Tag Archives: Devil

The Best American Short Plays 1991-1992 (Hardcover)

The Best American Short Plays 1991-1992

Scripts for 13 short plays, including: Patricia BosworthÕs “Making Contact,” Terrence McNallyÕs “Prelude and Liebestod,” Arthur MillerÕs “The Last Yankee,” Joyce Carol OatesÕ “Tone Clusters,” Shel SilversteinÕs “The Devil and Billy Markham,” Migdalia CruzÕ “Dreams of Home,” Frank D. GilroyÕs “A Way with Words,” A.R. GurneyÕs “The Open Meeting,” Arthur KopitÕs “Success,” Randy NoojinÕs “You CanÕt Trust the Male,” Suzan-Lori ParkÕs “Snails,” Murray SchisgalÕs “Extensions,” and Jean-Claude Van Itallie and Joseph ChaikinÕs “Struck Dumb.”

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The Devil & Daniel Webster – Criterion Collection (1941)

The Devil & Daniel Webster - Criterion Collection

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Stephen Vincent Benet’s timeless 1937 short story gets the red-carpet treatment on Criterion’s feature-packed DVD of The Devil & Daniel Webster. William Dieterle’s inspired film remains the classic it always was, proving that Citizen Kane wasn’t the only cinematic marvel to appear in 1941. It’s a sturdy, stylish rendition of Benet’s original narrative, beginning when a luckless farmer (James Craig) strikes a Faustian bargain with the devil incarnate Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston at his devious best), trading his soul for seven years of prosperity, during which he grows corrupted, despised, and regretful of his mistake. To Scratch’s chagrin, legendary orator Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) intervenes with a triumphant defense, and Dieterle’s brilliant direction gives the proceedings a light, economical touch of supernatural mischief. To complement the cleverness of the film adaptation, this delightful DVD also includes a playfully expressive reading of Benet’s o (more…)