Can this movie be any good?


The Daniel Webster and the Devil, Shortcut to Happiness, or whatever they want to call this movie, has been a modern disaster in the film industry by just sitting on a shelf for over five years.

From the beginning in 2001, the starting budget of 5 million dollars shot wildly to 25 million (probably thanks to Alec Baldwin and Jennifer Love Hewitt having over a dozen dinners together on the movie's payroll right before Baldwin divorced his wife). Then, this movie was seized by the government because the producers were supposedly crooked with much finances. Baldwin was immediately outraged and severed all ties to this film which included removing himself as director. Now, as a Alan Smittee movie, there have been one or two attempts through the years to release this movie but something must have barred that from happening. Anyone of the actors in connection with the project wiped their hands clean of the film too as if they know something they will not tell the audiences. The actors did what they like to do with any dud movie, take the money and run. With a five year old movie decaying on a studio shelf, I'm certain that the current company which plans to release this film probably bought it for a song (Anything other than a Jennifer Love Hewitt song).

The one thing this movie is could be a time capsule to when Hewitt was actually considered to be a film actress. In the last five years, her only movies that have made it to theaters in North America were flicks with a computer-animated cat and Hewitt was on scene for no more than ten minutes in each film. It's fitting that she is playing the devil, I'm certain that she would have been able to study the devil's character when she made a deal regarding her acting career years ago. I think the deal has since expired.

For anyone who wants to see this story, watch one of the first halloween special of The Simpsons.

reply

[deleted]

First of all, the budget was never five million dollars. It was originally budgeted at about $25M but delays increased the budget to about $35M.

Second of all, the government did not seize the film. The bank went under and the film was taken over by the FDIC which is standard procedure for all assets owned by the bank. Baldwin left because they were late paying him and he finally got fed up with all the financial problems. He took his name off because of lawsuits against the lead producer and the production company who counter-sued him for breach of contract.

Thirdly, the only reason that the film wasn't released earlier was that the insurance company that bonded the film was asking too much money. They were in the hole for $16M that they were obligated to pay the FDIC under the bond agreement.

And last but not least, you were right about one thing, they got it for a song. Bob Yari had several million dollars into the film and sued the insurance company for not paying him. He acquired the film under a settlement agreement. He got a great deal.

The story was originally a short story published in 1937. It was then released as a feature film and won an Academy Award. It was also made into an award winning musical and now this film is finally coming out. It's a pretty good film.

reply

Not too mention the fact that J.Love is 25 pounds heavier now than when she filmed Devil and Daniel Webster. I don't know if you've seen pictures of her lately, but she is no longer "the body." Even her boobs look deflated.

reply

25 pounds??? I'm shattered! I haven't seen a film that she starred in since "Devil" but she was extremly hot in that film. So she's gone downhill? And her boobs too??? This is more than one man can take at one sitting. Where's my whiskey bottle?

reply

[deleted]

She isn't as skinny as she was back then anymore but she's still plenty hot. I heard someone on another website say this and I'd agree that the older she gets the more she starts to resemble Kelly Preston (John Travolta's wife).

reply

Jimmy Griffin's niece here ... I found your posts on this message board.

As we're unable to see film in limited release, did your/Jimmy's song make it into the final cut version? We are hoping so! Please reply.

reply

Unfortunately, they didn't want to open up the film to do any new music or credit changes. It's too bad too because that could have been an Academy Award winning song. They also had my credits wrong in the film but I guess it's too late to do anything about it unless the film starts to make some money. The we might have a shot to put the song in there.

reply

An interesting sidenote, Christopher Young released his original soundtrack to Devil independently. It's rather scarce, he didn't distribute on the mass market. One bootlegged version of his original also surfaced on the black market in Europe.

reply

The full Devil and Daniel Webster Soundtrack is also available on Christopher Young's Wonder Boys Soundtrack as a gimmick for his fans. I have bought it on ebay several months ago. I'm not sure though if it is available on all of the Wonder Boys soundtracks.

I'm awaiting the DVD. I'm a big Anthony Hopkins fan. I like the trailer, it's a funny story and the cast is big. I don't know what's the problem with Baldwin and the critics. I'd say let the viewers decide if the movie is good or if it's not.

reply

That's cool that you noticed that Wonder Boys release. Was it an import from Europe? I'm not positive but I think that release may be a bootleg. I bought that one too. Maybe it's legal in Europe? There may have also been a limited edition Wonder Boys CD in the USA, it is listed at Amazon but that doesn't mean that it's legal either, I've seen bootlegs slipped into Amazon's sales via independent sellers. The legitimate Devil CD was pressed and sold for Christopher Young and was very expensive, $100. It's not a CD-R, it's a real disc with professional cover (the typewriter from the movie's trailer is on the cover). That import Wonder Boys disc is nice but I'm not sure it's legit. Plus it doesn't have any artwork for Devil, only the Wonder Boys.

reply

Thank you for the quick reply.

When Jimmy played me the song (some years ago), I told him then I thought it was one of the best songs he'd ever recorded. Like you ... I, too, believe it was a song worthy of an Oscar.

Keep on with your writing! You are extremely talented. :)

reply

Hi,

I just wanted you to know that I am in post-production with a movie called, "A Killing In Brighton Beach". I have dedicated the movie to Jimmy and I am using the song in the film. Send me your email address and I'll send you a copy when the movie is completed.

Thanks,

Michael

reply

Oh, my gosh. This is such fabulous news!!! As you know, Jimmy's birthday is coming up soon. What a wonderful way to celebrate with such news!

My email is [email protected] (I didn't know any other way to contact you.)

Thank you for making my day, Michael!!!! :)

Debbi

reply

[deleted]

Hi Jimmy's Niece,

I am so sorry that I never saw your message until now. And I'm so sorry that we lost Jimmy as he was the most talented person I've ever worked with and a great friend.

To answer your question, our song was chosen as most likely to win for best song from a film but once the film went into bankruptcy, all of the music was removed and the title was changed so we had no chance of being in the Academy's best song list.

Again, I'm so sorry that I didn't see your message until now and I'm so sorry that we lost Jimmy.

Michael

reply

I have to say this, I do see how well Hewitt relates to this movie. Appearently, she brokered a deal with the devil for seven years of career success (1995-2002) and then Hewitt and the devil made a new deal in 2005 for another two years.

Myself, I think her weight gain is some type of underworld punishment for breaking one of her conditions to the deal.

reply

It has Jennifer (call me Love) Hewitt in it. I think that's enough to warn people away from this movie. She never really had an "acting" career so she had to do underwear ads for compensation.

reply

flymetodamoon, you're not the only one to hold those well-founded beliefs. Beyond myself, many in the media share your thoughts about hewitt.



an excerpt from dose.ca:

It was based on the 1937 short story by Vincent Benet about an unfortunate writer who makes a deal with the devil to achieve great success, but then decides to take legal action to get out of his contract. If you think it sounds vaguely interesting, hold up a second: the devil is played by Jennifer Love Hewitt. Lame.

The other producers recut the film from a comedy-drama into a straight comedy, with the end result, Page Six says, being "so bad it is unreleasable." Again: Jennifer Love Hewitt. And this surprised anyone?


The article remains just as unfavorable towards Shortcut to Happiness.http://www.dose.ca/movies/story.html?id=32487f02-dce1-403f-97d0-715a71867f5e&k=77987

reply

[deleted]

Well, I think my question has been answered this past weekend.

It seems like the only person who would might have gone to this movie would have been Alec Baldwin's daugther Ireland, hiding from her father, or maybe mother.

Shortcut to Happiness? More like Shortcut to the DVD Discount Bin. It appears that Hewitt has compiled an entire collector's library of DVD movies at the price of one blockbuster DVD.

reply