Roderick Raskolnikov (Peter Lorre) has graduated from university as a noted expert in criminology, but nonetheless lives in extreme poverty. Desperate and anguished, he murders a miserly pawnbroker, stealing her valuables before fleeing into the night. The next day, he encounters Inspector Porfiry (Edward Arnold), the detective assigned to the murder, and is asked by Porfiry to consult on the case when an innocent man is arrested as a suspect. How long until the conflicted, guilt-ridden Raskolnikov arouses the master detective's suspicions?
Select scene commentary by Stephen D. Youngkin, author of 'The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre' Light and Dark, a newly-filmed appreciation by David Thompson, critic and director of 'Josef von Sternberg: The Man Who Made Dietrich'
The Double Face of Peter Lorre (1984), an hour-long German TV documentary directed by Harun Farocki
'Mystery in the Air: 'Crime and Punishment', a 1947 radio adaptation with Lorre reprising the role of Raskolnikov
Image gallery, including rare stills from the archive of Stephen D. Youngkin
We use cookies to help you navigate our website and to keep track of our promotional efforts. Some cookies are necessary for the site to operate normally while others are optional. To find out what cookies we are using please visit Cookies Policy.