Adapted from a short story by Stephen Vincent Benét, William Dieterle’s film, starring Edward Arnold as the titular statesman and Walter Huston as his diabolical opponent Mr. Scratch, creates additional backstory for farmer Jabez Stone (James Craig) and his relationship with Daniel Webster before Stone is corrupted by selling his soul to the devil for seven years of success and abundance. This backstory depicts a fall from grace, making Stone a thoroughly unsympathetic character as he learns, “all that money can buy,” (the film’s initial title). More notably, the backstory highlights the abundant mercy of Webster’s offer to defend Stone against the devil, suggesting there is hope and mercy to be found in the face of spiritual and physical death, a hope which Webster manifests, even to the damned.
—Evan Cogswell
Arts & Faith Lists:
2016 Top 25 Films on Mercy — #20