The Tell-Tale Heart (1941)

The Tell-Tale Heart is an American horror film first released in 1941, directed by Jules Dassin.  The film is based on a story by Edgar Allan Poe and stars Joseph Schildkraut, Roman Bohnen, Oscar O’Shea and Will Wright.  It has also been released under the title: Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart.  Our overall rating for this film is: very good.


Tired of his old master’s cruelty, a young weaver decides to murder him.  Before the old man dies, he declares that his killer will not be strong enough to endure the guilt of his crime.  Sure enough, when two deputy sheriffs appear at the house the next day, the young man finds it hard to hide the fact that he killed a man...

Recently recruited by MGM, Jules Dassin proved his mettle as a director with this chilling short adaptation of an Edgar Allan Poe story.  Adopting something of the expressionistic style of early German cinema, with harsh lighting and exaggerated use of shadows to create atmosphere, this haunting film presages Dassin’s later film noir masterpieces, such as The Naked City (1948) and Du rififi chez les hommes (1955).

© James Travers 2008

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