The Devil and Daniel Webster

Depictions of the Devil in cinema have ranged from the trite (Bedazzled, Oh God You Devil) to the darkly sinister (Angel Heart, Devil's Advocate). These days it's quite okay to feature the horned one as a comic book villain (Constantine) or even as a foil for rock n roll stardom (Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny), but back in the early 1940s it was a much more conservative world, which makes The Devil and Daniel Webster all the more surprising. Sure, it's a cautionary tale about people who can't or won't find the time to go to church or read tbe bible, but despite this strong pro-christian sentiment the Devil (mostly referred to as Mr. Scratch), played by Walter Huston, is portrayed in an impish and delightfully mischievous light. It's probably the earliest occurence of the Devil featuring in a Hollywood film, and it probably remains (bizarrely) the most endearing presentation of Satan to ever be put on the screen.

The Devil and Daniel Webster is very much like a moralising old testament bible story, relating to us the story of Jabez Stone, a 19th century New England farmer who endures a streak of bad luck so demoralising that he exclaims, "It's enough to make a man sell his soul to the Devil for two cents!" He's immediately shocked by his words, and looks around to make sure no one heard him say something so sacrilegious. But, sure enough, he reaches into his pocket to find two coins. A certain Mr. Scratch then wanders into the barn and offers Jabez seven years of prosperity in exchange for his soul. Jabez is so entranced by the pile of gold coins Mr. Scratch shows him that his greed and excitement overrides any concern for his soul, and so Mr. Scratch carves their contract into a nearby tree. The exchange is made, and Jabez goes from being a poor farmer to a major landowner and public figure. His devout wife and mother begin to observe other, more sinister changes in his personality, and enlist the help of renowned politician and orator Daniel Webster to help Jabez battle the Devil when the time comes for Mr. Scratch to claim his soul.

It's funny that one of the first films to deal with the Devil should also be one of the few such films to completely avoid all the cliches and traditional symbolisms that would come to be associated with the character in almost every other film he would appear in. The Devil and Daniel Webster is directed in such a way as to play down the supernatural elements, Mr. Scratch has no hooves, horns or apparent superpowers... the danger lies in the way he corrupts people, whispering casually into their ears or dazzling them with gold like a leprechaun. In fact, there's more than just a touch of the leprachaun in Huston's wonderful performance as Mr. Scratch. Whether he's brandishing a bundle of freshly picked carrots or gleefully eating a stolen peach pie, he lights up the screen with a certain genial charisma that draws you in like the devil's own silver tongue might do. It's important for Hustons' Mr. Scratch to be so likeable not because it's fun and entertaining, but because it demonstrates the allure of easy success. No one would sell their soul to the Devil in his more monstrous forms, but when Mr. Scratch seems so disarmingly harmless (eating those carrots like Bugs Bunny), you'd believe a simple farmer like Jabez could quite easily sell him his soul.

It's ultimately a film about corruption... Jabez's own use of trickery and contracts to enslave other farmers echoes the way that the Devil has ensnared Jabez. The bad-seed nature of Jabez's son also shows the influential effect of this behaviour. I don't believe in the existence of the Devil, but the film is still effective in showing the consequences of evil... it goes beyond condemining such behaviour as a short cut to everlasting damnation in hell. It also demonstrates the insidious way that evil can spread amongst men or become their own ruin... it's one thing to argue that bad deeds will block one soul's way to heaven, but it's an altogether more admirable thing to show the damage done on Earth when such behaviour goes unchecked. The Daniel Webster angle (and the jury of all-American monsters and crooks shown during the film's climax) also makes clear the allegorical nature of the story and it's relation to America's pre-civil war growth as a nation. It's no coincidence that this story of life-binding contracts is set during an era when slave ownership was still common and legal, nor is it a coincidence that a story that moralises about the dangers of selfish enterprise should be set during an era when America's high-minded ideals were still yet to become a codified reality for the common man. A brilliant and entertaining film, and one that deserves more attention for modern film fans.

HIGHLIGHTS: Director William Dieterle uses light and shadows in fascinating ways to bring the fantasy aspect to life in a simplistic and minimalistic fashion. Backlit fireplaces, beams of otherworldly light, auras, strange filters and menacing shadows are all used to great effect. One scene that stands out in particular due to these techniques is the eerie banquet scene in Jabez's new mansion.

Another nice touch is the way the soul is physically represented as a moth that Mr. Scratch collects by tying up inside a hankerchief. It's just so odd and suits Huston's performance and the overall tone of the film.

Another great moment is the final shot of Huston looking into the camera. I don't know if a modern film could get away with such a thing, but it had me grinning from ear to ear.

TRIVIA: The film was originally released under a handful of various names (none of which used the word 'Devil') to ensure that the film would play in America's more conservative southern states, these include All That Money Can Buy, Mr. Scratch and Here is a Man.

DIRECTOR: William Dieterle
WRITER/SOURCE: Script by Dan Totheroh and Stephen Vincent Benet, based on a short story by Stephen Vincent Benet
KEY ACTORS: Edward Arnold, Walter Huston, Jane Darwell, Simone Simon, Gene Lockhart, H. B. Warner, Anne Shirley, James Craig

RELATED TEXTS:
- The film was based on a short story by Stephen Vincent Benet, also called The Devil and Daniel Webster. It was also adapted into an American opera shortly before becoming this film.
- The story is a retelling of the German folk story Faust, which has been adapted into numerous novels, plays and films over the years, perhaps most famously as The Tragical History of Doctor Fastus by Christopher Marlowe in the 17th century and as Faust by Goethe in the 19th century.
- Other film adaptations of the folk story include the German silent film Faust, the 1960s British comedy Bedazzled and it's American remake (also called Bedazzled), Crossroads, Mephisto, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus and Barton Fink.
- The Devil and Daniel Webster was remade as Shortcut to Happiness, a 2001 film directed by Alec Baldwin and featuring himself, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Anthony Hopkins. It was beset with financial problems, Alec Baldwin disowned his involvement as director, and it didn't see any sort of release until 2007.
- Stephen Vincent Benet also wrote two other stories about real life politician Daniel Webster - Daniel Webster and the Sea Serpent and Daniel Webster and the Ides of March.

AWARDS
Academy Awards - won Best Score. Nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Walter Huston).