Black Book, The (1949)
aka Reign of Terror (1949)
Directed by Anthony Mann, with a screenplay by Aeneas MacKenzie and Philip Yordan (Dillinger (1945)), this noirish fictionalized historical drama focuses on the time period just after the French Revolution dubbed the ‘reign of terror, when silver-tongued Maximilian Robespierre (played by Richard Basehart) used the people's confusion and nearly became France's new dictator. Robert Cummings plays Charles D’Aubigny, who impersonates a foreign executioner named Duval that was summoned to do some necessary dirty work by Robespierre. D'Aubigny must navigate the cloak and dagger environment to help François Barras (Richard Hart) and the people avoid the travesty of Robespierre's plans. Arlene Dahl plays Madelon, a Barras ally who knew D’Aubigny previously (and romantically), which is (at times) both an asset and a liability for the country's ‘savior’. Arnold Moss play Fouché, the untrustworthy head of Robespierre's secret police, who has his own agenda and desire for a power grab. Norman Lloyd plays Tallien, Madelon's protector; Charles McGraw plays Sergeant. Jess Barker plays Saint Just, who faithfully carries out Robespierre's wishes and rightfully suspects that D’Aubigny isn't who he says he is. Beulah Bondi plays Grandma Blanchard, the matriarch at the farm where D’Aubigny and Madelon temporarily receive refuge while hiding from St. Just; a very young Russ Tamblyn appears uncredited as one of the Blanchard children. The film begins with Robespierre having his previously trusted friend Danton (Wade Crosby, uncredited) sentenced and convicted as an enemy of the people, to give one a sense of how crazy the post-revolution environment has become (and the power of Maximilien as accuser). Shortly thereafter, Duval (Charles Gordon, uncredited) is killed by a mysterious man that turns out to be D’Aubigny, who'd received a ring from the exiled General, the Marquis de Lafayette (Wilton Graff, uncredited) to prove his true loyalty to the people, and Barras. Near the end of the film, a brief reference is made to France's future when Fouché speaks to a soldier claiming to be Napoleon Bonaparte.
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