1941 fantasy film, adapted by Stephen Vincent Benét and Dan Totheroh from Benét's 1936 short story, "The Devil and Daniel Webster". They took the wrong turn, just as Stone did, but Stone's soul can be saved. When the troubled farmer realizes his mistake, he enlists the aid of the one man who might save him: the legendary orator and politician Daniel Webster. The cuts were crudely done. This is an extension of the Faust myth, filtered through the prism of American exceptionalism. He appears to offer Jabez a bargain: sell his soul in return for seven years of good luck and prosperity. After being fished out of the sea by a sealer, three fugitives find themselves prisoners of the ship's brutal skipper who refuses to put them ashore and they hatch an escape plan during a crew mutiny. Comedy. Yes, Dan'l Webster's dead—or, at least, they buried him. The Simpsons featured a comedic spoof of "The Devil and Daniel Webster" in "Treehouse of Horror IV" (1993). Webster then kicks the now powerless Mr Scratch out, but, as he is ejected, the fiend promises that Webster will never fulfill his ambition to become President. Find the latest tracks, albums, and images from The Devil And Daniel Webster. Directed by (1) Writing credits (3) Cast (45) Produced by (2) Music by (1) Cinematography by (1) Film Editing by (1) Art Direction by (1) Set Decoration by (1) Costume Design by (1) Second Unit Director or Assistant Director (1) The Devil and Daniel Webster Check out our gallery of the 2021 Oscar nominees in the leading and supporting acting categories, as the characters they so brilliantly played and in real life. He does still live. and more. Exacerbated, he agrees to sell his soul to the Devil in exchange for ten years of great prosperity. After a series of mishaps, he impulsively declares that he would sell his soul to the devil for two cents, and moments later the devil appears, calling himself "Mr. Scratch". A nineteenth-century New Hampshire farmer who makes a pact with Satan for economic success enlists Daniel Webster to extract him from his contract. Having promised his soul to the Devil in exchange for good fortune, Jabez Stone asks the talented lawyer Daniel Webster to get him out of the bargain To create the creepy sound when Mr. Scratch first appeared in the barn, Herrmann had a recording crew go to San Fernando to record the sound of telephone wires. It first appeared in The Saturday Evening Post on the 24 th of October, 1936. Bernard Herrmann won the Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture and Walter Huston was nominated for Academy Award for Best Actor. He's also a man that is continually plagued by bad luck. Daniel Webster takes the Devil to court in Benét's classic of literary Americana, which extols the rousing power of humanity (and patriotism) over black-and-white legality. Add the first question. He begins his new life with hope, paying off his debts and buying new tools and supplies. View production, box office, & company info. As time passes, Jabez's increasing wealth begins to change him. Unlike many notable figures of the past, he remains present in the ether of the places where his life played out — New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Congress. Take a look ahead at some of our most anticipated superhero series arriving in 2021 and beyond. After the nurse who declares that a recent surgical death was a murder dies also, an enigmatic Scotland Yard inspector arrives to investigate. He then begs Webster to leave before it is too late, but Webster refuses to go. “The Devil and Daniel Webster” has a wide array of characters, each with a distinguished personality, yet an overall temperament that would be fitting of a New England community. In “The Devil and Daniel Webster” Benet depicts Daniel Webster caring, saving a New Hampshire farmer from the Devil and from Hell. The Devil and Daniel Webster by Stephen Vincent Benet. Little Pine Weasel . The film was restored to its full-length in the 1990s and has been issued in that form on home video. With Edward Arnold, Walter Huston, Jane Darwell, Simone Simon. The story centres on Jabez Stone; a young farmer living with his God-fearing mother and strangely unambitious wife. Walter Huston is superb, and he receives good feedback from Edward Arnold in the title role, Anne Shirley as the wife and Cat People's Simone Simon, who is intriguing as the 'nanny'. The original release was 107 minutes long. While the women are shopping, Jabez meets and becomes friends with the celebrated New England Congressman, lawyer and orator Daniel Webster, a friend of his wife's family, and a widely loved figure who champions the cause of the poor farmers. Jabez Stone is a hard-working farmer trying to make an honest living, but a streak of bad luck tempts him to bargain with the Devil himself. Written by It has also been released under the titles Mr. Scratch, Daniel and the Devil and Here Is a Man. Thus begins a battle between Satan himself, and the saviour of the people; lawyer Daniel Webster.The Devil and Daniel Webster benefits from a good, strong cast that put across the story in the most professional way possible. When Mr. Scratch comes to collect, orator and hero of the common man Daniel Webster comes to the rescue. Herrmann collaborated with sound engineer James G. Stewart to ensure the music and sound worked well together. Webster explains that it is the eternal right of everyone, including the jury, to raise their fists against their fates. [3] It was later re-released under the title The Devil and Daniel Webster, reducing the film to 85 minutes. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? “The Devil and Daniel Webster” is narrated as a folktale told in the border country of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, regarding the famous American orator Daniel Webster. The film's title was changed to All That Money Can Buy to avoid confusion with another film released by RKO that year, The Devil and Miss Jones, but later had the title restored on some prints. Herrmann was introduced to the cast and crew by Dieterle, whom he found to be a very sophisticated director. Benet was invited to write the script for the film adaptation, along with Dan Totheroh, the younger brother of Roland Totheroh, who worked as Charlie Chaplin's top cinematographer from his silent short films to Monsieur Verdoux (1947). A down-on-his-luck farmer makes a deal with the devil for seven years of prosperity. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. The devil was played by Ned Flanders. Listen to music from The Devil And Daniel Webster like Sleighride: Allegro Con Brio, The Miser'S Waltz: Tempo De Valse Lente & more. The restored portions on the video had been taken from inferior prints of the movie, but the quality has since improved. The Question and Answer section for The Devil and Daniel Webster is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. Conscientious though they are in the reporting of legal minutiae, Konef-sky and King are really most concerned to furnish materials toward a “the devil and daniel webster” By Stephen Vincent Benét Hailed as an instant classic when published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1936, Stephen Vincent Benét’s “The Devil and Daniel Webster” stands in the front ranks of great American short stories. He begs her forgiveness and pleads with Webster to help him find some way out of his bargain with the devil. Stream songs including "The Devil & Daniel Webster: Chorus: "Right nice wedding"", "The Devil & Daniel Webster: Dialogue: "Whew!"" Which brings us to Stephen Vincent Benét’s short story “The Devil and Daniel Webster.” Stephen Vincent Benét The Plot. There were some differences between the short story and the film. She bewitches Jabez, driving a wedge between him and Mary. Jabez Stone is a man living in New Hampshire. The devil, of course is obliging enough to take him up on his offer. something like a moth flies out of his handkerchief toward Jabez, Jabez runs into the ballroom and sees Stevens' body stretched out, Jon M. Chu and Alan Yang on the legacy of Fresh Off The Boat, Criminal Minds Premiere Exclusive: Reid Is Losing It, Top 35 Performances by an Actor in a Leading Role, Little Pine Weasel . Title: But every time there's a thunder storm around Marshfield, they say you can hear his rolling voice in the hollows of the sky. The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) Full Cast & Crew. For seven years of good fortune, Stone promises "Mr. Scratch" his soul when the contract ends. The Devil and Webster is a slow burn campus novel from the perspective of a feminist scholar college president who discovers that ideals and protest are not as clear cut as she once thought. Walter Huston's brilliant performance as the mischievous Mr. Scratch (the Devil) is equaled by Edward Arnold's fine portrayal of Daniel Webster, the famous 19th-century advocate who, in a memorable climax, fights to save the young farmer's soul before a jury of the damned. You might think that lead actor James Craig would be 'up to his neck in it' with so much talent available to take the focus away from him, but on the contrary; Craig more than holds his own against all of the supporting players, and this film certainly doesn't have any problems where acting is concerned. "The Devil and Daniel Webster" is a 1936 short story by Stephen Vincent Benét, which in turn was based on the 1824 short story "The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving.Both stories are based on the legend of Dr. Faustus.. Set in early-19th-century New Hampshire, the story centers around farmer Jabez Stone, a man on whom fortune has never shined and whom it has, in fact, laughed upon. 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