Reign of Terror (1949)

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writers:

Æneas MacKenzie (story)
Philip Yordan (story)

Release Date:

24 February 1950 (Finland)

Genre:

Adventure | Film-Noir

Plot:

The plot starts in France in the year 1794. Robespierre is sowing panic among his opponents with the only reason to take over the power of the state.

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | 1700s | Guillotine | France | French Revolution

Cast

Robert Cummings	...	Charles D'Aubigny
Richard Basehart	...	Maximilian Robespierre
Richard Hart	...	François Barras
Arlene Dahl	...	Madelon
Arnold Moss	...	Fouché
Norman Lloyd	...	Tallien
Charles McGraw	...	Sergeant
Beulah Bondi	...	Grandma Blanchard
Jess Barker	...	Saint Just

Also Known As:

The Black Book (UK)

Runtime:

Spain:88 min | USA:89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

West Germany:16 (nf) | USA:Approved | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Walter Wanger Productions

Trivia:

Debut of Dabbs Greer.

Quotes:

Saint Just: You know something? I don't think you *are* Duval.
Charles D'Aubigny: No?
Saint Just: You don't look like a butcher.
Charles D'Aubigny: You know, at first glance, one could almost mistake you for a human being.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bowser Makes a Movie (2005)

Smart staging of the French Revolution on a "B" Movie budget

If you ever wanted to see period piece filmed with great economy, I'd recommend that you check out this movie.

The sets are amazingly bare. But with a few well-placed ornate props, and some smart lighting, creating lots of shadows - the small budget never calls attention to itself.

Don't forget, Anthony Mann shot this shortly after the noir classics T-MEN (1947) and RAW DEAL (1948). REIGN OF TERROR has that same hard-hitting gritty crime movie feel.

Historically inaccurate, perhaps (Maximilien Robespierre is referred to as "Max".) But a fun flick nonetheless.