Walter Huston is the Devil and Edward Arnold is Daniel Webster in "The Devil and Daniel Webster"

The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) is a film fantasy based on the short story by Stephen Vincent Benet by the same name. The film was directed by William Dieterle and starred an all-star cast featuring Walter Huston, Edward Arnold, James Craig, Anne Shirley, Jane Darwell, Simone Simon, Gene Lockhart, John Qualen, and H. B. Warner.

In New Hampshire in 1840, Jabez Stone (Craig), a poor farmer, is beset with hard times and bad luck. At the end of his rope, he says that he would sell his soul to the devil for two cents. Before you know it, a man calling himself Mr. Scratch appears. Scratch tells Jabez if he sells his soul, he will have seven years of good luck and prosperity. Jabez tempted by wealth and an easier life, signs a contract with scratch.

After several years, things change for Jabez. He becomes one of the wealthiest men in his village and his success never ends. During this time, he becomes friends with Daniel Webster (Arnold), the celebrated congressman, lawyer, and speaker. He and his wife Mary (Shirley) have a son and name him Daniel in honor of Mr. Webster.

As the seven years end, Jabez tries to negotiate with Scratch to extend their contract. In the meantime, Jabez’s marriage begins to crumble and Scratch knows he has the upper hand. Scratch agrees to extend the contract in exchange for Jabez’s son. Jabez refuses and turns to Webster to help him get out of his bargain with the Devil.

What transpires is an amazing court case featuring some of the most notorious historical figures as the jury.

How will the trial turn out? Will Jazez be set free from the clutches of Mr. Scratch or will he be forced to honor his original contract?

Edward Arnold, James Craig, and Walter Huston 

William Dieterle (1893 – 1972) was a German-born actor and film director. Dieterle emigrated to the United States in 1930 and acted in German-language films made in Hollywood for a time. He eventually worked his way up to director. He directed the 1935 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream starring James Cagney, Joe E. Brown, Dick Powell, and an 18-year-old Olivia de Havilland. Dieterle directed Paul Muni to a Best Actor win for his title role in The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936). He directed Muni again in another biographical film, The Life of Emile Zola (1937). The film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Joseph Schildkraut, and Best Screenplay. Dieterle lost the award for Best Director to Leo McCarey. This was Dieterle’s one and only Oscar nomination. His other films include Juarez (1939), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), Dr. Ehrlich’s Magin Bullet (1940), and A Dispatch from Reuters (1940).

 

The Devil and Daniel Webster trivia

• The was released as All That Money Can Buy so it wouldn’t be confused with The Devil and Miss Jones, also released in 1941.
• Bernard Herrmann won an Academy Award for his scoring of the film. He was also nominated for the film score of Citizen Kane that same year.
• Robert Wise (The Sound of Music), who would later go on to direct, was the editor of the film.
• Thomas Mitchell was originally cast as Daniel Webster but had to be replaced due to an accident on the set that resulted in a fractured skull.
• Anne Shirley said that everyone involved in the production believed they were making a great film.

James Craig and Anne Shirley

Click HERE to watch the film on YouTube.

 

Click HERE to join the discussion online on February 19, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

1. Walter Huston was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. Do you think he deserved it? What did you think of his performance?
2. Was Edward Arnold as Daniel Webster a good match for Huston’s Mr. Scratch?
3. What about the other cast members? The cast includes some very well-known character actors. Do you have a favorite?
4. The film was praised for its production values when it was first released. Does it hold up in the 21^st century?
5. The film score won an Academy Award for Bernard Herrmann. Do you think the score added to the mood of the film? 
6. Although the film was met with rave reviews when it was released, the public didn’t show up at the box office. Why do you think the film wasn’t a financial success?

Edward Arnold shows Jean Arthur some “Easy Living”

Easy Living (1937) is an American screwball comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Jean Arthur, Edward Arnold, and Ray Milland. The screenplay was written by Preston Sturges from a story by Vera Caspary (Laura). The supporting cast includes William Demarest, Franklin Pangborn, Luis Alberni, and Robert Greig.

On her way to work, Mary Smith (Arthur) is hit with a sable coat while riding in a double-decker bus. The coat was thrown off of the New York City penthouse by J.B. Ball (Arnold) during an argument with his wife. Little does Mary know how that sable coat will change her life, especially after she meets J.B. Ball Jr. (Milland), not knowing who he is.

Edward Arnold, Jean Arthur, and Ray Milland

Mitchell Leisen (1898 – 1972) was an American director who was one of Paramount Pictures most successful directors during the 1930s and 1940s. He directed Olivia de Havilland to her first Best Actress Oscar in To Each His Own (1946). He also directed Ginger Rogers in Lady in the Dark (1944), as wekk as the Christmas classic Remember the Night  (1940) starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray. Leisen’s last big movie success was the comedy The Mating Season (1951) starring Gene Tierney, John Lund, and Thelma Ritter in an Oscar-nominated performance.

Jean Arthur (1900 – 1991) was an American stage and film actress whose career spanned three decades. Arthur got her start in silent films but became a major star with the advent of sound. Her unique speaking voice made her a natural for comedy. She came to prominence with major roles in a series of films directed by Frank Capra: Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), You Can’t Take it With You (1938), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). Other popular films Arthur starred in included Only Angels Have Wings (1939), The Talk of the Town (1942), The More the Merrier (1943). For her work in The More the Merrier, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress, her only Academy Award nomination. Arthur’s last film role was in the western classic Shane (1953). After retiring from acting, she taught drama at Vassar College where one of her students was Meryl Streep.

Edward Arnold (1890 – 1956) was an American film and stage actor. Arnold started acting on the legitimate stage before finding work in film in 1916. He returned to the stage in 1919 and didn’t appear in film again until Okay America! (1932). In the early years of his film career, he played leading man roles but as he got older, he appeared in character roles and was never without work. He often worked on more than one picture at once. Some popular films that Arnold starred in include The Toast of New York (1937), You Can’t Take it With You (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), and Meet John Doe (1941).

Ray Milland (1907 – 1986) was a Welsh-American movie star and film director. He won a Best Actor Oscar for portraying an alcoholic writer in Billy Wilder’s The Lost Weekend (1945). Milland played bit parts at M-G-M and Paramount. While at Paramount, he was loaned to Universal to for a lead in the Deanna Durbin movie Three Smart Girls (1936). The success of the film led to him being cast in leading roles. He became one of Paramount’s biggest stars, remaining there for almost 20 years. Other films starring Milland include The Major and the Minor (1942), Reap the Wild Wind (1942) where he had top billing over John Wayne, the horror classic The Uninvited (1944), The Big Clock (1948), and Dial M for Murder (1954). Later in his career, he starred as Ryan O’Neal’s father in Love Story (1970).

 

Jean Arthur at the automat.

Easy Living trivia

• The furs and jewelry used in the film were real. Guards were posted during the shooting to ensure that none of the valuables were stolen.
• The $58,000 sable coat in 1937, would cost more than $1.18M today.
• This was the first film that Preston Sturges worked on at Paramount.
• Jean Arthur was almost seven years older than Ray Milland.

 

Click here to watch this film on YouTube.

 

Click here to join the online discussion on January 15, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.  Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

1. What did you think of the character of J. B. Ball played by Edward Arnold?
2. Was Jean Arthur believable as a working-class young woman caught up in a scandal?
3. Were Ray Milland and Jean Arthur believable as a couple?
4. What did you think of the automat scene?
5. Did you have a favorite scene, piece of dialogue, or character actor?
6. How would you rank this screwball comedy? Is it in your top ten?

Tyrone Power is "Johnny Apollo"

Johnny Apollo (1940) is an American film noir crime drama directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Tyrone Power and Dorothy Lamour. The supporting cast includes Edward Arnold, Lloyd Nolan, Charlie Grapewin, and Lionel Atwill. The screenplay was written by Philip Dunne and Rowland Brown. The cinematography was by Arthur Miller.

When Bob Cain Jr.’s father is thrown in jail for embezzlement, he finds it impossible to get a job and keep it, once they realize “Pop” Cain (Arnold) is his father. Taking the name Johnny Apollo, Bob Jr. ends up working for gangsters and falling for Lucky (Lamour), a night club singer.

Johnny tries to get his father out of prison but things don’t go as planned. Will this be the end of Johnny and his father? Or will there be a way for both father and son to reconcile and get back to the straight and narrow path?

Henry Hathaway (1898 – 1985) was an American film director and producer. Hathaway started working in silent films in 1925 as an assistant to established directors like Victor Fleming and Josef von Sternberg. His first solo directorial effort was Heritage of the Desert (1932) starring Randolph Scott. Hathaway, along with Scott, would be known for western movies. Besides Scott, Hathaway directed Gary Cooper in several films, including The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) which earned him his only Best Director Academy Award nomination. In 1940, Hathaway began working at Fox where he directed Tyrone Power in Johnny Apollo and Brigham Young (both 1940), Gene Tierney in China Girl (1942), Don Ameche and Dana Andrews in Wing and a Prayer (1944), and Call Northside 777 (1948) starring James Stewart and Richard Conte. After leaving Fox, he was one of three directors who worked on the western epic How the West Was Won (1962). He directed Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith (1966), directed John Wayne in True Grit (1968) which won Wayne his one and only Best Actor Academy Award.

Tyrone Power (1914 – 1958) was a major movie star as well as a star on stage and radio. He was one of the biggest box office draws of the 1930s and 1940s. Power was under exclusive contract to 20th Century-Fox where his image and film choices were carefully selected by studio head Zanuck. After the war, Power wanted to stretch his acting past romantic comedies and swashbuckler roles. Nightmare Alley was Power’s personal favorite of all his films. Some of Power's films include Marie Antoinette (1938), The Rains Came (1939), Jesse James (1939), The Mark of Zorro (1940), and  Blood and Sand (1941). Later in his career, he starred in Captain from Castile (1947), The Black Rose (1950), and Witness for the Prosecution (1957). Power’s favorite of all his films that he starred in was Nightmare Alley (1947) even though it was a commercial and a critical failure when first released. Its status as a classic film noir has been recently reevaluated.

Dorothy Lamour (1914 – 1996) was an American actress and singer. She is probably best known for her work in the Road movies co-starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Lamour had major film successes on her own in films like The Hurricane (1937) directed by John Ford, Chad Hanna (1941) directed by Henry Kind and co-starring Henry Fonda and Linda Darnell. Her film career waned during the 1950s so Lamour embarked on a successful career in nightclubs and as a stage and television actress. 

Johnny Apollo trivia

• Linda Darnell was set to co-star with Power; Alice Faye was also considered. Dorothy Lamour was borrowed from Paramount in a swap with Don Ameche,
• The film had a preview for 34 college newspaper editors in Ossining, NY; some of the exterior prison scens were filmed at Sing Sing Penetentiary.

To watch the film on YouTube, click on the link below.

To Join the discussion on March 27, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, You'll receive an invitation and link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Does this film fit the film noir genre? If not, how would you categorize it?
2. Dorothy Lamour received good reviews for her performance as Lucky. What did you think of here performance?
3. What about Tyrone Power? Did you think he made a good Johnny Apollo? Was he believeable as a good kid gone wrong?
4. Did you think Power and Lamour had on-screen chemistry?
5. Was the end of the film satisfying?

Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper in “Meet John Doe”

Meet John Doe (1941) is a comedy-drama directed by Frank Capra and starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. The screenplay is by frequent Capra collaborator, Robert Riskin. The cinematography is by George Barnes (Rebecca) and the music is by Dimitri Tiomkin (It’s a Wonderful Life).

Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwcyk

When Ann Mitchell (Stanwyck) gets fired from her job as a newspaper columnist, her final column focuses on “John Doe” who threatens to commit suicide on Christmas Eve because of all the injustice in the world. Ann parlays this fictional column into a sensation for the newspaper, as well as a financial boon to herself. In order to keep the stunt going and circulation rising, Ann and the new editor, Henry Connell (James Gleason) hire John Willoughby (Cooper), a minor league ballplayer who is down on his luck to portray John Doe.

As John Doe, Willoughby makes speeches and personal appearances, causing a sensation whenever he goes out in public. Doe’s love your neighbor philosophy spreads and John Doe clubs pop up all over the country, attracting the attention of the paper’s owner D. B. Norton (Edward Arnold), who has political ambitions. Norton plans on using the John Doe clubs to help elect him president! 

Will his scheme be successful? Will the John Doe movement survive?

Frank Capra (1897 - 1991) was an American film director, producer, and writer. During the 1930s and 1940s, Capra’s films were among the most popular and awarded films. By 1938, Capra has won three Best Director Academy Awards. Born in Italy, Capra immigrated to the United States with his family when he was five years old. By sheer determination and his self-described cockiness, Capra talked his way into the movie business. He found a great home at “Poverty Row” studio, Columbia Pictures. At Columbia he had a major success with It Happened One Night (1934), which swept all the major categories at the Academy Awards that year. This helped turn Columbia Pictures from a Poverty Row studio into a major one. Other Capra successes include You Can’t Take It with You (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), and It’s a Wonderful Life (1946).

Gary Cooper (1901 - 1961) was an American film actor who was known for his down-to-earth, understated acting style. He was a major star for almost four decades until his untimely death at age 60. Cooper got his start in silent film but easily made the transition to sound. During the early 1930s, he became a major star in films like A Farewell to Arms (1932), The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935), and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936). Other popular Cooper films include Meet John Doe (1941), Sergeant York (1941), The Pride of the Yankees (1942), and For Whom the Bell Tolls (1952). Cooper won two Best Actor Academy Awards: Sergeant York and High Noon (1952).

Barbara Stanwyck (1907 – 1990) was an American film star who got her acting start with a supporting role on Broadway in a play called The Noose (1926). The next year she had the lead in another Broadway production, Burlesque which was a huge hit. She eventually made it to Hollywood where her success was not immediate. Director Frank Capra saw something in Stanwyck and he educated her in filmmaking and film acting and the rest is history. Stanwyck was nominated four times for the Best Actress Oscar—Stella Dallas (1937), Ball of Fire (1941), Double Indemnity (1945), Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)—and remains one of the most beloved movie stars from Hollywood’s Golden Age.

The amazing supporting cast includes Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan, Spring Byington, James Gleason, Gene Lockhart, Irving Bacon, and Regis Toomey.

Why watch this film?

• It’s considered one of director Frank Capra’s classic films, featuring two of his favorite actors (Stanwyck and Cooper).
• The film has a timeless appeal and seems relevant no matter the era in which it is viewed.
• It features great performances from Stanwyck and Cooper who were somewhat ubiquitous in 1941.
• Along with the stars, the film features some of the best supporting players working in film at the time.

To watch the film on YouTube, click the link below.

Meet John Doe trivia:

• Gary Cooper agreed to star in the film without reading a script. He enjoyed working with Capra on Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, and he wanted to work with Barbara Stanwyck.
• This was the first film that Cooper and Stanwyck starred in in 1941, the second one was Ball of Fire.
• It was the first independent film produced by Frank Capra.
• Ann Sheridan was Capra’s first choice to play Ann Mitchell but Warner Bros. wouldn’t let her take the role because she was in a dispute with the studio.
• Olivia de Havilland was also considered but she too was in dispute with Warner Bros.

To join the discussion on September 20, 2021, at 6:30 p.m, Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions:

1. How would you compare and contrast Ann Mitchell and Hildy Johnson? They are both women journalists working in a predominately male working environment. Was one more successful than the other?
2. How would you compare Professor Potts with Long John Willoughby?
3. What did you think of the chemistry between Cooper and Stanwyck? Better than Ball of Fire?
4. As far as your knowledge of Capra movies goes, where do you think this one ranks? Top ten? Top five?
5. Did anything about the film surprise you?

Preston Sturges series: Screening of “Easy Living” February 23 at Daystar Center

Preston Sturges series: Easy Living
Where: The Venue 1550 at the Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street, Chicago, IL
When: February 23, 2016
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Hosted by Stephen Reginald

Easy Living (1937) is a classic screwball comedy with a screenplay by Preston Sturges and direction
by Mitchell Leisen. Jean Arthur stars as a poor working girl whose life is turned upside down when a sable coat, thrown from the penthouse apartment of financier J.B. Bull (Edward Arnold), lands on her head, ruining her hat. Bull lets Mary keep the coat, leading gossipers to assume that she is his mistress.

The plot begins when J.B. Bull finds out that his wife (Mary Nash) has purchased a $58,000 (almost a million dollars today!) sable coat without letting him know about it. In frustration, Bull throws the coat off of his terrace. The coat floats down and lands on the head of Mary Smith (Arthur) while she is riding to work on a double-decker bus with an open roof. Startled and confused, Mary goes door to door looking for the coat’s owner. While she is doing this she runs into Bull who lets her keep the coat (she has no idea it’s sable)) and offers to buy her a new hat on his way to the office. The hat shop proprietor, Van Buren (Franklin Pangborn) starts the rumor that Mary is Bull’s mistress. The rumor is passed along to Mr. Louis (Luis Alberni) the owner of the Luis Hotel, which is about to be foreclosed on by Bull.

Before you know it, Mr. Louis is offering Mary a suite in his hotel as a way to promote it. Meanwhile, Mary is completely oblivious to the ramifications of her new circumstances. She’s even ignorant of the fact that she’s been dating Bull’s son, John Ball Jr. (Ray Milland). Things get more complicated and hilarious with each passing moment.

Easy Living is the second screenplay written by Sturges that starred Arnold and Arthur. Diamond Jim featuring both stars was penned by Sturges two years earlier.

Have some Joe and Enjoy the Show!
Before the movie, grab a cup of coffee from Overflow Coffee Bar, located within the Daystar Center. You can bring food and beverages into the auditorium; we even have small tables set up next to some of the seats. General Admission: $5 Students and Senior Citizens: $3.

Join the Chicago Film club; join the discussion
Twice a month we screen classic films and have a brief discussion afterward. For more information, including how to join (it’s free), click here. The Venue 1550 is easily accessible by the CTA. Please visit Transit Chicago for more information on transportation options.

Stephen Reginald is a freelance writer and editor. He has worked at various positions within the publishing industry for over 25 years. Most recently he was executive editor for McGraw-Hill’s The Learning Group Division. A long-time amateur student of film, Reginald hosts “Chicago Film Club,” a monthly movie event held in the South Loop, for the past two years. Reginald has also taught several adult education film classes at Facets Film School, Chicago.


Daystar Center located at 1550 S. State St. works through a grassroots network of collaborations and partnerships with individuals and other nonprofit organizations. Through this web, they’re able to provide educational, cultural, and civic activities that enrich and empower their clients, guests, and community members. To learn more about classes and events offered at the Daystar Center, please visit their Web site.