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''The Devil and Daniel Webster'' is a 1941 fantasy film, adapted by Stephen Vincent Benét and Dan Totheroh from Benét's short story, "The Devil and Daniel Webster". The film's title was changed to ''All That Money Can Buy'' to avoid confusion with another film released by RKO that year, ''The Devil and Miss Jones'', and later had the title restored on some prints. It has also been released under the titles ''Mr. Scratch'', ''Daniel and the Devil'' and ''Here Is a Man''. The film stars Edward Arnold, Walter Huston, and James Craig. A retelling of the Faust legend, set in mid-1840s rural New England, it was directed by German-born actor-director William Dieterle who (under his original name, Wilhelm Dieterle) played a featured role in F.W. Murnau's epic silent version of ''Faust'' in 1926. ==Plot== In 1840 New Hampshire, poor, downtrodden farmer Jabez Stone (James Craig) is broke, plagued by bad luck; with the local money-lender, Miser Stevens, about to foreclose on his farm, Jabez has reached the limit of his endurance. After a series of mishaps, he impulsively declares that he would sell his soul to the Devil for two cents, and moments later the Devil appears, calling himself "Mr. Scratch" (Walter Huston). He appears to offer Jabez a bargain - sell his soul, in return for seven years of good luck and prosperity. Scratch tempts Jabez by magically revealing a hoard of Hessian gold coins, which appears from under the barn floor and, unable to resist the lure of the gold, Jabez signs the contract. He begins his new life with hope, paying off his debts, buying new tools and supplies, and new clothes for his wife and mother. While the women are shopping, Jabez meets and becomes friends with famous New Hampshire Congressman and orator Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold), a friend of his wife's family, and a widely-loved figure who champions the cause of the poor farmers - although we learn that Webster himself is being tempted by Mr. Scratch to sell his soul, in return for fulfilling his ambition to become President. As time passes, Jabez's increasing wealth begins to change him. When only his crops are spared from a freak hailstorm, he ensnares his desperate neighbors with onerous financial contracts, and he slowly alienates his devoted wife Mary (Anne Shirley) and his pious mother (Jane Darwell). Later, as the townspeople celebrate the harvest in Jabez's barn, Mary gives birth to their first child, whom they name Daniel in honor of Mr. Webster, but minutes later, Jabez discovers that the local girl they had hired as a maid has vanished. In her place he finds the beautiful and sinister Belle (Simone Simon), who has been sent by Mr. Scratch. She bewitches Jabez, driving a wedge between him and Mary. Soon, Jabez has stopped going to church, and after his family leaves, he secretly hosts gambling parties at his home. As Daniel grows, he too falls under Belle's malign influence, and she turns him into a spoiled, disobedient brat. In a few more years, Jabez is one of the richest men in the country - he lives like a lord, and has built a lavish new mansion (which his mother refuses to live in). He throws a huge ball, but it ends in disaster - after a nightmarish dance between Belle and Miser Stephens, Jabez finds Stephens dead on the floor - he too had signed a pact with Mr. Scratch, and his time was up. Realizing all his guests have fled, Jabez turns on Mary, blaming her for all his troubles, and he throws her out. Now desperate, and realizing his own time is almost up, he tries to erase the deadline Mr. Scratch has burned into the tree outside the barn, but Scratch appears and again tempts Jabez, offering to extend his deal, in return for the soul of his son. Horrified, Jabez flees, and chases after the cart. He begs Mary's forgiveness and pleads with Webster to help him find some way out of his bargain with the Devil. Webster agrees to take his case. Mr. Scratch offers an extension in exchange for Jabez's son, but Jabez turns him down. He then begs Webster to leave before it is too late, but Webster refuses to go, boasting that he has never left a jug or a case half finished. When Mr. Scratch shows up to claim his due, Webster has to wager his own soul before his fiendish opponent will agree to a trial by jury. Mr. Scratch chooses the jury members from among the most notoriously evil men of American history (including Benedict Arnold) with John Hathorne (one of the magistrates of the Salem witch trials) as the judge. When Webster protests, Mr. Scratch points out that they were "Americans all." With his own soul at risk, Webster proceeds to defend Jabez Stone, who is accused of breaching contract. He begins by stating that he envies the jury because as Americans they were present at the birth of a nation, part of a heritage they were born to share. Unfortunately, they were fooled like Jabez Stone, trapped in their desire to rebel against their fate, but what would they give to be given another chance? Webster explains that it is the eternal right of everyone, including the jury, to raise their fists against their fates, but when that happens, one finds oneself at a crossroads. They took the wrong turn just as Stone did, but he found out in time, and this night he is there to save his soul. Daniel asks the jury to give Stone another chance to walk upon the earth, for what would they give to see those things they remember? They were all men once, breathing clean American air, which was free and blew across the earth they loved. Webster starts to expound on the virtue of simple and good things – "... the freshness of a fine morning ... the taste of food when you're hungry ... the new day that's every day when you're a child ... " – and how without the soul, those things are sickened. He reminds the jury that Mr. Scratch had told them that the soul meant nothing, they believed him, and they lost their freedom. Next, Webster discourses on freedom as not just a big word: "It is the morning, the bread, and the risen sun ... ", it was the reason for making the voyage to come to America. Mistakes were made, but out of things wrong and right a new thing has come: a free man with a freedom that includes his own soul. Yet how can the jury be on the side of the oppressor, when Stone is a brother, a fellow American? Webster then implores the jury to let Stone keep his soul, which, after all, doesn't belong to him alone, but to his family and country. "Don't let the country go to the devil," thunders Daniel Webster. "Free Stone." After a few moments, Hathorne asks the jury for their verdict and in response the foreman tears up the contract, releasing Jabez from his deal. Webster then kicks. Mr Scratch out, but as he is ejected the fiend promises that Webster will never fulfill his ambition to become President of the United States. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Devil and Daniel Webster (film)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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