MovieChat Forums > All That Money Can Buy (1941) Discussion > Editing of different versions.

Editing of different versions.


After it's initial poor audience reception, ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY was re-issued under several alternate titles and edited considerably. Does anyone know of editing that was different from the usual 85 minute version that was the most common version before the Laserdisc and VHS "restoration" appeared ?

The version I've seen most frequently was under the name DANIEL AND THE DEVIL. A version under the title DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER was cut the same way but also had the Dieterle Production Logo and opening cast and crew listing cut, starting with a silent title slide,including credit to writer Benet and acknowledgement of the original title. Music then started up in the middle of the title, the image faded out and cut to the written introduction lines.

Although they are of lesser quality, the restored scenes in the latest VHS version help a lot towards putting the film closer to it's original version, but there is still some film missing. Some sources list a running time of 109 mun ,with the "restored" version listing at 106. There is still a bad jump cut from when the Stones are talking in the kitchen to when Jabez offers seed to neighbor Hank. Does anyone know what scene or scenes are missing during this section ? I find it particularly strange for the scene with Hank to start in the middle of their conversation. Perhaps the scene initially followed a disolve but it would seem that there would still have been a place to start the scene so that it would not appear so abrupt.

I'ld appreciate any info someone can give me on what is still missing from this film and what other versions may have been released with different names.

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Here's a link you may find interesting:

http://www.geocities.com/classicmoviescripts/script/devilanddanielwebster.txt

This will take you to a copy of the script that may answer some of your questions. Criterion are releasing a DVD of the movie in September and apparently have obtained "superior" versions of deleted materials - whether this means better picture quality or more than previously available I don't know.

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http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews44/devil_and_daniel_webster.h tm
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews10/the_devil_and_daniel_webste r_.htm

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I have the laserdisc which says 109 min. but is actually 85 min.
Then I got a criterion version off Bravo which was very poor quality.
The New restoration shown on TCM is very good. Very close to the original length.

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The Netflix dvd, according to Netflix, runs 106 mins, or 1:46. The Amazon streaming video of this fim is, according to Amazon, 1 hr 47 mins.

Native Angeleno

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