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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 314

Reign of Terror

194989 minUnited States

Video edition: YouTube
Original language: English
This copy runs: 84:37
Subtitles: English

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Synopsis

An opponent of Robespierre assumes another man's identity to enter the revolutionary leader's circle. He is ordered to recover a missing book listing future victims of the regime. Finding it could protect Robespierre or unite his enemies, making every alliance in a tense, rapidly changing Paris potentially fatal.

Cast

Robert Cummings

Charles D'Aubigny

Arlene Dahl

Madelon

Richard Basehart

Maximilien Robespierre

Richard Hart

François Barras

DirectorsAnthony Mann

Behind the scenes

Anthony Mann and cinematographer John Alton carry the shadows and tension of film noir into a French Revolution setting. William Cameron Menzies contributed production design to a tightly budgeted historical thriller. The film was also circulated under the title The Black Book.

Sources and availability

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Wikipedia — film reference Internet Archive — catalogue record Public-domain film catalogue — rights cross-reference

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

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Availability checked on September 10, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

Robert Cummings — CBS Television · Public domain
Arlene Dahl — Young and Rubicam, publicists · Public domain
Richard Basehart — CBS Television · Public domain
Richard Hart — The Bureau of Industrial Service for CBS Television. Networks, program sponsors and studios often used either ad or publicity agencies to distribute publicity material. The Bureau was widely used for this purpose by those in the industry and it was a division of ad agency Young & Rubicam. · Public domain

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