Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment is one of the most highly regarded novels of all time and has been adapted by filmmakers on countless occasions. In 1935, the story got the Hollywood treatment at Columbia Pictures, with Josef von Sternberg directing and Peter Lorre starring as Roderick Raskolnikov.
While the novel is several hundred pages long, S.K. Lauren and Joseph Anthony’s script severely condenses the story to cram it into just 88 minutes. The basics are still there, but the short length and fact that it was made in Hollywood keeps Sternberg from really getting into the meat of the material.
That said, Lorre is perfect as always as Roderick, the ex-student who is tormented by his murder of a pawnbroker. He thinks he knows how to get away with it, but Inspector Porfiry (Edward Arnold) has figured out the truth. Roderick also cares for Sonya (Marian Marsh) and is devoted to his mother and sister. All this weighs heavily on his mind and he debates the merits of letting another man take the fall or turning himself in.
Crime and Punishment is turned more into a proto-noir by Sternberg here. Although films that would eventually be called film noir (like The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, etc.) wouldn’t be made for a few years, it’s hard to avoid seeing the similarities between Roderick’s conflict and one that many noir characters would go on to have. You can never get away with murder and crime doesn’t pay... at least in ‘30s and ‘40s Hollywood.
Lorre, just four years removed from Fritz Lang’s M, is really good as Roderick. It’s sad to know that in a few years, he’d be relegated to supporting parts. While Marsh is also such a sympathetic character, she comes off as a bit too glamorous to be living in poverty in Russia. And while Sternberg tries to do his best to paint with light and shadow, he doesn’t have the same kind of budgetary freedom he had at Paramount that gave his prior work a stunning, polished look.
Crime and Punishment had never been released on DVD before today, when Mill Creek Entertainment finally put it out as part of its cheap Anniversary Series. There’s no bonus material, but as a fan of Sternberg’s work, it’s great to finally see it on home video.
This version of Crime and Punishment might not stick close to the story, but it’s still a good film that features a fine performance from Lorre.
Be sure to check out my review of A Song To Remember, which is also part of Mill Creek's Anniversary Series.
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