The Devil and Daniel Webster

Film Info

United States
1941
106 minutes
Black and White
1.33:1
English
Spine #214

Jabez Stone is a hard-working farmer trying to make an honest living, but a streak of bad luck tempts him to do the unthinkable: bargain with the Devil himself. For seven years of good fortune, Stone promises “Mr. Scratch” his soul when the contract ends. When the troubled farmer begins to realize the error of his choice, he enlists the aid of the one man who might save him: the legendary orator and politician Daniel Webster. Directed with stylish flair by William Dieterle, The Devil and Daniel Webster brings the classic short story by Stephen Vincent Benét to life with inspired visuals, an unforgettable Oscar-winning score by Bernard Herrmann, and a truly diabolical performance from Walter Huston.

Cast

Daniel Webster	Edward Arnold
Mr. Scratch	Walter Huston
Ma Stone	Jane Darwell
Belle	Simone Simon
Squire Slossum	Gene Lockhart
Miser Stevens	John Qualen
Mary Stone	Anne Shirley
Jabez Stone	James Craig

Credits

Producer	William Dieterle
Director	William Dieterle
Associate producer	Charles L. Glett
Screenplay	Dan Totheroh and Stephen Vincent Benét
Short story by	Stephen Vincent Benét
Music composed and conducted by	Bernard Herrmann
Director of photography	Joseph August
Art director	Van Nest Polglase
Associate art director	Al Herman
Special effects by	Vernon L. Walker
Costumes by	Edward Stevenson
Set decorations by	Darrell Silvera
Recorded by	Hugh McDowell Jr. and James G. Stewart
Editing	Robert Wise
Assistant director	Argyle Nelson
Dialogue director	Peter Berneis

Disc Features

New high-definition digital transfer, with restored image and sound
Audio commentary by film historian Bruce Eder and Bernard Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith
Reading of Stephen Vincent Benét’s short story “The Devil and Daniel Webster” by acclaimed actor/director Alec Baldwin
Comparison between The Devil and Daniel Webster and the earlier preview version of the film, Here Is a Man
The Columbia Workshop’s radio dramatizations of Stephen Vincent Benét’s short stories “The Devil and Daniel Webster” and “Daniel Webster and the Sea Serpent,” both featuring music by Bernard Herrmann
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
New essay by author Tom Piazza and a reprinted article by Benét
English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired
Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition