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First off, let me state that after viewing both versions of this film: the 85-minute and the 106-minute ones, both have their merits. For VHS, I recommend the shorter version. If you have the Criterion DVD with a 106-minute one, however, you have the best. I had seen both on tape but when I saw the longer version with a great DVD transfer, it convinced me the longer one is the version you want to see. It also seemed to improve the whole movie.

The Criterion DVD helped me appreciate the underrated black-and-white cinematography in this movie. It simply looks super, and even the special-effects are still pretty darned good considering the year this was made.

Character-wise, as so often is the case, the bad-guys are the most interesting in the movie. The best was Walter Huston playing "Scratch" (the Devil) and Simone Simon playing a female helper of his. Simon has the allure in this story to drive leading character "Jabez Stone" away from his sweet wife "Mary" (Anne Shirley).

Depressed and whining over his financial state of affairs and general lot in life, "Jabez" is ripe pickings for the wily "Scratch" and his cohort. The Devil makes Stone sign away his soul for money, prosperity, power, etc. Jabez gets carried away with his greed and winds up learning some valuable lessons.

Meanwhile, Edward Arnold plays "Daniel Webster," a folk hero during this time period, a man revered by all in New England. He winds up defending Jabez in a court-like scene i the end to see if he can win back the man's soul. Arnold is captivating in his role as Webster and gives an old-fashioned patriotic message at the end which would make today's Hollywood filmmakers sick.

Craig, who gets 12th billing in this film - go figure - has the most lines in the movie! How can be ignored, not only on the DVD and VHS boxes but on the bottom of the credits on this IMDb cast page? Craig overacts in his role and, thus, becomes a little annoying at times. Shirley might have been the most attractive I've ever seen here, mainly because of her strong, Christian character and down-home plain beauty that shines through in this character, Jabez's faithful wife "Mary." (She also gets slighted in the billing.)

Overall, this is a different story than anything you've seen. It's interesting, nicely directed by William Dieterle and photographed by Joseph August. Sadly, the latter died later in this decade with a heart attack. His last picture was another visual wonder: "Portrait Of Jennie."

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.

Set in 1840s New Hampshire, the story centers on a poor farmer Jabez Stone (James Craig) who's about to lose his farm to a money lender when one bad piece of luck after another has him saying that his bad fortunes are enough to cause a man to sell his soul to the devil. Of course, the devil (Walter Huston) instantly appears and tempts a very willing Stone to trade his soul in return for "all that money can buy". The contract they sign has the devil collecting his soul seven years from the date of their agreement.

The devil then uncovers a buried treasure of Hessian gold and from that moment on, Stone prospers (to the detriment of his friends and neighbors). Local politician Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) is godfather to Stone's new baby and passes thru town regularly to socialize and imbibe with the locals. When the due date for reaping his soul arrives, it's to Webster that Stone turns to argue his way out of going to Hades for all eternity in a supernatural courtroom scene with famous disgraced and dishonored Americans - themselves in Hades - as the jury.

William Dieterle's nearly surrealistic settings and camera work (by Joseph August) add just the right touch of menace and fantasy to the stark New Hampshire settings. Simone Simon plays a seductive assistant of the devil whose purpose is to keep Stone's heart and attention away from his timid yet insightful wife who might somehow set him back on the right path.

Walter Huston was Oscar nominated for his performance as the devil and Edward Arnold plays Webster as big as all outdoors - a man with appetites and a love of life to match his girth. New England is portrayed as a rural place not too far from its Puritan roots.

Made in 1941, and dealing in themes of religion and patriotism, it might have been a shrill production had it been made any later once the war years had lots of films getting heavy handed when dealing with either of those subjects.

This film could never work now, because Americans are far too cynical to accept a politician beating the Devil in a battle of morals. Now the politician would be in the Devil's hip pocket. "The Devil and Daniel Webster" is a creepy, effective little morality tale about a farmer who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for prosperity and the politician who ends up defending him and winning it back.

What seemed startling in 1941 feels mostly creaky by today's standards, but there are still some fresh moments of film making in this one. William Dieterle was obviously open to experimentation when it comes to the use of cinematography and sound, and the movie has a striking visual look. The plot is mostly connect the dots, and there are no real surprises, but I don't know that one watches a morality tale for surprises in the first place.

Walter Huston is extremely creepy as the Devil (aka Mr. Scratch). He received a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his performance even though, based on sheer screen time, he really has more of a supporting role. But he's so effective when on screen that his presence dominates the film even when he's physically absent, which probably accounts for the lead nomination.

Edward Arnold is pretty good too as Daniel Webster. Also standing out is Jane Darwell (Ma Joad in "The Grapes of Wrath") as a hardened farm mother.

Parts of this film have a wicked sense of humour, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The trial at the end (with a literal jury of the damned), is especially amusing.

On a sidenote, the film was successful in capturing the 1941 Academy Award for Best Dramatic Score.

Don't expect to see any points made that haven't already been made a thousand times in a thousand other movies, but enjoy the originality of the film technique on display.

Grade: A-

Terrific film, Walter Huston as the devil duking it out with Edward Arnold, in a rare sympathetic role as Daniel Webster(usually he played parts like the nasty Tycoon in You Can't Take it With You)over a simple farmer's soul. The jury-if memory serves me right, people like Benedict Arnold and Blackbeard, his 'peers'...Dieterle takes the old Faust tale and puts a uniquely American spin into it(though he was German-you'll see what I mean if you watch it..)-this is a moving, wonderfully shot, eerie film; definately a go-see! Under-rated, not often mentioned as being on of the best films from the '40s, though it most assuredly is.

**** stars outta ****, do see it.