I Was an Adventuress (1940)

A pair of crooks (von Stroheim and Lorre) use a phony countess (Zorina) who winds up falling in love with one of their victims (Greene).

Director:

Gregory Ratoff

Writers:

Karl Tunberg (screen play), Don Ettlinger (screen play)

Stars:

Vera Zorina, Richard Greene, Erich von Stroheim

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Vera Zorina	...	Countess Tanya Vronsky (as Zorina)
Richard Greene	...	Paul Vernay
Erich von Stroheim	...	Andre Desormeaux (as Erich Von Stroheim)
Peter Lorre	...	Polo
Sig Ruman	...	Herr Protz (as Sig Rumann)
Fritz Feld	...	Henri Gautier
Cora Witherspoon	...	Aunt Cecile
Anthony Kemble-Cooper	...	Cousin Emil (as Anthony Kemple Cooper)
Paul Porcasi	...	Fisherman
Inez Palange	...	Fisherman's Wife
Egon Brecher	...	Jacques Dubois
Roger Imhof	...	Henrich Von Korgen
Rolfe Sedan	...	Waiter
Eddie Conrad	...	Waiter
Fortunio Bonanova	...	Orchestra Leader

Storyline

Andre Desormeaux, master con artist and jewel thief, has been very successful with his partners, light-fingered Polo and beautiful lure "Countess" Tanya Vronsky. But Tanya falls in love with one of their victims, resigns from the team, and (despite Andre's warning) marries rich young Paul Vernay...for love. Inevitably, Andre and Polo reappear in her life. Can Tanya outwit the master schemer?

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Plot Keywords:

countess | thief | con artist | ballet | train | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

10 May 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Sedutora Aventureira

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Electrician Jack Lorenz was killed when he fell from a 30-foot high catwalk while lighting a scene for the film.

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Quotes

Countess Tanya Vronsky: I'm Countess Vronsky. I've heard the malicious gossip you've been spreading about me, Monsieur Duval
[slaps his face]
Countess Tanya Vronsky: I've warned you...
Paul Vernay: [grabs her arm] Just a minute. You've made a slight mistake... you see I'm not Monsieur Duval.
Countess Tanya Vronsky: You're not Monsieur Duval?
Paul Vernay: No. I'm not.
Countess Tanya Vronsky: Oh, I'm terribly sorry
Paul Vernay: I wish I were... so I could slap you right back!
Countess Tanya Vronsky: I said I was sorry, Monsieur. I will do anything to make amends.
Paul Vernay: Very well, then please stay out of my sight.
[...]

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Connections

Remake of J'étais une aventurière (1938)

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Soundtracks

Swan Lake, Op.20
(1877) (uncredited)
Written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Excerpts played at the ballet and danced by Vera Zorina, Lew Christensen and Charles Laskey

User Reviews

Sophisticated, witty, wonderful

It's such a pity that this charming film is so difficult to find. It's one of the many wonderful classic films that should be available on video, but seems to have been regrettably tossed aside.

Funny and sophisticated, it never ceases to make me laugh. Peter Lorre and Erich von Stroheim are a perfect pairing. After seeing this, Stroheim became my other favorite actor, next to Peter Lorre. They're both such great actors (my two favorites, actually), and they work together splendidly and comically. Really, there should have been so many more movies starring this duo of striking, charming gentlemen.

Vera Zorina, as the female accomplice to the two crooks, and Richard Greene, as an upperclass man she falls in love with, are both quite good as well. I recommend it to anyone who's lucky enough to get a chance to see it.

It's one of the few times that Peter Lorre gets to play a character who is funny, cute, sweet - someone the audience, and the characters in the movie, are supposed to love. Sure, he's a kleptomaniac, but he can't really help it -- no one, besides the ill tempered Andre, can stay angry at him for long. (In one of the final scenes, Paul Vernay, Richard Greene's character, can't help but grin and laugh to himself as he realizes the charming kleptomaniac has acquired most of his possessions once again.)

I give this witty film a well-deserved 10/10.