The Devil & Daniel Webster

William Dieterle's lively 1941 production of the Stephen Vincent Benét deal-with-the-devil short story is one of the better film fantasies (with an Academy Award-winning atmospheric score by Bernard Herrmann) employing this well-worn theme. After Jabez Stone (James Craig), a Northeastern farmer in the midst of hard times, sells his soul to Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston in an Oscar-nominated role) for seven years of prosperity, Jabez not only grows relatively rich but also unethical--lending seed and money at usurious rates to his lesser-off neighbors. Of course, about the time the contract comes due, Stone begins to see the errors of his ways and wants out, eventually enlisting the aid of lawyer Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) to defend him in a trial before a jury that is handpicked by Scratch from the legions of the damned. Absorbing on a purely narrative level, The Devil and Daniel Webster also mines fertile ground with two prominent subtexts: slavery (hardly mentioned, but given the theme of "ownership," one can't help but note the echoes--made explicit in the racist backhand compliment "mighty white of you" proffered by one character) and socialism (in the movie--but not in the original short story--local farmers lobby Stone to join a quasi-collective). Boasting a characteristically sharp transfer and solid Dolby Digital mono sound, the disc also features an informative commentary track with film historian Bruce Eder (also featuring Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith), a reading of Benét's short story by Alec Baldwin, two radio dramatizations, and essays. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)