Shortcut to Happiness…!!!
Wall-clock shows in my drawing room. After a long, lovely and busy weekend, I’m all set to sleep on Sunday night. And thought of surfing TV, just for 5 minutes. Switched it on and swiftly moved to my favorite set of channels…. Star Movies…. Zee Studio… HBO….and wooww… a movie I love.. “Shortcut to happiness”. I have already seen it twice and I knew even though papa is going to make a comment in the morning, I am going to watch it :-D. Specially the court scene which I love to watch again and again. :-).
This film is an adaptation of 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.
Jabez stone is a desperate writer who doesn’t fit in the practical world, doesn’t find a publisher for his book. A book which is appreciated among his friends. For living he chooses to do a job of a sales person. For him, a poor man coming for window shopping stands in the same row of Richie rich customers. His emotional attitude causes him to leave his job. He is left with almost negligible amount in his account while his friend finds great success with multi hundred thousand dollars contract signed for his book.
He got frustrated with the situation and threw his type writer out of his window which hurts an old lady very badly and he was about to inquired by a police. Just when the situation was becoming worst, a devil comes to his life (you would love to hate Jennifer Love Hewitt as devil). This beautiful stranger 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. A friend who had offered him his time and provided courage when things were wrong became prey of a chronicle disease and all Jabez had to offer in return was money.
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. The two conclude that they should take the battle to court with Webster defending Stone in an otherworldly trial against the Devil.
And there starts the ultimate battle of wits in a fight over the fate of Stone's soul. Arguments between Daniel and devil are just so very wonderful. Devil had all the right to ask for Stone’s soul as he himself had agreed to the deal. Jabez stone symbolizes a common man like you and me. Discouraged and disappointed by the problems of life, irritated by the success of less deserved people around him and lacking good opportunities & patience and wants immediate success. Devil took advantage of him, offers him shortcut to success in exchange of his soul. Stone thought he’ll be free from his quandary and will achieve happiness in shortcut.
Devil symbolizes all malice virtues which enter in our life and it looks so lucrative that we easily sale our souls in exchange of it. After all who needs a life where pain conflict and death exists? But in long run we stand nowhere. Deniel Webster gives fight with terrific arguments. He questioned about Devil’s strength. No divine energy provides her strength, It’s us who give her strength in order to find shortcut of happiness. But only money, success & fame don't actually give meaning to life. God with all the power in His hand could have created the perfect world. But He has created this world with life, pain, conflict and death. Pain to make us strong, conflicts to test us how we deal with them and emerge as a better person and death to evaluate all good and bad we have done.
Everything, every goal is achievable, but you need to pass through the process. You will be tested and then and then only rewarded. Don’t sale your soul for quick, short term happiness. Remember, There is no shortcut to Happiness!! :-)
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