ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY
Faust amendment
RELEASED OUT NOW! 1941 | PG | Blu-ray
Director William Dieterle
Cast Edward Arnold, Walter Huston,
James Craig, Anne Shirley
Adapting Stephen Vincent Benét’s short story “The Devil And Daniel Webster” – a title the film took back when edited down for rerelease – this turns the Faustian legend into a piece of magical Americana, as a noble politician steps in to save a New Hampshire farmer from a diabolical pact.
Rod Serling was taking notes: you can see the clear influence on the folksier episodes of The Twilight Zone. The piety and patriotism may feel a little stuffy nowadays, but Walter Huston’s Oscar-nominated turn as the Mephistophelian Mr Scratch remains electrifying. All psychopixie grin and sulphurous mischief, he’s proof that if the Devil has all the best tunes he’s staked a pretty persuasive claim on the best parts, too.
Extras Film historian Bruce Eder and composer Bernard Herrmann’s biographer Steven C Smith provide an informative commentary. A comparison between the 1941 preview print version – titled Here Is A Man
– and the 1943 rerelease (five minutes) is accompanied by a dry but insightful look at the film’s editing (13 minutes).
A featurette on the impressive restoration job (six minutes) has the bonus of revealing the chillingly Satanic lyrics to the seemingly innocuous French lullaby sung by Simone Simon.
There are also original 1930s radio adaptations of “The Devil And Daniel Webster” and sister tale “Daniel Webster And The Sea Serpent” (30 minutes apiece) – both featuring Herrmann’s music – while Alec Baldwin delivers an evocative reading of the short story (from 2003, 34 minutes).
Plus: trailer; a booklet containing a 1941 article by Vincent Benét and an essay by novelist Tom Piazza.
Nick Setchfield
Director William Dieterle also appeared as an actor in FW Murnau’s 1926 silent film version of Faust, playing Valentin.