Shortcut to Happiness

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Shortcut to Happiness

Movie poster for Shortcut to Happiness
Directed by Alec Baldwin (credited as "Harry Kirkpatrick"}
Produced by Randall Emmett
George Furla
Bob Yari
David Glasser
Written by Pete Dexter
Bill Condon
Nancy Cassaro
(screenplay)
Stephen Vincent Benet (story)
Archibald Macleish (play)
Starring Anthony Hopkins
Alec Baldwin
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Dan Aykroyd
Kim Cattrall
Music by Ramin Djawadi
Christopher Young
Distributed by Yari Film Group
Release date(s) Flag of the United States July 13, 2007
Running time 105 min.
Country USA
Language English
Budget $35,000,000
IMDb profile

Shortcut to Happiness is a 2007 film adaptation of the Stephen Vincent Benet classic short story The Devil and Daniel Webster. It stars Anthony Hopkins as Daniel Webster, Alec Baldwin as Jabez Stone, and Jennifer Love Hewitt as The Devil. Baldwin also directed the film.

Although filmed in 2001, it was plagued with financial difficulties and sat unreleased for several years. In 2007 the Yari Film Group announced a deal to release the film to theaters under a new title, Shortcut to Happiness.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Jabez Stone (Alec Baldwin) is a desperate, down on his luck writer who reaches rock bottom when his close friend, Julius Jensen (Dan Aykroyd), finds success. Thwarted in his attempts to get his work published, he meets a beautiful stranger (Jennifer Love Hewitt) who offers him a chance at fame and fortune in exchange for his soul. Stone, having lost faith in himself, agrees to the offer.

After accepting the deal Jabez is quickly lavished with all he had ever dreamed of. A book deal, money, women, notoriety, Stone now had it all. However, despite the success, he is losing the friendship, respect and trust of those around him. Coming to the realization that he didn't quite get everything he bargained for, Stone begs the Devil to release him from their deal. When the Devil scoffs he turns to famed orator Daniel Webster (Anthony Hopkins). The two conclude that they should take the battle to court with Webster defending Stone in an otherworldly trial against the Devil in the ultimate battle of wits in a fight over the fate of Stone's soul.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Production history

Shot in early 2001 in New York City, the production and related bookkeeping, which was overseen by David Glasser, was plagued with financial difficulties. During post-production, the FBI seized the investors' assets, including the film, due to alleged bank fraud.[1] Because of this and other creative differences, Baldwin had his name removed from the directing credit. David Glasser then partnered with Bob Yari to buy the film from a bankruptcy court for pennies, and once the film was in the clear to be sold for distribution, a rough cut was screened at film festivals in 2003 and 2004, but much of the film's post-production work was never finished. The film needed further financing to complete the editing and special effects, as well as to replace temporary music.

In July 2006, it was announced that another company (Yari's) would work on finishing the film and that it would be released sometime in 2007.[2] In 2007 the Yari Film Group announced the acquisition of the film and distribution plans.[3] The company also announced the title of the film would be changed from The Devil and Daniel Webster to Shortcut to Happiness. Baldwin's name has been removed from the directing credits, replaced by the pseudonym "Harry Kirkpatrick."[4]

[edit] Rating

This film is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for language and sexual content.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Baldwin says Feds have seized his debut film
  2. ^ IMDB
  3. ^ Bedeviled pic finds distributor
  4. ^ 'New Life for Baldwin Devil', NY Post, 2007-01-14

[edit] External links