AllMovie

This French filmization of Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment stars Pierre Blanchar as sociopathic student Raskolnikov and Harry Baur as humanist detective Porfiry. Believing himself intellectually above the law, Raskolnikov kills a despicable old shopkeeper. He is certain that he has no conscience to bother him, but he is eventually forced to confront himself by the kindly but diligent Porfiry. The like-vintage Hollywood version of Crime and Punishment ended with Raskolnikov's surrender. The French version (original title: Crime et Chatiment) adheres to the original novel, detailing the student's lifelong search for forgiveness after he is released from prison.