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No consensus yet.
All Critics (17) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (17) | Rotten (0) | DVD (3)
Juxtapose the name of a true-life nineteenth-century orator, attorney and senator with the Biblical personification of evil, and you capture something of the strange mix here of social realism and moralising mythology Feb 27, 2009
Juxtapose the name of a true-life nineteenth-century orator, attorney and senator with the Biblical personification of evil, and you capture something of the strange mix here of social realism and moralising mythology
Anton Bitel
This devil is fun, seductive, even, and he knows it-he's always immensely pleased with himself, and he doesn't need to pressure anyone to do business with him... Jun 23, 2012 | Rating: 8/10 | Full Review…
This devil is fun, seductive, even, and he knows it-he's always immensely pleased with himself, and he doesn't need to pressure anyone to do business with him...
Sarah Boslaugh
It's the heavy Teutonic Faust, but made American lite in this supernatural tale. Jul 10, 2007 | Rating: B | Full Review…
It's the heavy Teutonic Faust, but made American lite in this supernatural tale.
Dennis Schwartz
Excellent, high-class genre film. Jun 30, 2007 | Full Review…
Excellent, high-class genre film.
Jeffrey M. Anderson
William Dieterle's entertaining version of the noted Stephen Vincent Benet's story, about the Devil and Daniel Webster features a strong, Oscar nominated performance by Walter Huston. Jul 6, 2005 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…
William Dieterle's entertaining version of the noted Stephen Vincent Benet's story, about the Devil and Daniel Webster features a strong, Oscar nominated performance by Walter Huston.
Emanuel Levy
A wonderful masterpiece. Walter Huston has a devilishly good time! Nov 16, 2004 | Rating: 5/5
A wonderful masterpiece. Walter Huston has a devilishly good time!
Robin Clifford
First-rate Americana Jun 25, 2004 | Rating: 5/5
First-rate Americana
Daniel Eagan
Huston and Arnold are superb in this stirring blend of American and Faust. Mar 4, 2004 | Rating: 5/5
Huston and Arnold are superb in this stirring blend of American and Faust.
Jeffrey Westhoff
Craig's performance is downright terrible, but old pros Arnold and Huston (who scored a Best Actor nomination) pick up the pace. Nov 4, 2003 | Rating: 3/4
Craig's performance is downright terrible, but old pros Arnold and Huston (who scored a Best Actor nomination) pick up the pace.
Matt Brunson
Spooky, light-hearted, and never less than a joy to watch Sep 29, 2003 | Rating: 4.5/5
Spooky, light-hearted, and never less than a joy to watch
Jake Euker
Wonderfully made fantasy that strangely leaves me cold. Aug 24, 2003 | Rating: 4/5
Wonderfully made fantasy that strangely leaves me cold.
Ken Hanke
A New Hampshire sodbuster is up against the ropes and feeling it when he makes an errant oath: "I'd sell my soul for two cents if I could!" Enter His Most Despicable Oneness (charmingly sleezy as rendered by Walter Huston) and trouble comes with him. Who can save the day? Very nearly post expressionist German in style and substance this creative fantasy has stood the test of time gracefully.
Super Reviewer
Well made film with powerful imagery that somehow sticks in your mind for days. Still holds up.
Edward Arnold comes through again, this time as the legendary Daniel Webster, a lawyer and statesman who seemed more myth than man. Unfortunately, the bulk of the movie is about Jabez Stone, a simple farmer with a deep voice who likes to say "consarnit!" alot (and I do mean alot). Early in the movie, he makes a deal with the devil to become wealthy and have good fortune, and from that point on, we're shown the evils that money brings. Anne Shirley is the really beautiful actress playing his wife Mary, and Jane Darwell (Ma Joad from "the Grapes of Wrath") plays his loudly concerned mother. There's very little in the way of character development going on, outside of the typical 1940s hayseed dialogue (at one point, one of the characters cringe-inducingly says to another "that's mighty white of you"). Perhaps the only element with any sort of shocking undertone was the character "Belle" (as played by Simone Simon). As the devil's seductress, she basically kicks the wife out of the house and steals her son away. Jabez even builds a mansion just for her. Surely risque business for the 40s. It's not until the last 20 minutes that Daniel Webster and the devil actually duke it out, and it's a little anti-climactic at that. On the plus side, there's some outstanding direction and use of lense-smudging to create an eerie effect on the "jury of the damned". In spite of some corny cheesiness, it's still a worthy classic.
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