Anne Shirley

In exchange for seven years of good fortune, Jabez Stone promises Mr. Scratch his soul when the contract ends. When he comes to his senses, he enlists the aid of the one man who might save him: the legendary orator and politician Daniel Webster.

Matt Braddock (Michael O'Shea), a brash shipbuilder operating on the West Coast in the 1880s, bumps heads with established builder Joel Kennedy (Gene Lockhart), who has loyal employees, including his daughter, Diana (Anne Shirley), and foreman, Jim (Dan Duryea). When Braddock loses local support, his plans for big-time success may have to give into his rival. Meanwhile, he forges a rocky affair with Diana. Robert Florey directs this robust drama.

Jabez Stone is a hard-working farmer trying to make an honest living, but a streak of bad luck tempts him to do the unthinkable: bargain with the Devil himself. For seven years of good fortune, Stone promises “Mr. Scratch” his soul when the contract ends. When the troubled farmer begins to realize the error of his choice, he enlists the aid of the one man who might save him: the legendary orator and politician Daniel Webster. Directed with stylish flair by William Dieterle, The Devil and Daniel Webster brings the classic short story by Stephen Vincent Benét to life with inspired visuals, an unforgettable Oscar-winning score by Bernard Herrmann, and a truly diabolical performance from Walter Huston.

The year after the all-star Grand Hotel, brothers John and Lionel Barrymore teamed again in Rasputin and the Empress. Joining them in a sumptuous and stirring tale about the often-called Mad Monk who held a powerful - perhaps hypnotic - sway over World War I-era Russian royalty was the third member of the American stage's Royal Family: Ethel Barrymore, making this the lone feature with all three thespian siblings. Intercut with footage from the actual era, the film burns with intrigue, betrayal, rivalry and the renowned trio's talents. Lionel has the plum role of Rasputin, seething with ambition and rage. "I will be Russia!" he proclaims. History shows he would not. But this movie shows he would not be forgotten.