Otto Preminger’s The 13th Letter relocates Henri-Georges Clouzot’s masterpiece Le Corbeau (1943) from France to Quebec in a quite faithful remake that shows great respect for Clouzot’s work. A small Canadian town is besieged by a shower of poisoned pen letters accusing residents of extramarital affairs and other transgressions; in particular, Dr. Pearson (Michael Rennie) is accused of having an affair with Cora Laurent (Constance Smith), the wife of Pearson’s boss at the hospital, Dr. Paul Laurent (Charles Boyer made up to look much older). Linda Darnell plays Denise Tourneur, a local woman with a limp and no prospects, whose affection for Pearson runs hot and cold. Preminger paints the beautiful, shadowed sets with small town intimacy, particularly the Catholic church, where secret assignations are held and the consequential funeral procession originates. Make no mistake, this is a Hollywood adaptation: Clouzot’s cold, clinical style is fully romanticized by an effusive score and the eradication of the original theme of abortion.