Crime and Punishment

A destitute student, Raskolnikov, is driven by poverty and a warped ideology to murder a pawnbroker and her sister. He believes he is intellectually superior and therefore above the law, but the act plunges him into a psychological torment of guilt and paranoia. As he grapples with his conscience, a persistent detective attempts to unravel the mystery of the brutal crime.

Josef von Sternberg's adaptation of Dostoevsky's classic novel received mixed reviews upon its release, with some critics praising its atmospheric direction and Peter Lorre's intense performance, while others found it to be a somewhat truncated and less impactful version of the source material. Despite this, it is often regarded as a significant film within Lorre's early career.

• Praised for Peter Lorre's compelling portrayal of a disturbed protagonist.

• Noted for its dark and atmospheric visual style, characteristic of Sternberg's work.

• Some felt the film struggled to capture the full psychological depth of Dostoevsky's novel.

Google audience: Audience reception is not widely documented, but the film is generally appreciated for its strong central performance and grim atmosphere.

This was one of the few films Peter Lorre made in Hollywood before World War II that was not a horror film, though his performance as the guilt-ridden murderer Raskolnikov certainly carries psychological horror elements.