Le Corbeau (1943)
French village doctor becomes target of poison-pen letters sent to village leaders, accusing him of affairs and practicing abortion. (imdb)
Cast and Information
Directed By: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Written By: Henri-Georges Clouzot, Louis Chavance
Starring: Noël Roquevert, Ginette Leclerc, Pierre Fresnay, Sylvie, Pierre Larquey, Micheline Francey, Héléna Manson, Jeanne Fusier-Gir
Genres: Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Crime
AKA: The Raven
Country: France
Where to Stream
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Le Corbeau belongs to 31 collections
1. Criterion Collection (collaborative: moderated by caffe - 167 stars)
2. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2010 revision) (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 32 stars)
3. The Guardian's 1000 films to see before you die (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 30 stars)
4. Passed the Bechdel Test (collaborative: moderated by geohawk - 29 stars)
5. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2014 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Jehan - 27 stars)
6. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2012 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 25 stars)
7. They Shoot Pictures' Recommended Viewing (collaborative: moderated by Cinephile - 19 stars)
8. Best of criticker: Drama (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 18 stars)
9. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2013 revision) (collaborative: moderated by rant1229 - 16 stars)
10. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2011 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 14 stars)
11. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)
12. Doubling The Canon (collaborative - 13 stars)
13. Harvard University's Suggested Film Viewing List: Narrative Films (collaborative: moderated by dardan - 12 stars)
14. Cinema Discusso Yearly Consensus (2008) (public: PeaceAnarchy - 10 stars)
15. Best of criticker: Suspense / Thriller (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 9 stars)
16. 1,000 Noir Films: They Shot Dark Pictures, Didn't They? (collaborative: moderated by lisa- - 9 stars)
17. Best of criticker: Crime (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 8 stars)
18. List: Taschen (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 6 stars)
19. Foreign Classic Film Noir (collaborative: moderated by Shmendrek - 5 stars)
20. Remade (collaborative: moderated by Ag0stoMesmer - 4 stars)
21. Best of criticker: Film Noir (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 3 stars)
22. En Sevdiğim 50 Fransız Filmi (collaborative: moderated by mentosibo - 2 stars)
23. Movies not submitted in their original titles (read description before adding) (collaborative - 1 star)
24. The Greatest Movies of All Time - Filmweb's Alternative Top 500 (public: Hadleyreis - 1 star)
25. Ratings (collaborative: moderated by cheapthrills)
26. Collective paranoia (collaborative: moderated by HoneyB)
27. Available on Divicast (collaborative: moderated by Dunstan-xxx)
28. Watchlist (public: allegreller)
29. My DVD Collection (public: balseiros)
30. Filmspotting Ratings Project: Week 24 (public: PeaceAnarchy)
31. Tom's Movies (public: tomwalsh)
Browse the full list of collections
| Stars | User | Rating | |
| 3 |  |
Alex Watkins | 4 70th |
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Teeming with paranoia and suspicion; a gripping tale of character assassination that whips everybody into a mob frenzy. The identity of the titular Raven matters not so much as the community's response to his or her shady dealings. In that regard, this is one hell of an indictment. The moody cinematography, replete with shadowy chiaroscuro and dutch angles, sets the dreadful mood for this tense mystery. It dovetails a bit too neatly into a whodunit at the end, but little matter.
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| 3 |  |
Nathan S | 4 74th |
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A very nihilistic case of misanthropy. Expressionist cinematography, the ominous toll of a church bell, a town seeping paranoia and the bitter people who inhabit it... this is among the bleakest of films noir, made before the French (and by extension anyone) formally had a grasp on the concept, resulting in a bit of alienation. Does it vilify the people for their mob mentality (Dr. Verzot's perspective), or does it embrace "necessary evils" (Dr. Germain's)? A little bit of both, maybe.
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| 2 |  |
saucyjack | 89 86th |
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An interesting commentary on WWII Nazi occupation of France, showing how easily people will turn on one another through bandwagoning, specifically. Was ironically financed by Goebbles' film company during said occupation.
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| 2 |  |
KasperL | 80 86th |
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Clever social commentary meets labyrinthine whodunnit. Clouzot keeps us guessing, and the characters are relatively well-rounded, not merely pawns in a game.
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| 2 |  |
Judge Holden | 8 94th |
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According to this bleak, allegorical tale, it doesn't take much, or really anything, to get people to turn on each other. This is a harsh and uncompromising look at the worst in people and of how easy it is for the social bonds, even within the smallest of communities, to fracture and come undone. An atmosphere of relentless dread and paranoia hangs over the entire film, and the resolution of the central mystery provides few answers and even less comfort.
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| 1 |  |
MacSwell | 95 97th |
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Clouzot's phenomenal screenplay is brought to life by superb performances across the board, most of all from the exquisite Pierre Fresnay. The central mystery surrounding "Le Corbeau" is less the focus than the effects of suspicion and paranoia on a small community, and the film's ultimate message - that there are occasions when violence is the only appropriate response to evil - is remarkably nuanced and pertinent to its time. It's beautifully shot too.
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| Average Percentile 69.61% from 500 Ratings |  |