DramaThrillerHistory

Reign of Terror

- Open or shut… it can cost your life!

The French Revolution, 1794. The Marquis de Lafayette asks Charles D'Aubigny to infiltrate the Jacobin Party to overthrow Maximilian Robespierre, who, after gaining supreme power and establishing a reign of terror ruled by death, now intends to become the dictator of France.

Release Date : 1949-10-15

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Walter Wanger ProductionsEagle-Lion Films

Production Country : United KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles : The Black Book

Cast

Character Name : Charles D'Aubigny

Original Name : Robert Cummings

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maximilian Robespierre

Original Name : Richard Basehart

Gender : Male

Character Name : François Barras

Original Name : Richard Hart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Madeleine

Original Name : Arlene Dahl

Gender : Female

Character Name : Fouché

Original Name : Arnold Moss

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tallien

Original Name : Norman Lloyd

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sergeant

Original Name : Charles McGraw

Gender : Male

Character Name : Grandma Blanchard

Original Name : Beulah Bondi

Gender : Female

Character Name : Saint-Just

Original Name : Jess Barker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Walter Bacon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Robespierre's Shooter (uncredited)

Original Name : Ray Bennett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Chet Brandenburg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Ralph Brooks

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bourdon (uncredited)

Original Name : William Challee

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gatekeeper (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Conlan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Saint Just's Sentry (uncredited)

Original Name : Clancy Cooper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Danton (uncredited)

Original Name : Wade Crosby

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Jane Crowley

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mme. Duval (uncredited)

Original Name : Mary Currier

Gender : Female

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Sayre Dearing

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pierre Blanchard (uncredited)

Original Name : John Doucette

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Rudy Germane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Duval (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Gordon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marquis de Lafayette (uncredited)

Original Name : Wilton Graff

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bridge Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Dabbs Greer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bakery Guard (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Hagney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patriot (uncredited)

Original Name : Colin Kenny

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jailer (uncredited)

Original Name : Victor Kilian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tavern Greeter (uncredited)

Original Name : David Leonard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marie Blanchard (uncredited)

Original Name : Ellen Lowe

Gender : Female

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Mills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Hans Moebus

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Boyd 'Red' Morgan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Perry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Rapport

Gender : Male

Character Name : Innkeeper (uncredited)

Original Name : Dan Seymour

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Cap Somers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Napoleon Bonaparte (uncredited) (voice)

Original Name : Shepperd Strudwick

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Leo Sulky

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pierre's Son (uncredited)

Original Name : Anthony Sydes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pierre's Oldest Son (uncredited)

Original Name : Russ Tamblyn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patriot (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Tovey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen (uncredited)

Original Name : Max Wagner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cecile (uncredited)

Original Name : Georgette Windsor

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

It must be quite a thrill, making out your death list every night. The Black Book (AKA: Reign of Terror) is directed by Anthony Mann and written by Aeneas MacKenzie and Phillip Yordan. It stars Robert Cummings, Richard Basehart, Richard Hart, Arlene Dahl, Charles McGraw and Arnold Moss. Sol Kaplan scores the music and John Alton is the cinematographer. Late 18th century France and the republic is in chaos as the French Revolution continues to rage. Scheming bad boy Maximillian Robespierre (Basehart) spies an opportunity for a dictatorship, within 48 hours he will seize control and rule France with a rod of iron. But there is hope in the form of a resistance freedom fighter named Charles D'Aubigny (Cummings), if only he can locate the secret Black Book belonging to Robespire then he can curtail the tyrant's plan. Before he would make his name in Adult Westerns and Period Epics, Anthony Mann made a considerable mark on film noir. From the mid 1940's to the beginning of the 50's, he made a number of film noir movies that marked him out as a considerable talent. Of that cluster the most odd one is The Black Book, an historical period thriller done out in film noir clobber. Forget history and approach the film as a piece of entertainment only, a film rich in film noir visuals and no small amount of quality drama. It has problems, namely it has a fakeness about it that's hard to shake off, while Cummings is weak and Dahl serves only to be a plot point in the final reel. But Alton and Mann's stunning sense of mood and visual atmospherics save the day, while there's value to be had in the performances of Basehart (dastardly), McGraw (menacing) and Moss (slimey). 7/10 Footnote: Sadly the only DVD available for the film is an appalling transfer, both in picture and sound. It's advised to watch it during daylight hours and with the headphones on.

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-07-09

It's quite interesting that, aside from the "Scarlet Pimpernel", there are relatively few films that deal with the French revolution and this is certainly one of the better ones. Robespierre (Richard Basehart) is suitably menacing as the First Citizen of the new Republic bent on becoming Dictator. When his opponents discover the existence of, and manage to steal, his secret black book - in which are named the people he intends to have visit Madame Guillotine, he and St. Just (Jess Barker) must recover it at any cost. Robert Cummings is good, if a little too Louis Hayward-esque, as the dashing "D'Aubigny" who, ably aided by Arlene Dahl ("Madelon") - is determined to use the book ensure the downfall of his power-mad foe and secure democracy for his country. Arnold Moss stands out, too, as the duplicitous "Fouché" and Anthony Mann and John Alton work well together with Philip Jordan's story to create a tense, eerily lit drama that creates more than enough menace - especially towards the end - to keep this entertaining throughout with a fair degree of authentic looking sets from Culver City.