The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)

1840. The God-fearing Stones - husband and wife Jabez and Mary, and Jabez's "Ma" - are a poor New Hampshire farming family. Some of their farming neighbors want Jabez to join them in forming a grange to help each other during hard times. This measure is above and beyond legislation being written by Congressman Daniel Webster - one of the most respected men of the area - it which will not make farmers beholden to loan sharks in perhaps turning to anyone who can help them through hard times. But a string of bad luck leads to Jabez making an off the cuff exclamation to sell his soul to the devil for two-cents. The devil, in this instance calling himself Mr. Scratch, has been monitoring the activities of many, including Congressman Webster and Jabez, and pounces upon the opportunity to take Jabez up on his offer for his soul. The contract the two ultimately enter into is for Mr. Scratch to give him exactly seven years of wealth in return for his soul, the contract end date etched into a tree trunk on the farm property so that Jabez can be constantly reminded of the deal. In entering into this deal, Jabez disregards both the grange and Congressman's Webster's legislation. Over the course of those seven years, Jabez has both regrets and living life to the fullest in that seemingly unending wealth, the latter prompted largely by Scratch throwing other temptations in Jabez's direction. Through it all, Mary and Ma stand by Jabez's side, despite not indulging in any of the wealth which they feel is evil and which has turned Jabez solely into a self-indulgent human being at the expense of all others. Is there a point of no return for Jabez? He may find out upon discovering Scratch's grander plan, and upon the request to Webster, a lawyer, to plead his case.