The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)
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.
Special Features:
New restored digital transfer of the full-length 106-minute version
Audio commentary by film historian Bruce Eder and Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith
Video comparison between The Devil and Daniel Webster and William Dieterle’s preview version of the film, entitled Here Is a Man
The Columbia Workshop’s radio dramatizations of Stephen Vincent Benét’s stories The Devil and Daniel Webster and Daniel Webster and the Sea Serpent, both with music by Bernard Herrmann
Gallery of behind-the-scenes photos and promotional materials
New essay by author Tom Piazza (Blues and Trouble: Twelve Stories)
English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired
Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition