The Devil and Daniel Webster (2004)

Director:

Alec Baldwin

Writers (WGA):

Stephen Vincent Benet (story)
Archibald Macleish (play)

Release Date:

17 August 2007 (Kazakhstan)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

the devil is in the details.

Plot:

A down-and-out writer sells his soul to the devil in exchange for fame and fortune.

Plot Keywords:

Devil | Writer | Fame | Fortune | Based On Short Story

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Anthony Hopkins	...	Daniel Webster
Alec Baldwin	...	Jabez Stone
Jennifer Love Hewitt	...	The Devil
Ken Murton	...	Daniel's Agent
Frank Sivero	...	Luigi
Dan Aykroyd	...	Julius Jenson
Gregg Bello	...	Rick Fusco
Kim Cattrall	...	Constance Hurry
John Savage	...	Johnny
Al Palagonia	...	Anthony
Barry Miller	...	Mike Weiss
Jason Patric	...	Ray
Paul Thornton	...	James Joyce
Kevin Olson	...	Tommy Anderson
Bill Corsair	...	Aging Writer

Also Known As:

Shortcut to Happiness (USA) (new title)
The Devil (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language and sexual content.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Bethpage, Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

Yari Film Group (YFG)

Trivia:

According to Alec Baldwin, the film was extensively re-edited after it came into the possession of Bob Yari Productions, and no longer bears any resemblance to its original form or to the Benet short story, hence the title change. Baldwin has since requested that his name be removed from the credits as director and producer.

Goofs:

Factual errors: While showing Jabez his new apartment, the Realtor says Irving Berlin wrote "White Christmas" there. In fact, the song was written while sitting at the pool at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona in 1940.

Quotes:

Daniel Webster: And so it was that the chariot of the devil smote down Jensen. You see, Jensen was a loose end. And the devil doesn't like loose ends, if you know what I mean.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Stuck Together, Torn Apart (#3.19)" (2002)

An Excellent Movie!! It was well worth the wait.

This film was shot in 2002 but it was three years later that I saw this film at the Naples Film Festival and it was a terrific film!! Anthony Hopkins was the lawyer who is hired to save Baldwin form eternal damnation and he was terrific. Jennifer Love Hewitt was sensational as the Devil and as usual, Kim Cattrall was a knock-out. Dan Akroyd really showed off his dramatic talents.

Of all the actors in the film, the one I had to rank the lowest was Baldwin. He really had no business acting or directing this film. His performance left a lot to be desired and his directing even more so. I found out later that he walked off the set after he turned in his Director's cut and they hired a new editor who literally saved this film the dying a slow death.

I read in the trades where Producers Michael Gordon and David Glasser were the ones who kept trying to keep this film from sitting on a shelf for the next twenty years and finally got Bob Yari to acquire the film from the insurance company. Make a point to see this film when it comes out, I think it was well worth the wait.