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In 1840 New Hampshire, farmer Jabez Stone lives with his young wife and his mother, struggling to make a living. When a series of disasters befalls the poor family, Jabez decides to sell his soul in return for seven years of prosperity. The buyer is the mysterious Mr. Scratch, the incarnation of the Devil who roams the New England countryside looking for desperate people to tempt. Jabez gets his wish, but his good luck changes him. He becomes selfish and cold, betraying his wife with the "serving girl" that Scratch has sent to spy on him and turning his back on his friends and fellow farmers. He begins to see the error of his ways, and when his time is almost up, he begs famed orator-lawyer-politician Daniel Webster to argue his case against Scratch. The Devil agrees to a trial, but only if he can pick the judge and jury (notorious villains dredged up from Hell) and only if Webster will agree to forfeit his soul if he loses.

Directed with stylish flair by William Dieterle, The Devil and Daniel Webster brings the classic short story by Stephen Vincent Benet to life with inspired visuals, an unforgettable Oscar-winning score by Bernard Herrmann, and a truly diabolical performance from Walter Huston.

Director: William Dieterle
Cast: Edward Arnold, Walter Huston, Jane Darwell, Simone Simon, Gene Lockhart, John Qualen
Country: USA
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) Criterion Collection
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DVD9 | NTSC 4:3 | 01:46:04 | 7.65 Gb + 3% rec
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Extras:
• Audio commentary by film historian Bruce Eder and Bernard Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith
• Reading of Stephen Vincent Benet's short story "The Devil and Daniel Webster" by actor/director Alec Baldwin (33:41)
• Comparison between "The Devil and Daniel Webster" and the earlier preview version of the film, "Here Is a Man" (4:37)
• The Columbia Workshop's radio dramatizations of Stephen Vincent Benet's short stories "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (29:52) and "Daniel Webster and the Sea Serpent" (29:43), both featuring music by Bernard Herrmann
• About The Columbia Workshop (1 text page)
• The music of "The Devil and Daniel Webster", presented in an interactive essay by Christopher Husted of Bernard Herrmann's Estate
• Gallery of behind-the-scenes photos and promotional materials

The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) Eureka - Masters of Cinema
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DVD9 | NTSC 4:3 | 01:46:17 | 6.92 Gb + 3% rec
Language: English
Subtitles: English

Extras:
• Here Is a Man comparison (4:37)