The Raven

Some of the nastiest characters to cross in front of a camera are gathered in a small French town, where a poison pen writer takes note of all the nastiness and sends the town into near hysterics. Fresnay plays the local doctor whose origins are rather mysterious; originally the major target of the letter writer, he later is suspected of being the writer as everyone becomes suspicious of everyone else. But the real culprit, in predictable fashion, is the person considered to be the least likely candidate, psychiatrist Larquey. Good performances, a fitting atmosphere, and some truly unique characterizations give a lift to an otherwise worn idea. (In French; English ...