The official line is that the production was plagued with financial difficulties and that during post-production, the FBI seized the investors' assets, including all copies of the film, due to bank fraud.  There have allegedly been unsubstantiated rumors that the mob was involved.  There have been whispers that the film wasn't any good and was intentionally sabotaged.   Alec Baldwin eventually took his directorial tag off the film for obvious reasons.

By the way, I really should use the word 'allegedly' more often in this piece because I don't want to get sued.  So as a point of fact, assume that everything in this piece is 'alleged'.

Jennifer Love Hewitt & Alec Baldwin Behind the Scenes

The fact is that something fishy happened with this film.  There is really no legitimate reason that we didn't get to see it.  I, for one, would have been first in line.  It sounds like a fantastic project with tons of talent involved.

I think very highly of both Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins.  They are two of our generation's finest actors.  Jennifer Love Hewitt may be renowned for her beauty, but her on-screen charisma and charm are a match for those looks.  I think we all want to see her get great roles in major films, opposite great leading actors.

Alec Baldwin & Jennifer Love Hewitt in a Still from the Film

I remember, previewing the 2001 release schedule and highlighting this film as one of the "must-see" events.  But sadly, this film was stolen from audiences.

However... In the summer of 2006, we may have some hope.  There have been many loose rumors over the past 5 years of an impending release.  This time, it actually seems legitimate.  My Own Worst Enemy Productions (mowefilms) has scheduled a 2007 release for the film.  They seem to be re-touching, re-editing, re-scoring, re-whatevering the film, which only ever had a rough cut version.  Hopefully, they will manage to do the film justice.

Jennifer Love Hewitt as The Devil

Just how they got the rights to the film, I do not know.  I was beginning to get the impression that the FBI was never going to allow the film to be bought.  Perhaps a statute of limitations ran out.  Perhaps someone forked over the cash. Whatever the case, I suppose we should be thankful for small mercies.  "The Devil & Daniel Webster" is finally coming out... I suspect it will go straight to DVD.  If you are interested, there is an old trailer still floating around the net on sites like youtube.

So, after all these years...  After all the rumors... After the "Family Guy" references... After all the wondering... We will hopefully get to see a truly fantastic film that should have been one of the highlights of 2001.

Or perhaps we have wasted a lot of time and patience on a totally anti-climactic clunker that didn't deserve any of it.

I hope and suspect that the film will be worth the wait.

www.mowefilms.com