The Scapegoat

1959

1h 32m

IMDb RATING

6.8/10

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8 Images

Mystery

Crime

Thriller

An Englishman in France unwittingly is placed into the identity, and steps into the vacated life, of a look-alike French nobleman.

Directors

Robert Hamer

Writers

Robert Hamer(screenplay by)

Daphne du Maurier(novel by)

Gore Vidal(adaptation by)

Stars

Alec Guinness

Bette Davis

Nicole Maurey

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Top cast

John Barratt …

Countess

Bela

Francoise

Blanche

Marie-Noel

Gaston

Dr. Aloin

Aristide

Lacoste

Inspector

Maid

Barman

Gamekeeper

Customs Official

Restaurant Customer (uncredited)

Harold Kasket

Night Porter (uncredited)

Sam Kydd

Man (uncredited)

Directors

Robert Hamer

Writers

Robert Hamer(screenplay by)

Daphne du Maurier(novel by)

Gore Vidal(adaptation by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Alec Guinness walks into a bar where he encounters his doppelgänger. They might be twins. His "Barratt" character is a teacher of French at an British university, his mirror image an impoverished local aristocrat. The two drink together, then end up sharing the latter man's hotel room. In the morning, "Barratt" wakes up and there is no sign of his roommate. Next thing, a chauffeur arrives and, assuming he is the aristocratic version of himself, takes him to their chateau where he meets the (his) family. Clearly he is being manipulated, but why and by whom? It does not take him long to realise that this family is pretty dysfunctional - lead by the morphine-addicted "Countess" (Bette Davis in her best Elizabeth I form), with his wife , his mistress and his daughter all adding to this familial maelstrom. Guinness is quite good here, but somehow the premiss didn't quite gel for me. He accepts the fake life and it's people all too readily. There are no protestations or police visits; his narrative (spoken throughout) does not reconcile easily with his actions and the ending, though I did quite like it, was all just a bit too rushed and convenient. The photography with them both on screen at the same time is flawless, and Bronislau Kaper's score fits well with the story too, but it's all just a little lacklustre.

Geronimo196704 Apr, 2022