Clouzot's second film, "The Raven" was a masterpiece of misanthropy
Dissecting the moral collapse of a small French town plagued by a wave of poison pen-letters, Clouzot revealed a sour, embittered vision of human motivation
Greed, envy, hypocrisy and hatred are his characters' primary instincts; cruelty and mutual suspicion inform every act of communication Such was the power and, perhaps, truth of Clouzot's vision of provincial life that it was interpreted as an act of collaboration with the occupying Nazis; rumors suggested it was shown in Germany as anti-French propaganda Clouzot found himself unemployable for several years
The idiocy and falsity of the accusations were proved by his subsequent films
Greed, envy, hypocrisy and hatred are his characters' primary instincts; cruelty and mutual suspicion inform every act of communication Such was the power and, perhaps, truth of Clouzot's vision of provincial life that it was interpreted as an act of collaboration with the occupying Nazis; rumors suggested it was shown in Germany as anti-French propaganda Clouzot found himself unemployable for several years
The idiocy and falsity of the accusations were proved by his subsequent films