THE BLACK RAVEN

US, 1943, 61 minutes, Black and white.
George Zucco, Wanda Mc Kay, Noel Madison, Robert Livingston, Byron Foulger, Glenn Strange.
Directed by Sam Newfield.

The Black Raven is a small supporting feature. It was directed by Sam Newfield, prolific director (the IMDB cites 273 titles). In 1951, for instance, he directed eight films. He often used pseudonyms to allay the impression that he was making too many films. He worked for his brother, Sigmund Neufeld.

This is one of those short features, probably more of a television series play these days, where a group of people are stuck in a house because of a rising tide and an uncrossable bridge. It is run by a mysterious person, Amos Bradford, known as The Raven (British actor George Zucco). An ex-prisoner comes to confront him and to demand money from him because of previous crimes. The various people who arrive at the inn include the wealthy daughter of a crime boss and her fiancé who is not approved by the prospective father-in-law, a gangster on the run, a mousey businessman who has embezzled funds. There is also a strong man on the property to deal with problems as well as a sheriff.

They all gather together in the house, the various tensions that are expected arise, especially father and daughter, with the gangster wanting to get away, the mousey embezzler frightened that somebody would seal his money – which somebody does attempt. There are several deaths, the sheriff arriving and trying to sort them out? Some are accidents, and ultimately the ex-prisoner turns up, killing the Black Raven who does the right thing in solving all the mysteries.

The film is mainly of historical interest, the style of supporting films made during the war, the small budgets, the B and lesser grade cast, the kinds of contrivances and issues which later became the staple of television series.