O Homem que Vendeu a Alma

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-

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.

In 1840 in New Hampshire, the unfortunate farmer Jabez Stone (James Craig) is a poor but good man that lives a simple and hard life with his beloved wife Mary Stone (Anne Shirley) and his mother "Ma" (Jane Darwell). One day of bad luck, Jabez curses and tells that he would sell his soul to the devil to have a better life; immediately after the devil appears posing of a man named Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston). He offers seven years of good fortune and money to Jabez for his soul and the farmer signs the contract. Soon Jabez improves his life and after a hailstorm, his crop are the only one not damaged. Jabez borrows money to his neighbors and soon Mary gets pregnant. When she delivers the baby Daniel, she asks her prominent friend Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) to be his godfather. Meanwhile Jabez is charmed by the gorgeous Belle (Simone Simon) and he hires her as a maid and soon she becomes his mistress. Jabez does not know that Belle was sent by Mr. Scratch and soon he becomes an evil man. After seven years, Mr. Scratch returns to collect his soul and offers an addition period for the soul of his sin. Jabez realizes that he is doomed but Daniel Webster offers to defend him in a trial. What will happen to Jabez and his family?

"The Devil & Daniel Webster", a.k.a. "All That Money Can Buy", retells the timeless German classic story of Faust, a man that sells his soul to Mephistopheles. The film has not aged after more than seventy years. The dance of Belle with her guests is eerie and seems to be the source of inspiration of the dance in "Carnival of Souls". Walter Huston and Edward Arnold have great performances in the roles of Mr. Scratch and Edward Arnold respectively. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): Not available on Blu-Ray or DVD

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."

One of the best films of the 1940's. All the praise about Huston, Arnold, Herrmann's score, etc... is richly deserved... but I'd like to finally get it out there... that the STAR of the movie... the character that this film is about... is Jabez Stone... played by James Craig. He is a long forgotten actor now, but his performance is the center of the film. Why Huston and Arnold were and are still claimed as the main stars... is really beyond me....they are clearly there as Supporting Actors to the Main Character... Jabez. Had a 'major' actor in 1941 been cast.. .a Gary Cooper or Henry Fonda... they would have had top billing, and possibly nominated for the Oscar. Craig does an incredible job with this... parts of his performance toward the later half of the film.... are similar to the (still to come) work of James Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life.... when both characters are desperate, caught in a nightmarish web... running from the house looking for 'Mary'. Huston deserved his nomination, but it is without a doubt a supporting role, as is Arnold's. Jabez Stone is the central character, and Craig's multi-faceted performance should have been Oscar nommed... I love the moment when, having heard his wife is pregnant... he stares out the window hypnotically, and says almost to himself... "a son, an heir, money"... a marvelous glimpse of the corruption building within... a marvelous underrated performance.