Shortcut To Happiness

Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, and Jennifer Love-Hewitt, in one film? Odd, but worth a watch 1 Reviews

Originally shot in 2001, Shortcut To Happiness has been plagued by financial difficulties ever since. With accusations of fraud levelled at the film’s investors, there was enough legal wrangling and all-round embarrassment to make Alec Baldwin request his name be removed from the directing credit, replaced with the pseudonym ‘Harry Kirkpatrick’. Although screened at film festivals in 2003 and 2004, the post-production work remained unfinished until yet more financing was dredged up in 2006 and 2007 to complete editing and special effects.

And so, eight years after it was filmed, we have Shortcut To Happiness. An adaptation of Stephen Vincent Benet’s short story ‘The Devil And Daniel Webster’, it’s a Faustian tale about a writer (Jabez Stone, played by Baldwin) who makes a deal with the devil (Jennifer Love Hewitt – aptly cast?) to boost his career. But when the deal turns sour, Stone hires infamous public speaker Daniel Webster (Anthony Hopkins) to take the devil to court and win back his soul.

So, was it all worth it? Well, apparently the extensive re-editing means it no longer bears any resemblance to the Benet short story, another reason Baldwin asked his name be removed. If even the director doesn’t want anything to do with it, you might be well advised to steer clear.

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