Reign of Terror

This underseen gem is one of Anthony Mann's best films. Reign of Terror (1949), aka The Black Book is essentially a film noir set in Revolutionary France. Perhaps not as ambitious as his Westerns or historical epics, it's nonetheless a unique and interesting film.

France, 1794. The Reign of Terror is in full swing, with the Committee of Public Safety sanctioning mass executions in the name of "the People." Maximillian Robespierre (Richard Basehart) plans to seize power, hoping to be made Dictator of France. His political rival, Francois Barat (Richard Hart), enlists Charles D'Aubigny (Robert Cummings) to pose as a pro-Terror leader and retrieve his "black book," which contains the names of Robespierre's enemies sentenced to death.

Reign of Terror is a remarkably oppressive and bleak film. John Alton's striking photography creates a claustrophobic atmosphere, with extreme use of shadows and close-ups out of Eisenstein; even outdoor scenes seem nightmarish and unreal. Violence lurks around every corner, from state-sanctioned murder and assassination to mob lynching to petty thieves. And needless to say, no one can be trusted. A few blips of black humor (many involving Robespierre's dog) do little to alleviate the atmosphere.

The vagaries of the plot are almost incidental to the portrayal of Revolutionary France, where death is casual and the country hovers between complete anarchy and fascist dictatorship. The movie is filled with extreme violence, some shockingly casual for a film of that era: two characters are shot in the face at close range, almost as a joke. It perfectly reflects the violence and anarchy of the Terror, and even the happy ending is qualified at best. Despite the hopeful speeches of various characters, we know that Napoleon is waiting in the wings, and France had at least eighty more years of tyranny before becoming free.

Robert Cummings (Dial M For Murder) is superb: he's likeable enough but the film makes him as cunning and slippery as his adversaries. Arlene Dahl makes a perfect femme fatale. Not surprisingly, the villains are the main attraction: Richard Basehart provides the mixture of cold-bloodedness and fanaticism he would later use to portray Adolf Hitler; Arnold Moss's slimy enforcer is a wonderfully devious character, changing sides at every opportunity. The ubiquitous Charles McGraw (Border Incident) shows up as a thuggish soldier and Beulah Bondi (The Furies) shines in a small role.

Reign of Terror is a great film that has been inexplicably overlooked. It may be Hollywood's best depiction of Revolutionary France, and it's certainly one of Anthony Mann's finest films.