MysteryCrimeThriller

The Scapegoat

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

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

Release Date : 1959-08-06

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Du Maurier-Guinness

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : John Barratt / Jacques De Gue

Original Name : Alec Guinness

Gender : Male

Character Name : Countess

Original Name : Bette Davis

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bela

Original Name : Nicole Maurey

Gender : Female

Character Name : Francoise

Original Name : Irene Worth

Gender : Female

Character Name : Blanche

Original Name : Pamela Brown

Gender : Female

Character Name : Marie-Noel

Original Name : Annabel Bartlett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gaston

Original Name : Geoffrey Keen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Aloin

Original Name : Noel Howlett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aristide

Original Name : Peter Bull

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lacoste

Original Name : Leslie French

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inspector

Original Name : Alan Webb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maid

Original Name : Maria Britneva

Gender : Female

Character Name : Barman

Original Name : Eddie Byrne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Customs Official

Original Name : Peter Sallis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gamekeeper

Original Name : Alexander Archdale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Night Porter (uncredited)

Original Name : Harold Kasket

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-04-04

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.