I've had a copy of this movie for yonks, but it was the cut release from way back when, so it was something of a treat to finally view the restored full version of what should be better known as an American classic. It's the Faust legend moved to New Hampshire, as told by poet Stephen Vincent Benet, and it is more than a little interesting to note that the director, William Dieterle, began his career as an actor in Germany and appeared in the Murnau version. We have an impoverished farmer played by James Craig who signs away his soul for seven years' prosperity; Craig is a fairly colourless actor, but the devil -- called here Mr. Scratch -- is brilliantly played by Walter Huston, with a twinkle in his eye and a whole bag of cinematic tricks. And most of the rest of the main players are pretty nifty too, including Jane Darwell as Craig's homespun mum, Simone Simon at the devil's temptress, John Qualen as the local miser, and most importantly Edward Arnold as Daniel Webster who saves the day for Craig by arguing that no foreign prince can claim the soul of a free Amereican, in a trial before a jury of Mr. Scratch's ghostly victims. Blessed by a brilliant Bernard Herrmann score and stunning cinematography, this movie belongs right up there with the best.
For what it's worth, Alec Baldwin attempted to direct a remake in 2001 with himself as the farmer, Anthony Hopkins as Webster, and believe it or not, Jennifer Love Hewitt as the devil, but I believe the final film was scrapped and fortunately has not yet been thrust upon us, although some poor souls must have seen it, since it has an IMDb rating.
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