All That Money Can Buy Criterion Blu-ray Review
“All That Money Can Buy” is a classic product of its time.
Based on Stephen Vincent Bene’s story “The Devil And Daniel Webster” which debuted in the Saturday Evening Post, 1941’s “All That Money Can Buy” (also known as “The Devil And Daniel Webster” among other titles) is set in the year 1840 in New Hampshire. The main character of the piece is Jabez Stone who is a struggling farmer that lives with his wife (Mary) and religious mother. In debt and in need of money to save his farm, he winds up selling his soul to Mr. Scratch (AKA the Devil) for 7 years of wealth. At first, he feels blessed to pay off his debts, help others, and grow his business, but Jabez begins to change for the worse. He also begins to have eyes for the new maid (Belle) while neglecting his own wife and later a son. As time begins to run out for Jabez’s good fortune, he just might find a savior in a kind hearted politician on the rise (Daniel Webster).
Directed by William Dieterle, “All That Money Can Buy” is the gold standard cautionary tale. The notions of being careful what you wish for and money not buying happiness certainly applies to the messages of this story of a lowly farmer selling his soul for riches but losing himself along the way. While the concept of an American politician being a pure hearted hero may seem laughable and far-fetched to many in this current time period, ‘Money’ certainly has its heart in the right place. It’s the type of enduring story that will always resonate with audiences because it’s such a relatable tale about temptations, wishes, greed, and desperation.
There are several notable performances by Anne Shirley (Mary), Edward Arnold (Daniel Webster), James Craig (Jabez) and Simone Simon (Belle), but let’s be real, Walter Huston steals the entire movie as the grinning sinister trickster Mr. Scratch/The Devil. Huston manages to be both personable and creepy all at once in every frame he’s in. It’s no surprise that he earned an Oscar nomination for his work (and deservedly so).
‘Money’ also just happens to boast a superb score by the legendary Bernard Herrmann (best known for his work on Hitchcock films like “Psycho” and “Vertigo”). His perfect soundtrack reminds you why he was one of the best composers in the film world. He just captures the mood of the film expertly.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.37:1 1080p. How does it look? The 4K digital restoration offers up a pristine print that maintains the grain.
Audio Track: Uncompressed Mono. How does it sound? Viewers can expect a crisp and clean Mono track.
Extras:
* A booklet featuring credits, an essay by Tom Piazza and an article by author Stephen Vincent Benet.
*”All That Money Can Buy” trailer
* Archival commentary by film historian Bruce Elder and Bernard Herrmann biographer Steven C. Smith.
* “Restoration Demonstration”- A piece on the restoration and history of the film.
* “The Columbia Workshop” radio dramas of “The Devil And Daniel Webster” and “Daniel Webster And The Sea Serpent.”
* An episode of Criterion Channel’s “Observations On Film Art” about the editing of “All That Money Can Buy.”
* “Version Comparison”- An extra about the different cuts of the film.
* A 2003 reading of the original short story by Alec Baldwin.
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