All That Money Can Buy

All That Money Can Buy

By

  • Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror
  • Release Date: 1941-10-17
  • Runtime: 107 minutes
  • : 7
  • Production Company: RKO Radio Pictures
  • Production Country: United States of America
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7/10
7
From 89 Ratings

Description

Farmer Jabez Stone, about to lose his land, agrees to sell his soul to the devil, known as Mr. Scratch, who gives Jabez seven years to enjoy the fruits of his sale before he collects. Over that time, Jabez pays off his debts and helps many neighboring farmers, then becomes an advocate for the upstanding Sen. Daniel Webster. When Jabez's contract with Mr. Scratch concludes, he desperately turns to Webster to represent him in a trial for his soul.

Trailer

Reviews

  • CinemaSerf

    7
    By CinemaSerf
    “Jabez” (James Craig) is at his wits end as he is faced with losing the farm he shares with his mother (Jane Darrell) and wife “Mary” (Anne Shirley). In a fit of pique, he declares that he would even sell his soul to the devil if he could keep their home. Miraculously, a dapper gent appears called “Scratch” (Walter Huston). He’s a jovial and engaging chap who suggests that there might be a way out of his predicament. He can have pretty much unlimited funds provided he signs a contract that will transfer ownership of his soul in seven years. Desperate, he agrees and for the ensuing period of feast he pays off all of his debts, manages to share some of his largesse far and wide and his wife bears a son - so all looks perfect. Then “Belle” (Simone Simon) comes onto the scene and the domestic turbulence that now occurs starts to auger badly for a farmer who now has all the trappings of wealth but who is soon going to have to deal with his fast-approaching day of reckoning. All the while, the acclaimed jurist Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) is doing the rounds and so when “Scratch” shows up for his dues, “Jabez” pleads for him to intercede and save his bacon? Thing is, with such a properly constituted and legally binding contract in his hand, can the devilish “Scratch” be thwarted? Arnold delivers adequately enough, especially towards the end when he goes into a verbally rousing overdrive that is aimed at the USA but that could equally apply to any nation whose heroes might be a little more fallible than they’d care to admit! The others in the cast work well enough too but for me it’s the sparingly used Huston who steals the show with his almost leprechaun-like character who shows us, clearly, the pitfalls of our own venality, mortality and gullibility as this well-meaning family man forgets that old adage about things being too good to be true. It’s quickly paced mixing a little bit of the hoe-down with a strong but entertainingly presented moral and the last scene is positively menacing - in a sort of Santa’s grotto sort of fashion, Faust style!

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