“It is the eternal right of every man to raise his fist against fate!”
I remember hearing the title The Devil and Daniel Webster, not about this 1941 gem, but in regards to the remake that Alec Baldwin was starring in as well as directing. The film, shot in 2001, was to co-star Dan Aykroyd, Kim Cattrall, Amy Poehler, and, as the titular duo, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Anthony Hopkins. For a while, in the pre-youtube days, an early cut of the trailer started circulating, which signaled the promise of a madcap experience with a game cast. But funding fell through, killing the post-production time needed when an indie studio snapped up the rights, causing Baldwin to eventually lose control of his film.
Eventually, re-cut and retitled as Shortcut to Happiness, the movie finally came out without ceremony to a handful of reviews that mourned what could have been a fresh retelling worthy of author Stephen Vincent Benet’s classic story. It was a sad end that ensured this wonderfully dark and compelling morality tale would remain virtually forgotten, that is until Criterion decided to give director William Dieterle’s original version a new, vibrant resurrection.
In All That Money Can Buy, a struggling farmer named Jabez Stone (James Craig) finds his life and his livelihood turning to shambles as he’s unable to produce successful crops or sell what he’s able to harvest. When he’s offered a deal by a man named Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston), his luck instantly turns. Unfortunately, Scratch is actually the devil, who has a habit of making deals promising wealth and prosperity in exchange for human souls. Not knowing what to do when payment becomes due, Jabez turns to Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold), a prominent social figure who has a history with Scratch, for help.
All That Money Can Buy falls into the category of fable due to its surrealistic elements and the way they blend into the film’s depiction of the real world. But the film could also rightly claim the label of parable for the way it presents its tale of morality and uses it to not only tell what is ostensibly a black comedy, but also the story of America at one of the most precarious times in its history. It is this setting that allows Jabez’s choice to be seen as one of desperation rather than greed, making his subsequent actions (at least in the beginning), somewhat understandable.
What also helps our main character come across as someone not to be loathed by the audience is the fact that Jabez is a person who is very much deserving of good fortune. Furthermore, he’s someone who recognizes his sudden windfall and isn’t ruthless or selfish with it, at least not at first. Still, he can’t help but be pulled into the spell that comes with great wealth, despite his own promise to himself that he never would. But eventually, Jabez loses perspective, gives in to greed and selfishness, and becomes the kind of person he never thought he was. In actuality, however, it isn’t so much that he’s the kind of person driven by money and power. He’s just merely mortal.
Recognizing this is his family with wife Mary (Anne Shirley) never losing faith in him and mother Ma (Jane Darwell) refusing to fully be taken by his good fortune, no matter how prosperous he becomes. It’s the two of them who give All That Money Can Buy its strength and soul. That very combination is taken to the most extreme when Daniel shows up to take on Scratch on Stone’s behalf. The wisdom and reverence surrounding Daniel shows strength, and conviction, both of which make him the ultimate worthy opponent to Scratch for what becomes a compelling battle over a man’s soul. Even when the movie leans more into the religious side rather than the faith side in its third act before venturing into slight slapstick, this ultimate fight for humanity can’t help but work.
As might’ve been guessed by now, this is a film with two titles, both of which are emblematic of the story and its themes in their own ways. Due to some obvious concerns from various theater owners in certain parts of the country, the title of The Devil and Daniel Webster was not a necessarily appealing one. There is, however, a playfulness to the movie’s original title and a certain level of intrigue that suggests a mischief-filled romp that could also serve as a cautionary tale of what happens when a person takes on the most fateful of dances. This is aided by Huston’s tour-de-force performance, Bernard Hermann’s Oscar-winning score, and the movie’s impressive special effects.
While some may have preferred the original title, it’s hard to dismiss the philosophical nature of a film called All That Money Can Buy. In a way, it’s the title that best sums up the film. Through an emotionally surreal journey, this is a film that serves as an exploration of both the blessing and the curse that comes with getting everything you’ve ever wanted. No matter the title, the film remains a great illustration of a very universal question: Is it worth it to sell your soul for something you really want, or at least, think you want?
All That Money Can Buy is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD as part of the Criterion Collection.
