USA, 1941
107m
35mm film, black and white, 1.37:1
mono, English
An American fantasy film directed by William Dieterle.
Plot Summary
A struggling farmer in 19th century New Hampshire makes a deal with the Devil, and tries to get skilled orator Daniel Webster to help him get out of the agreement.
Credits
Crew
Directed by: William Dieterle
Copyright MCMXLI [1941] RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
An RKO Radio picture. A William Dieterle production
Produced by: William Dieterle
Associate Producer: Charles L. Glett
Screen Play by: Dan Totheroh and Stephen Vincent Benet
Based on the Story by: Stephen Vincent Benet
Assistant Director: Argyle Nelson
Dialogue Director: Peter Berneis
Director of Photography: Joseph August
Edited by: Robert Wise
Associate Editor: Mark Robson [uncredited]
Music Composed and Conducted by: Bernard Herrmann
[Sound] Recorded by: Hugh Mcdowell Jr, James G. Stewart
Costumes by: Edward Stevenson
Special Effects: Vernon L. Walker
Art Director: Van Nest Polglase
Associate [Art Director]: Al Herman
Set Decorations by: Darrell Silvera
Cast
Edward Arnold (Daniel Webster)
Walter Huston (Mr Scratch)
Jane Darwell (Ma Stone)
Simone Simon (Belle [Dee])
Gene Lockhart (Squire Slossum)
John Qualen (Miser Stevens)
Anne Shirley (Mary Stone)
James Craig (Jabez Stone)
H.B. Warner (Justice Hawthorne)
Frank Conlan (sheriff)
Lindy Wade (Daniel Stone)
George Cleveland (Cy Bibber)
Alternative Titles
Alles was Geld kaufen kann – Austria, Germany
A Certain Mr Scratch – working title
Daniel and the Devil – USA (re-release)
The Devil and Daniel Webster – Australia, Canada, India, UK, USA (alternative)
El hombre que vendió su alma – Spain
O Homem que Vendeu a Alma – Brazil, Portugal
Inled oss icke i frestelse – Sweden
Du kan ikke kjøpe alt for penger – Norway
Du kan ikke købe alt for penge – Denmark
Mr Scratch – USA
L’oro del demonio – Italy
Un pacto con el diablo – Mexico
Piru ja Daniel Webster – Finland
Der Teufel und Daniel Webster – Germany
Der Teufelsbauer – Germany
Tous les biens de la Terre – France
Verbond met de duivel – Netherlands
Vrag i Daniel Webster – Croatia
William Dieterle’s The Devil & Daniel Webster – Australia (television)
Έρως και χρήμα – Greece
Дьявол и Дэниэл Уэбстер – Soviet Union
悪魔の金 – Japan
魔鬼与丹尼尔·韦伯斯特 – China (Mandarin)
黑夜煞星 – China (Mandarin)
Production Notes
The version released under the title The Devil and Daniel Webster begins with all of the cast credited as “in front of the camera and the crew listed under the heading “In back of the camera” in this order: Joseph August, Stephen Vincent Benet, Dan Totheroh, Bernard Herrmann, Vernon L. Walker, Hugh McDowell Jr, James G. Stewart, Robert Wise, Van Nest Polglase, Al Herman, Edward Stevenson, Darrell Silvera, John Pommer, Peter Berneis, Argyle Nelson, Charles L. Glett, William Dieterle all collaborated n the picture…
It also contains the caption: “This picture was originally shown with the title “All That Money Can Buy”
Links
See also
Safir Gahannam (1945)
References
Periodicals
- Classic Images no.293 (November 1999) pp.C14-C15 – video review (Video tape reviews by Robert Klepper)
- Journal of Popular Film & Television vol.27 no.3 (Autumn 1999) pp.19-27 – illustrated article (“Talk Not of a Wife”: The Devil and Daniel Webster, Cabin in the Sky, and Damn Yankees – American Contributions to the Faust Legend by Thomas L. Cooksey)
- Kinematograph Weekly no.1809 (18 December 1941
- Literature/Film Quarterly vol.22 no.4 (1994) pp.265-271 – illustrated article (One Against All: The New England Past and Present Responsibilities in “The Devil and Daniel Webster” by Robert Singer)
- Monthly Film Bulletin vol.8 no.96 (December 1941) p.162
- Monthly Film Bulletin vol.46 no.549 (October 1979) pp.214-215
- Motion Picture Herald vol.144 no.3 (19 July 1941) p.75
- SFX no.378 (May 2024) p.86 – illustrated review (by Nick Setchfield)
- Sight and Sound vol.19 no.3 (March 2009) p.87 – illustrated DVD review (Reviews: All the best tunes by Philip Kemp)
- Today’s Cinema vol.77 no.6361 (18 October 1951) p.8
Books
- Classic Horror Films and the Literature That Inspired Them by Ron Backer pp.188-191
- Euro Gothic: Classics of Continental Horror Cinema by Jonathan Rigby p.29
- Feature Films, 1940-1949: A United States Filmography by Alan G. Fetrow p.10
- Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.96 – credits
- RKO Radio Pictures Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1929-1956 by Michael R. Pitts pp.13-17
- The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fantasy by David Pringle (general ed.) p.50 – illustrated credits, review
