Believing his wife Lenore, played by Hazel Court, to be deceased, sixteenth-century magician Dr. Erasmus Craven, played by Vincent Price, retires. One night, he is visited by a talking raven seeking his help. Erasmus discovers that it is a fellow magician, Dr. Bedlo, played by Peter Lorre, who has been transformed into a bird by the master sorcerer Dr. Scarabus, played by Boris Karloff, as punishment for challenging his powers. After restoring Dr. Bedlo back to his human form, Craven learns that a woman resembling Lenore has been seen at Scarabus' castle. He joins forces with Bedlo in his quest for revenge. However, unbeknownst to Craven, Scarabus has planned to lure him to his castle in order to extract more magical powers from him.

Upon arriving at Scarabus' castle, Craven discovers that Lenore faked her own death to become the sorcerer's mistress and to share in his wealth and influence. Scarabus then imprisons the magicians and threatens to harm Craven's daughter unless he reveals his magical powers. In a fit of anger, Scarabus turns Bedlo back into a raven. The bird cuts Craven's bonds, allowing him to engage in a fantastical duel of magic with Scarabus. Craven emerges victorious, defeating his rival and destroying the castle in a fiery inferno.



Books with substantial mentioning of The Raven

Don G. Smith
The Poe Cinema, A Critical Filmography
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London, 1999

Gary J. Svehla and Susan Svehla (editors)
Vincent Price
1998

Scott Allen Nollen
Boris Karloff, A Critical Account of His Screen, Stage, Radio, television and Recording Work
Jefferson, NC, 1991

Richard Bojarski and Kenneth Beals
The Films of Boris Karloff
Secaucus, NJ, 1974


Year: 1963
Country: United States
Language: English
 
IMDb: 0057449