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DramaFantasy

All That Money Can Buy

- A GREAT MOTION PICTURE DARES TO BE DIFFERENT!

Farmer Jabez Stone, about to lose his land, agrees to sell his soul to the devil, known as Mr. Scratch, who gives Jabez seven years to enjoy the fruits of his sale before he collects. Over that time, Jabez pays off his debts and helps many neighboring farmers, then becomes an advocate for the upstanding Sen. Daniel Webster. When Jabez's contract with Mr. Scratch concludes, he desperately turns to Webster to represent him in a trial for his soul.

Release Date : 1941-10-17

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : RKO Radio Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : The Devil and Daniel Webster

Cast

Edward Arnold

Character Name : Daniel Webster

Original Name : Edward Arnold

Gender : Male

Walter Huston

Character Name : Mr. Scratch

Original Name : Walter Huston

Gender : Male

Jane Darwell

Character Name : Ma Stone

Original Name : Jane Darwell

Gender : Female

Simone Simon

Character Name : Belle

Original Name : Simone Simon

Gender : Female

Gene Lockhart

Character Name : Squire Slossum

Original Name : Gene Lockhart

Gender : Male

John Qualen

Character Name : Miser Stevens

Original Name : John Qualen

Gender : Male

H.B. Warner

Character Name : Justice Hawthorne

Original Name : H.B. Warner

Gender : Male

Frank Conlan

Character Name : Sheriff

Original Name : Frank Conlan

Gender : Male

Lindy Wade

Character Name : Daniel Stone

Original Name : Lindy Wade

Gender : Male

George Cleveland

Character Name : Cy Bibber

Original Name : George Cleveland

Gender : Male

Anne Shirley

Character Name : Mary Stone

Original Name : Anne Shirley

Gender : Female

James Craig

Character Name : Jabez Stone

Original Name : James Craig

Gender : Male

Frank Austin

Character Name : Spectator (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Austin

Gender : Male

Walter Baldwin

Character Name : Hank (uncredited)

Original Name : Walter Baldwin

Gender : Male

Eddie Borden

Character Name : Poker Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Borden

Gender : Male

Hazel Boyne

Character Name : Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Hazel Boyne

Gender : Female

Sonny Bupp

Character Name : Martin Van Buren Aldrich (uncredited)

Original Name : Sonny Bupp

Gender : Male

Bob Burns

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Bob Burns

Gender : Male

Horace B. Carpenter

Character Name : Jabez Stone's Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Horace B. Carpenter

Gender : Male

Tex Cooper

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Tex Cooper

Gender : Male

Jeff Corey

Character Name : Tom Sharp (uncredited)

Original Name : Jeff Corey

Gender : Male

Alec Craig

Character Name : Eli Higgins (uncredited)

Original Name : Alec Craig

Gender : Male

Russell Custer

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Russell Custer

Gender : Male

Joan Delmer

Character Name : Young Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Joan Delmer

Gender : Female

Eddie Dew

Character Name : Farmer (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Dew

Gender : Male

Robert Dudley

Character Name : Lem (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Dudley

Gender : Male

Charles Herzinger

Character Name : Old Farmhand (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Herzinger

Gender : Male

George Huggins

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : George Huggins

Gender : Male

Harry Humphrey

Character Name : Reverend (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Humphrey

Gender : Male

Payne B. Johnson

Character Name : Boy (uncredited)

Original Name : Payne B. Johnson

Gender : Male

Al Kunde

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Al Kunde

Gender : Male

Robert Milasch

Character Name : Big Harp (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Milasch

Gender : Male

Robert Pittard

Character Name : Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Pittard

Gender : Male

June Preston

Character Name : Little Blonde Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : June Preston

Gender : Female

Robert Robinson

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Robinson

Gender : Male

Sherman Sanders

Character Name : Caller (uncredited)

Original Name : Sherman Sanders

Gender : Male

Allen D. Sewall

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Allen D. Sewall

Gender : Male

Carl Stockdale

Character Name : Van Brooks (uncredited)

Original Name : Carl Stockdale

Gender : Male

Robert Strange

Character Name : Court Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Strange

Gender : Male

Jim Toney

Character Name : Farmer (uncredited)

Original Name : Jim Toney

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Beware of Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing. The Devil and Daniel Webster is directed by William Dieterle and written by Dan Totheroh and Stephen Vincent Benet. It stars Edward Arnold, Walter Huston, James Craig, Anne Shirley, Jane Darwell, Simone Simon and Gene Lockhart. Music is by Bernard Herrmann and cinematography by Joseph H. August. Poor farmer Jabez Stone (Craig) utters in frustration that he would sell his soul to the devil for two cents such is the destitution he and his family find themselves in. So when the mysterious Mr. Scratch (Huston) turns up with the offer of seven years prosperity, Jabez is only to happy too sign away his soul to Scratch’s contract. Prosperity does indeed come, but also a change in Craig alienates his loved ones, and just what will happen when the seven years are up? Dieterle’s Faustian movie was met with decent critical notices upon release but failed to make a hit at the box offices. It was subsequently snipped by the studio and reduced from a 107 minute movie to one that was shown in a sub-standard 85 minute cut. Suffice to say that the original cut is really the only version to see, it’s a no brainer. I’d fight 10,000 devils to save a New Hampshire man. The Devil and Daniel Webster is a film of surreal and ethereal qualities, qualities that sit snugly alongside the moral core of the tale. The story follows the familiar Faust route, man sells his soul but comes to regret it as his character changes for the worse and promptly wants out of the deal before he has to go live with Old Nick and all his hellish instruments. Here there’s the heavy vibe of America’s soul being fought for, so enter famed lawyer Daniel Webster (Arnold) who rocks up to try to save the now frantic Jabez Stone. Not easy since the jury is a roll call of badness and Mr. Scratch himself is of course a wily old fox. The closing court sequences are just one of many great moments in the piece. Others include a ball at the Stone residence that is tinged with supernatural edginess, a barn dance that is borderline demonic, and Belle’s (a stunningly sensual Simon) disarming dance of death. Herrmann crafts an aural sculpture of a musical score that blends ghostly tensions with tongue in cheek slyness, while Huston, Arnold and Simon give terrific performances. On the negative side Craig is way too animated throughout, irritatingly so, while the set design for 1840s New Hampshire barely passes muster for period oomph. Other than those itches this rounds out as thoroughly enjoyable entertainment. 7.5/10