A Scandal In Paris
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''A Scandal in Paris'' is a 1946 American
biographical film A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from Docudrama, docudrama films ...
directed by
Douglas Sirk Douglas Sirk (born Hans Detlef Sierck; 26 April 1897 – 14 January 1987) was a German film director best known for his work in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood melodramas of the 1950s. However, he also directed comedies, westerns, and war f ...
and starring
George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous charac ...
,
Signe Hasso Signe Eleonora Cecilia Hasso ( Larsson; 15 August 1915 – 7 June 2002) was a Swedish actress. Early life Hasso was born in the Kungsholmen parish of Stockholm in 1915. Her father and grandfather died when she was four, and her mother, gran ...
and
Carole Landis Carole Landis (born Frances Lillian Mary Ridste; January 1, 1919 – July 5, 1948) was an American actress and singer. She worked as a contract player for Twentieth Century-Fox in the 1940s. Her breakout role was as the female lead in the 1940 ...
. It loosely depicts the life of
Eugène François Vidocq Eugene is a common male given name that comes from the Greek εὐγενής (''eugenēs''), "noble", literally "well-born", from εὖ (''eu''), "well" and γένος (''genos''), "race, stock, kin".Prefect of Police during the
Napoleonic era The Napoleonic era is a period in the history of France and history of Europe, Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly (French Revoluti ...
.


Plot

The rogue who would later call himself Eugène François Vidocq is born in a prison cell, the twelfth child of a woman who steals a loaf of bread each time she needs shelter to give birth. As the boy grows into a man, he is constantly in and out of jail. As the story begins, he and his cutpurse cellmate and associate, Emile Vernet, escape using a file hidden in a birthday cake provided by Vernet's aunt Ernestine. While making their way to Paris, they are hired to pose for a painter, Vidocq as
Saint George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...
and Vernet as the dragon. As the church painting nears completion, the pair steal the horse on which Vidocq is posing. In Paris, Uncle Hugo, the head of Vernet's criminal family, decides the safest place for the fugitives is in the
army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
. He has a forger relative provide Vidocq with a fake commission as Lieutenant "Rousseau." While in
Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...
, waiting to ship out to serve in
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
's campaign in Egypt, Vidocq encounters a singer named Loretta. She is intrigued with him, while he is more attracted to her ruby garter. Accompanying her when she goes to meet her boring admirer Richet, Vidocq manages to steal the garter. After two years, Vidocq and Vernet leave the army. Returning to Paris, they make a detour around the church adorned by their likenesses. They come across the jewel-laden Marquise De Pierremont. Vidocq wrangles an invitation to her chateau after retrieving her pet monkey from a cemetery (where he also claims to be a relation of a Vidocq buried there). He is a bit alarmed when he discovers that his intended victim's son-in-law is the Minister of Police, but also enchanted by the official's daughter Therese. Unbeknownst to him, she has fallen in love with the image of Saint George, and is greatly disturbed by the painting's uncanny resemblance to their guest. Vidocq and Vernet steal and hide the Marquise's jewels, intending to return for them later. However, when the minister fires Richet, who is now his chief of police, for not recovering the jewels, Vidocq devises a much grander scheme. Through "deduction", he leads the minister to the hiding place of the jewels, and wins for himself Richet's old job. In that capacity, he gets Vernet's entire band of criminal relatives hired at the Bank of Paris, which he intends to rob. A complication arises when he bumps into Loretta, who turns out to have married Richet. After learning his new identity, Loretta blackmails Vidocq into resuming their relationship. Vidocq tells Vernet to go ahead with the robbery that night. That day, he goes out walking with Therese and her younger sister Mimi. When they are alone, Therese informs him that she has figured out that he stole the jewels. However, she does not care. She is quite willing to follow him, even if it means embarking on a life of crime. Meanwhile, a jealous Richet bursts in on Loretta as his wife waits for Vidocq at a hat store. Richet threatens to kill himself. Instead, in a fit of anger brought on by Loretta's cold response, he shoots and kills her. With that impediment out of the way, Vidocq informs Vernet's family that he has changed his mind; he will hunt them down if they go through with the robbery. Nearly everyone is content with their new jobs at the bank – except Vernet, who ambushes his former friend, forcing Vidocq to kill him. Vidocq confesses his past crimes to the minister and the Marquise. Because he has truly repented and changed, he is forgiven by all of the De Pierremonts and welcomed into the family as he marries Therese.


Cast

*
George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous charac ...
as
Eugène François Vidocq Eugene is a common male given name that comes from the Greek εὐγενής (''eugenēs''), "noble", literally "well-born", from εὖ (''eu''), "well" and γένος (''genos''), "race, stock, kin".Signe Hasso Signe Eleonora Cecilia Hasso ( Larsson; 15 August 1915 – 7 June 2002) was a Swedish actress. Early life Hasso was born in the Kungsholmen parish of Stockholm in 1915. Her father and grandfather died when she was four, and her mother, gran ...
as Therese De Pierremont *
Carole Landis Carole Landis (born Frances Lillian Mary Ridste; January 1, 1919 – July 5, 1948) was an American actress and singer. She worked as a contract player for Twentieth Century-Fox in the 1940s. Her breakout role was as the female lead in the 1940 ...
as Loretta *
Akim Tamiroff Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff (born Hovakim Tamiryants; October 29, 1899 – September 17, 1972) was an Armenian-American actor of film, stage, and television. One of the premier character actors of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tamiroff developed a pr ...
as Emile Vernet * Gene Lockhart as Chief of Police Richet *
Alma Kruger Alma Kruger (September 13, 1871 – April 5, 1960) was an American actress. Career Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kruger had a long career on stage before appearing in films. From 1907 to 1935, she featured in theatre plays on Broadway, ...
as Marquise De Pierremont * Alan Napier as Houdon De Pierremont * Jo Ann Marlowe as Mimi De Pierremont * Vladimir Sokoloff as Uncle Hugo *
Pedro de Cordoba Pedro de Cordoba (September 28, 1881 – September 16, 1950) was an American actor. Biography De Cordoba was born in New York City to parents who were French and Cuban in origin. He was a classically trained theatre actor who confessed h ...
as Priest * Leona Maricle as Owner of Dress Shop *
Fritz Leiber Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. ( ; December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Along with Robert E. Howard and Michael Moorcock, Leiber is one of the fathers of sword and sorcery. Life ...
as Painter *
Skelton Knaggs Skelton Barnaby Knaggs (27 June 1911 – 30 April 1955) was an English stage actor who also appeared in films, especially in horror films. Biography Knaggs was born in the Hillsborough district of Sheffield, England. Knaggs moved to Lond ...
as Cousin Pierre * Fred Nurney as Cousin Gabriel * Gisela Werbisek as Aunt Ernestine (as Gisella Werbiseck) * Marvin Davis as Little Louis * Sam Harris as Stage Show Spectator (uncredited) * Julius Tannen as Bank of Paris Manager (uncredited)


See also

*'' Vidocq'' (1939) *'' Vidocq'' (2001) *'' The Emperor of Paris'' (2018)


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Scandal In Paris, A 1946 films 1946 crime drama films 1946 romantic drama films American biographical films American black-and-white films American crime drama films American romantic drama films American heist films Films set in Paris Films set in the 1800s Films directed by Douglas Sirk Films produced by Arnold Pressburger 1940s biographical films Cultural depictions of Eugène François Vidocq 1940s English-language films 1940s American films Films scored by Hanns Eisler English-language crime drama films English-language romantic drama films English-language biographical films