The Scapegoat (1959)

A French count schemes to kill his wife and implicate a mild-mannered English schoolteacher whom he resembles

Director:

Robert Hamer

Writers:

Daphne Du Maurier (novel), Robert Hamer (screenplay),

Stars:

Alec Guinness, Bette Davis, Nicole Maurey

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Alec Guinness	...	John Barratt / Jacques De Gue
Bette Davis	...	Countess
Nicole Maurey	...	Bela
Irene Worth	...	Francoise
Pamela Brown	...	Blanche
Annabel Bartlett	...	Marie-Noel
Geoffrey Keen	...	Gaston
Noel Howlett	...	Dr. Aloin
Peter Bull	...	Aristide
Leslie French	...	Lacoste
Alan Webb	...	Inspector
Maria Britneva	...	Maid
Eddie Byrne	...	Barman
Alexander Archdale	...	Gamekeeper
Peter Sallis	...	Customs Official

Storyline

On a vacation in France from his nondescript job and life, John Barratt encounters a titled but impoverished French nobleman who looks exactly like him. The nobleman gets John drunk, and switches places with him to get a breather from his failing business and too-complicated life. John tries to convince everyone he is not whom they think he is, but he begins to get more and more involved with the family, including an unhappy wife, domineering mother, lonely but talented young daughter, bitter spinster sister and the expected mistress. As John gets to know them he feels he can help them with their problems, but is also becoming used to his borrowed life, which has given him a purpose for the first time.

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Plot Keywords:

impostor | murder | chauffeur | murder mystery | falling to death | 

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Taglines:

He took another man's name... lived another man's life... loved another man's woman!

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 August 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Sündenbock

Filming Locations:

MGM British Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Du Maurier-Guinness, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A rejected score consisting of classical selections plus original music by Douglas Gamley was recorded in England.

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Goofs

When the very last line is spoken by Guinness' character, his lips do not move. While it could be argued the line was part of his narration sprinkled throughout the film, the line does appear to be his direct answer to the question posed to him.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Customs Official: You have the intention of staying long in France, Mr. Barratt?
John Barratt: I don't know. That is to say that I didn't know there was any restriction apart from the question of money.

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Connections

Remade as The Scapegoat (2012)

User Reviews

Polite and well-heeled melodrama...and surprisingly quite enjoyable

Provincial University professor from England chances to meet his diabolical, selfish twin while on vacation in Paris. Daphne Du Maurier's novel gets a highly polished screen-treatment, with star Alec Guinness very fine in the dual role, the split-screen photography and editing pulled off with skill. After being tricked into assuming the French nobleman's eccentric life, the teacher finds himself settling well into this new role as a business tycoon and family man--until his glinty-eyed look-alike returns. Bette Davis has a small but important, amusing role as a dowager Countess, and there's also a wreck of a wife, a wise little girl, a loyal chauffeur, and an Italian mistress. Gore Vidal worked on the adaptation, and the literate script is absorbing yet constricting for the teacher-character (he can only attempt to explain so much without throwing the whole plot off-course). There's a lot of talk in the early stages that the Count is delusional and perhaps schizophrenic, all of which is quickly dropped once the teacher assumes his life. Still, it's a smartly-planned movie, one without hysterics or false dramatics. Guinness seems a bit uncomfortable at times, though this may have been intentional and is acceptable behavior here. A very entertaining film with some weak or disappointing passages, but just as many adept ones and a satisfying finish. *** from ****