- Henri-Georges Clouzou's Le Corbeau is a fascinating study on the pernicious influence of anonymous social media posts (please forgive the anachronism). In this case, the media appears in the form of "poison pen" letters targeting several prominent townspeople, most notably Dr. Rémy Germain (Pierre Fresnay). According to these letters, Germain performs abortions, meets in secret with a married nurse named Laura (Micheline Francey), impregnated his mistress Denise (Ginette Leclerc), and went by a different name back when he was a brain surgeon. Admittedly, these accusations are all pretty much true, but the method by which they are being shared is doing irreparable damage to this small French community.
- Theories abound as to the true identity of "The Raven," whose signature appears at the bottom of each letter. Certainly Laura's sister Marie (Héléna Manson) is a suspect due to her dour disposition and affinity for spying. Denise, who holds some truly progressive notions about overcoming physical disability, also seems like a candidate. But maybe it's that bratty teenager (Liliane Maigné) who is always hanging around? Or the innocent-seeming Laura?? Or even Dr. Germain himself??? As Laura's husband, esteemed psychiatrist Dr. Vorzet (Pierre Larquey), explains in the film's best scene, "You think people are all good or all bad. That good is light and evil is dark. But where does each begin?"
- To its great credit, Le Corbeau is the sort of mystery that will have you second-guessing even correct predictions about The Raven's identity. Moreover, nobody could have predicted the role that a suicide victim's mother (Sylvie) would play in the film's final act. The performances are all strong, with Pierre Larquey and Ginette Leclerc in particular creating two especially memorable characters. A lesser film would have descended into comedy when letters began falling from funeral parade floats and cathedral balconies, but this one maintains an air of creepy suspense throughout. Apparently entities as varied as the Vichy regime, the French underground, and the Vatican all hated this movie for very different reasons, but I found it to be both brilliant and alarmingly prescient about the dangers of anonymous communication.
