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(aka "William Dieterle's The Devil & Daniel Webster" or "The Devil and Daniel Webster" or
"A Certain Mr. Scratch" or "Daniel and the Devil" or "Here Is a Man" or "Mr. Scratch")
Directed by William Dieterle
USA 1941
Jabez Stone is a hardworking farmer trying to make an honest living, but a streak of bad luck tempts him to do the unthinkable: bargain with the devil himself. In exchange for seven years of good fortune, Stone promises “Mr. Scratch” his soul. But 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, All That Money Can Buy 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 as the devil. *** Farmer Jabez Stone, about to lose his land, agrees to sell his soul to the devil, known as Mr. Scratch, who gives Jabez seven years to enjoy the fruits of his sale before he collects. Over that time, Jabez pays off his debts and helps many neighboring farmers, then becomes an advocate for the upstanding Sen. Daniel Webster. When Jabez's contract with Mr. Scratch concludes, he desperately turns to Webster to represent him in a trial for his soul. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: October 16th, 1941 (New York City, New York, premiere)
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Review: Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray
Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures: |
Distribution | Criterion Spine #214 - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray | |
Runtime | 1:46:59.037 | |
Video |
1.37 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 47,056,932,849 bytesFeature: 32,315,934,720 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.88 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate Blu-ray: |
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Audio |
LPCM Audio English
1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps |
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Subtitles | English (SDH), None | |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Criterion
1.37 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 47,056,932,849 bytesFeature: 32,315,934,720 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.88 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • Audio commentary by film historian Bruce Eder and Steven C. Smith, biographer of composer Bernard Herrmann • New restoration demonstration (4:38) • Reading by actor Alec Baldwin of the short story by Stephen Vincent Benét on which the film is based (33:43) • Episode of the Criterion Channel series Observations on Film Art about the film’s editing (13:05) • Comparison of the differences between the July 1941 preview version of the film, Here Is a Man, and the film’s 1943 rerelease as The Devil and Daniel Webster (6:59) • The Columbia Workshop’s radio adaptations of Benét’s short stories “The Devil and Daniel Webster” and “Daniel Webster and the Sea Serpent,” both featuring music by Herrmann (29:52 / 29:47) • Trailer (0:49) PLUS: An essay by author Tom Piazza and a 1941 article by Benét
Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 20 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
This version appears to be a minute longer than the DVDs which appears to be because of the new restoration credits preceding the film.
NOTE: We have added 56 more large
resolution Blu-ray captures
(in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE
On their
Blu-ray,
Criterion use an authentic linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the
original English language. All That Money Can Buy
has some aggressive dramaturgy but a vibrant score by
the incomparable
Bernard Herrmann (Vertigo,
Blue
Denim,
Beneath
the 12-Mile Reef, Cape
Fear,
Taxi Driver, The
Magnificent Ambersons, The
Wrong Man,
The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad,
Mysterious Island,
Jason and the Argonauts,
Obsession,
Hangover Square,
etc. etc.) always impacting and very supportive of
The Criterion
Blu-ray
William Dieterle's All That Money Can Buy
has a proto-noir
layer to it with a person in a desperate moment of weakness giving up
their soul (and by extension; their morality) for money - plus it coming back
to haunt them in a dire way. And, I suppose, Simone Simon's sexy
'Belle' as an enticing femme fatale. The film's title was originally
changed to All That Money Can Buy to avoid confusion with Sam
Wood's romantic comedy
The Devil and Miss Jones with Jean Arthur and Robert Cummings -
also released in 1941. Later The Devil and Daniel Webster title
was restored on some prints. Dieterle founded his own production company
after the success of his 1939's
The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Charles Laughton and wanted
All That Money Can Buy to be the first film he made for RKO Pictures
under his new contract. Possibly because Dieterle had appeared, as
Valentin, in F. W. Murnau's silent film, 1926's
Faust which The Devil and Daniel Webster story is based. It's an
exceptional film filled with New England Americana and a sly, but
wholesome, supernatural story of defeating fate. We all have a chance. I am very
pleased to finally have it on a Criterion Blu-ray
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Menus / Extras
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Eureka (Masters of Cinema) - Region 2 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Eureka (Masters of Cinema) - Region 2 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Eureka (Masters of Cinema) - Region 2 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE
Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures: |
Distribution | Criterion Spine #214 - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray |
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