Format: Streaming video from Hulu+ on rockin’ flatscreen.
I don’t always understand the Academy. I understand exactly why Walter Huston was nominated for an acting award for The Devil and Daniel Webster. I’m just not sure why it was for Best Actor and not Best Supporting Actor. Huston is the heart and soul of this film without a doubt. He, and the music are the best reasons to spend your time with what would otherwise be a pretty trite morality play.
To get a grip on the story, take two parts Faust, one part A Christmas Carol, mix well, and cook at 350 for about 106 minutes. Seriously, this is about as close to high concept as you can get. A farmer who is experiencing a series of trials sells his soul to the devil for seven years of worldly success. At the end of those seven years, he begs American political legend Daniel Webster to come and argue his case and save his skin. That’s pretty much it.
