Overview
In a small French town, paranoia takes root as secrets unravel and trust erodes.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- paranoid
- oppressive
- brooding
- classic cinema night
- film noir marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as a remarkable and influential early French film noir, praising its gripping social paranoia and philosophical resonance with wartime occupation.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Raven's poison-pen letters progressively implicate doctors, dignitaries, and residents, making suspicion the engine of the plot.
The letters unveil affairs, medical secrets, and hidden misconduct among inhabitants of the unnamed French town.
The black-and-white cinematography and oppressive small-town atmosphere reinforce the letters' climate of fear.
Critics connect the Raven's anonymous denunciations and social panic to the effects of German occupation in wartime France.
Films like Le Corbeau, and why
The Third Man
shared film noir atmosphere, moral ambiguity, and social paranoia
The Letter
shared poison-pen intrigue, claustrophobic community suspicion, and corrosive secrets
Les Diaboliques
shared french noir tradition, psychological tension, and unsettling provincial society
Movie Details
- Director
- Henri-Georges Clouzot
- Release Date
- 1943-09-28
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (329)
Cast
- Pierre Fresnay
- Ginette Leclerc
- Micheline Francey
- Héléna Manson
- Jeanne Fusier-Gir
- Sylvie
- Liliane Maigné
- Pierre Larquey
- Noël Roquevert
- Bernard Lancret
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Le Corbeau about?
- Anonymous poison-pen letters turn a seemingly respectable French town into a paranoid crucible of exposed secrets and mutual betrayal.
- What is Le Corbeau like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Le Corbeau as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Le Corbeau violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Le Corbeau as mild.
- What did critics think of Le Corbeau?
- Critics broadly regard it as a remarkable and influential early French film noir, praising its gripping social paranoia and philosophical resonance with wartime occupation.
- Which films are like Le Corbeau?
- Films with a similar feel include The Third Man, The Letter, and Les Diaboliques.
- How long is Le Corbeau?
- Le Corbeau runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Le Corbeau?
- In United States, Le Corbeau streams on Criterion Channel.
