A Scandal in Paris
Encyclopedia
A Scandal in Paris is a fictionalized 1946 biographical film
, directed by Douglas Sirk
and starring George Sanders
. It depicts the life of Eugène François Vidocq
, a French criminal who reformed and became a famous French prefect of police during the Napoleonic era.
), 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 (Fritz Leiber
), Vidocq as Saint George
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 (Vladimir Sokoloff
), the head of Vernet's criminal family, decides the safest place for the fugitives is in the army. He has a forger relative provide Vidocq with a fake commission as a lieutenant. After two years, the pair leave the army. Returning to Paris, Lieutenant "Rousseau" encounters a singer named Loretta (Carole Landis
). She is intrigued with him, while he is more attracted to her ruby garter. Accompanying her when she goes to meet her boring admirer, Vidocq manages to steal the garter.
As Vidocq and Vernet make a detour around the church adorned by their likenesses, they come across the jewel-laden Marquise De Pierremont (Alma Kruger
). 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 (Alan Napier
), but also enchanted by the official's daughter Therese (Signe Hasso
). Unbeknownst to him, she had fallen in love with the image of Saint George, and is greatly disturbed by the uncanny resemblance to their guest. Vidocq and Vernet steal and hide the jewels, intending to return for them later.
However, when the minister fires Richet (Gene Lockhart
), 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 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 her beau, 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 Loretta and her younger sister Mimi. When they are alone, Loretta 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 his wife and threatens to kill himself. Instead, in a fit of anger brought on by her cold response, he shoots and kills her.
With that impediment out of the way, Vidocq informs the Vernet clan 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 - all that is except Emile. He ambushes his former friend, forcing Vidocq to kill him. Then he confesses to the minister. He is forgiven by all of the De Pierremonts and welcomed into the family.
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
, directed by Douglas Sirk
Douglas Sirk
Douglas Sirk was a Danish-German film director best known for his work in Hollywood melodramas in the 1950s.-Life and work:...
and starring George Sanders
George Sanders
George Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
. It depicts the life of Eugène François Vidocq
Eugène François Vidocq
Eugène François Vidocq was a French criminal and criminalist whose life story inspired several writers, including Victor Hugo and Honoré de Balzac...
, a French criminal who reformed and became a famous French prefect of police during the Napoleonic era.
Plot
The rogue (George Sanders) 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 (Akim TamiroffAkim Tamiroff
Akim Mikhailovich Tamiroff was an Armenian actor. He won the first Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.Tamiroff was born in Tiflis, Russian Empire , of Armenian ethnicity. He trained at the Moscow Art Theatre drama school. He arrived in the U.S. in 1923 on a tour with a troupe of actors...
), 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 (Fritz Leiber
Fritz Leiber, Sr.
Fritz Reuter Leiber Sr. , was an was a American actor . Highly respected as a Shakespearean actor on stage, he also had a successful career in film...
), Vidocq as Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
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 (Vladimir Sokoloff
Vladimir Sokoloff
-Biography:Sokoloff was born in Moscow, Russia. He became an actor and assistant director with the Moscow Art Theatre, before emigrating to Berlin in 1923...
), the head of Vernet's criminal family, decides the safest place for the fugitives is in the army. He has a forger relative provide Vidocq with a fake commission as a lieutenant. After two years, the pair leave the army. Returning to Paris, Lieutenant "Rousseau" encounters a singer named Loretta (Carole Landis
Carole Landis
Carole Landis was an American film and stage actress whose break-through role was as the female lead in the 1940 film One Million B.C.. Landis has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 1765 Vine Street....
). She is intrigued with him, while he is more attracted to her ruby garter. Accompanying her when she goes to meet her boring admirer, Vidocq manages to steal the garter.
As Vidocq and Vernet make a detour around the church adorned by their likenesses, they come across the jewel-laden Marquise De Pierremont (Alma Kruger
Alma Kruger
-Career:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kruger had a long career on stage before appearing in films. From 1907 to 1935, she starred in many theatre plays on Broadway, mostly in Shakespearean plays such as Hamlet , Twelfth Night , Taming of the Shrew , and The Merchant of Venice .She appeared in...
). 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 (Alan Napier
Alan Napier
Alan William Napier-Clavering was an English actor, best known for portraying Alfred Pennyworth in the 1960s live-action Batman television series.-Early life and career:...
), but also enchanted by the official's daughter Therese (Signe Hasso
Signe Hasso
Signe Hasso was a Swedish-born American actress, writer and composer.-Background:Signe Eleonora Cecilia Larsson was born in the Kungsholmen parish of Stockholm, Sweden in 1915...
). Unbeknownst to him, she had fallen in love with the image of Saint George, and is greatly disturbed by the uncanny resemblance to their guest. Vidocq and Vernet steal and hide the jewels, intending to return for them later.
However, when the minister fires Richet (Gene Lockhart
Gene Lockhart
Eugene "Gene" Lockhart was a Canadian character actor, singer, and playwright. He also wrote the lyrics to a number of popular songs.-Early life:...
), 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 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 her beau, 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 Loretta and her younger sister Mimi. When they are alone, Loretta 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 his wife and threatens to kill himself. Instead, in a fit of anger brought on by her cold response, he shoots and kills her.
With that impediment out of the way, Vidocq informs the Vernet clan 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 - all that is except Emile. He ambushes his former friend, forcing Vidocq to kill him. Then he confesses to the minister. He is forgiven by all of the De Pierremonts and welcomed into the family.
Cast
- George SandersGeorge SandersGeorge Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
as Eugène François Vidocq - Signe HassoSigne HassoSigne Hasso was a Swedish-born American actress, writer and composer.-Background:Signe Eleonora Cecilia Larsson was born in the Kungsholmen parish of Stockholm, Sweden in 1915...
as Therese De Pierremont - Carole LandisCarole LandisCarole Landis was an American film and stage actress whose break-through role was as the female lead in the 1940 film One Million B.C.. Landis has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 1765 Vine Street....
as Loretta - Akim TamiroffAkim TamiroffAkim Mikhailovich Tamiroff was an Armenian actor. He won the first Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.Tamiroff was born in Tiflis, Russian Empire , of Armenian ethnicity. He trained at the Moscow Art Theatre drama school. He arrived in the U.S. in 1923 on a tour with a troupe of actors...
as Emile Vernet - Gene LockhartGene LockhartEugene "Gene" Lockhart was a Canadian character actor, singer, and playwright. He also wrote the lyrics to a number of popular songs.-Early life:...
as Chief of Police Richet - Alma KrugerAlma Kruger-Career:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kruger had a long career on stage before appearing in films. From 1907 to 1935, she starred in many theatre plays on Broadway, mostly in Shakespearean plays such as Hamlet , Twelfth Night , Taming of the Shrew , and The Merchant of Venice .She appeared in...
as Marquise De Pierremont - Alan NapierAlan NapierAlan William Napier-Clavering was an English actor, best known for portraying Alfred Pennyworth in the 1960s live-action Batman television series.-Early life and career:...
as Houdon De Pierremont - Jo Ann Marlowe as Mimi De Pierremont
- Vladimir SokoloffVladimir Sokoloff-Biography:Sokoloff was born in Moscow, Russia. He became an actor and assistant director with the Moscow Art Theatre, before emigrating to Berlin in 1923...
as Uncle Hugo - Pedro de CordobaPedro de CordobaPedro de Cordoba , was an American actor.Pedro de Cordoba, who appeared in his first film, a 1915 version of Carmen, was actually a classically trained theatre actor who confessed he did not enjoy appearing in silent films nearly as much as he liked working on stage...
as Priest - Leona Maricle as Owner of Dress Shop
- Fritz LeiberFritz Leiber, Sr.Fritz Reuter Leiber Sr. , was an was a American actor . Highly respected as a Shakespearean actor on stage, he also had a successful career in film...
as Painter - Skelton Knaggs 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 TannenJulius TannenJulius Tannen was a comedian – or monologist, as those of his era were known – who had a long and successful career in vaudeville. He was known to stage audiences for his witty improvisations and creative word games...
as Bank of Paris Manager (uncredited)